Song: “Independence Day”
A song about independence from domestic abuse has helped thousands.
Sadly, domestic abuse against women continues, but we are more aware of it, and there are more resources available for victims and families. That’s due in part to the artist and song featured today.
In 1994, Martina McBride released one of the most powerful songs about the issue — “Independence Day.”
It won the CMA Award for “Song of the Year” at the 1995 CMA Awards.
Written by Gretchen Peters, whose parents divorced when she was 8 years old, just like the girl in the song, McBride’s soaring vocals and dedication to the cause have raised both awareness and hundreds of thousands of dollars for organizations like the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and the Tulsa Domestic Violence and Intervention Services. Both McBride and Peters have donated and supported such groups for years.
While only reaching #12 on the Country charts when it was originally released, it has come to be regarded as one of McBride’s signature songs, and is played consistently to this day.
The song ranked 50th on CMT’s 2003 list of 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music. The official video was ranked #2 on the 100 Greatest Videos in Country Music. In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 45 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.
The live performance below once again highlights what a gifted and powerhouse vocalist McBride is. Introduced by a young Vince Gill, who divulges his love of New York pizza to the crowd at Carnegie Hall, she brings down the house — just like in the official video.
Enjoy!