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All Photos by Ana Gibert

The AT&T Audience Network delivers concerts, in-depth artist interviews, unique stories and exclusive performances across all genres of music. The show’s premise gives music fans an intimate view of influential artists today from the artist’s perspective. We had the opportunity receive a private tour of the AT&T Audience Music studio and stages, and meet with the stars before the performances.

Taped at Red Studio, in Hollywood, AT&T Audience Network’s Summer Concert Series has two stages, one homey and intimate, the other pure rock and roll. As one might expect, the sound was terrific, and the seating for the taping intimate, especially given the stature of the stars performing.

In a meet-and-greet before the performance, Martina McBride was chatty and gracious. Her heartfelt gratitude toward her fans is absolutely endearing. Onstage, McBride sang her heart out on the ballads, and gave us some of her hits like “Independence Day” (which she introduced with: “This is one is for the girls.”). McBride’s lovely contralto vocals caress the lyrics, and when she belts one out, it makes the whole audience sit up a little straighter. Her delivery of “Just Around the Corner” and “Reckless,” the title song of her latest album, were particularly stunning.

Since the series began airing this past January, AT&T Audience Network’s new music slate continues nationwide on a variety of platforms, broadcast weekly on Fridays on DIRECTV, as well as streaming on smartphones and tablets, via the DIRECTV and U-verse apps.

—Ana Gibert