On Friday, December 13, at 7:30 p.m., Martina McBride will be performing her “Joy of Christmas Tour” at the Fox Theatre (527 Grand). McBride will be singing classic Christmas carols such as “Let it Snow,” and “O, Holy Night.” Before her tour makes its way to St. Louis, the Grammy-winning singer agreed to talk a little about her tour and her own holiday traditions. And some late-breaking news that came out of the blue just this afternoon: the singer announced via Twitter, that she's releasing a new album, Everlasting, on March 4. It's a collection of cover songs by artists such as Elvis, The Supremes, and Van Morrison, and will include a duet with Gavin McGraw.
This interview was shortened and edited for publication.
SLM: How has the tour been going?
MM: It’s been going great so far. We’ve done three or four shows now, and it’s just so much fun to do this tour with all the music. It’s the kind of show that’s for the whole family and it’s a lot of fun to do the tour.
So you’re touring until December 21. Will you get to be home, enjoying Christmas with your family after that?
Oh yeah, absolutely.
What’s a holiday tradition you most look forward to with your family?
We always get our tree and decorate [it], which we’re going to do later today. That always signals the start of the Christmas season in our house.
Do you ever wish you could be home a little more instead of touring, especially during this season?
No, I’m really home a lot. I’m home more than I tour, so that’s a good thing.
Do you have a favorite Christmas song?
Oh, it’s hard to pick a favorite. In the show I really love performing “O, Come All Ye Faithful,” that’s one of my favorites to sing.
What’s one thing about the show you love?
I just love bringing Christmas joy to people. I think it’s a great way to take a couple hours and escape and get into the Christmas spirit if you’re not already.
I hear you do a Q&A with the audience, too. How does that work?
I ask them about their holidays and their traditions, and sometimes they just want to talk, and it’s really interesting because you never know what’s going to happen. It’s spontaneous and it’s really fun.
Is there anything you want to add about The Joy of Christmas Tour?
It’s really a beautiful experience. It completely runs the gamut of emotions from fun to really powerful and emotional and talks about the true meaning of Christmas. It’s kind of nostalgic in a way and hopefully entertaining—I think it is. So I just want people to come out and experience it and make it a part of their tradition.
For more information on The Joy of Christmas Tour, or to purchase tickets, visit fabulousfox.com.