Martina McBride is a performer in every sense of the word. She is a perfectionist with a vocal ability one could only wish for. She doesn’t just sing the lyrics to a song, she puts her whole body, heart and soul into every word, phrase and story.

The Kansas-born country singer’s gift was evident Friday night at the Augusta Civic Center. McBride, who has won the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist Award numerous times and is known for hits such as “Independence Day” and “Wild Angels,” wowed the crowd with her vocal ability and charm at the sold-out performance.

Wearing a simple, elegant sleeveless gold dress and matching shoes, McBride started the evening with “Thanks a Lot,” a hit for country legend Ernest Tubb. She told the audience she was really happy to be in Augusta, “We just spent 25 hours riding on a bus, so you know we really want to be here.”

McBride’s latest album “Timeless” is featured on her current tour. She sang some of her own hits including “Concrete Angel” and “In My Daughter’s Eyes” and “Independence Day.” some of country music’s greatest classics such as “Rose Garden” by Lynn Anderson and “Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette. These songs take one back to some of the best traditional country music that ever hit the airwaves. McBride, who has one of the most powerful female voices in country music, brings the genre home with “Timeless.”

Throughout the show, McBride introduced band members including her guitarist-brother, Marty Schiff, who received much applause. “Alright, alright,” she quipped. “He’s gonna want a raise.”

During her performance, McBride changed clothes several times, donning an elegant, sleeveless black evening gown, and a snappy gray jacket, with T-shirt, gray gauchos and black boots.

McBride and her band left the stage, but the crowd’s continuous applause drew her back, along with guitarist Greg Foresman and keyboardist Gordon Mote, to perform “Somewhere” (a version of “Over the Rainbow”).

Brad and Brett Warren, better known as The Warren Brothers, opened for McBride. The pair played acoustic guitars and entertained the audience with their hits for about 20 minutes. McBride enlisted the help of the brothers during the last portion of her show, having them take requests from the audience.

Arlene Boyle, an administrative assistant at the Bangor Daily News, can be reached at arboyle@yahoo.com.