Watch Martina McBride, Cassadee Pope Perform at RS Country Party

“I thought, ‘I’m sure people don’t want to sit there and listen to me sing all of my songs. So let’s have a party.’ And what’s more of a party than background singers and horn players?” Martina McBride said, prior to performing at the Rolling Stone Country Live Nashville event, powered by Ram. The powerhouse vocalist revived her soul-band revue for the occasion, playing her hits “Wild Angels” and “Independence Day,” tracks off her new album Reckless and covers like Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds.”

Cassadee Pope and Tucker Beathard helped warm up the crowd, each delivering full-band sets that were heavy on swagger. Pope exuded charisma and charm onstage, strutting toward the crowd while performing songs like “Think of You” – a Number One duet with Chris Young – while Beathard displayed the tough songwriting that makes up his debut EP Fight Like Hell.

Held at the City Winery near downtown Nashville, the Rolling Stone Country event entertained Music City insiders, VIPs and guest artists like Jon Pardi.