Sara Evans

At 53 years old, Sara Evans has this physical status:

Sara Lynn Evans (born February 5, 1971) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Evans has released eight studio albums: Three Chords and the Truth (1997), Born to Fly (2004), Stronger (2011), Born to Fly (2000), Born to Fly (2004), Born to Fly (2003), Real Fine Place (2005), Born to Fly (2003), The Struggle (2005), Words (2017), Plus One Christmas (2004), and a 2007 greatest hits box.

Born to Fly is her best-selling album, receiving a 2x-platinum award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of two million copies.

More than 20 singles have appeared on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and although none of the singles from her debut album made it to the top 40, she did have her first major hit in late 1998-early 1999 with "No Place That Far," the second single from the album of the same name, which debuted at number one, which has since been ranked at number one.

Four additional singles of hers have reached the top of the charts: "Born to Fly" (2004), "A Real Fine Place to Start" (2004), "A Little Bit Stronger" (2010-2011), and "A Little Bit More" (2010), with four more that have made it to the top ten.

Several of her singles have also made it to the Billboard Hot 100, where she has seven Top 40 entries.

Evans has also received one award from Billboard, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), and a Dove Award. Though Evans' debut album was characterized by neotraditionalist country influences, the bulk of her later work was produced in a more slick, country pop style, similar to Faith Hill and Martina McBride.

Evans has collaborated with The Warren Brothers, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Mindy McCready, Lorrie Morgan, Phil Vassar, and Pat Green among others.

She has covered Edwin McCain ("I Could Not Ask for More"), Bruce Hornsby ("Every Little Kiss"), Radney Foster ("A Real Fine Place to Start"), Rod Stewart ("My Heart Can't Tell You No"), and Gavin DeGraw ("Not Over You").

Early life

Sara Lynn Evans was born in Boonville, Missouri, on February 5, 1971. She was raised in New Franklin, Missouri, by her parents, Pat and Jack Evans. She was one of seven children (which also included her half-sisters after her mother remarried). The Evans family was raised on a 400-acre farm that featured many crops and livestock. At the end of the meeting, her mother became a school bus driver, and her father became a newspaper reporter for the Columbia Daily Tribune. Since she began singing with her two older brothers who were learning guitar lessons, Evans' family discovered she had a natural singing talent. Evans' mother was compelled to join her siblings in a band, which they later referred to as The Evans Family Band. When she was six years old, Evans began playing lead vocals in the band. She later learned to play guitar, mandolin, and drums.

Evans was struck by a car while driving the highway that faced her family's farm when she was eight years old. She was thrown onto the vehicle's roof and landed in a grassy field along the highway. She had suffered from a concussion and a leg injury. Evans was admitted to University of Missouri Hospital, which is 30 miles from her hometown, due to the severity of her illness. Doctors had to drill pins into Evans' knee to prevent a deformed left leg. For six weeks, she was unable to move from her hospital bed to her hospital bed. According to Evans, the cause of the crash itself and her being tied to the hospital bed resulted in her suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder. "I had a lot of anxiety and depression in the 1980s, but there was no such thing," she said.

Evans' parents divorced in 1983. In 1985, her mother returned to work, and the couple had two more children (Evans' half sisters). The family migrated to a tobacco farm, which is also located in New Franklin, after her mother's remarried. The Evans Family Band kept on doing as well. The company used to be a weekend performer and later hired a manager. Evans released "I'm Gonna Be the Only Female Fiddle Player in Charlie Daniels Band" when she was ten years old. She and her manager then travelled to Nashville, Tennessee, to promote the song at Fan Fair. Evans performed on a local television show called Country Stampede and briefly formed a band with her brother Matt. Evans graduated high school in 1989. She was given a full scholarship to study music at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. However, she left after one semester after realizing she wanted to pursue a country music career. She returned to her mother's New Franklin farm, where she worked as a waitress at the Holiday Inn. Evans and her brother Matt moved to Nashville in 1991 with the money earned from waiting tables.

Evans had a job waiting tables at another Holiday Inn restaurant in Nashville while commuting to Nashville. At the Holiday Inn, she would meet her first husband, who was also a waiter. In 1992, the couple married and then briefly moved to Oregon. Sara Evans & North Santiam appeared on Oregon as Sara Evans & North Santiam. The couple married in Oregon while living in Portland and spent three years there before returning to Nashville in the mid-1990s. Evans obtained her first gig as a demo performer by her advocate. Among the demos she did was a cover of Buck Owens' "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail," which was supposed to be delivered to Patty Loveless. Harlan Howard, a Nashville-based writer, was impressed by Evans' traditional country singing style. Howard Persuaded executives at RCA Records to hear Evans perform. Evans performed three songs in a live audition for RCA executive Joe Galante. Evans was given a recording contract from RCA Records on the same day. She accepted and signed a seven-album contract with the brand.

Personal life

Craig Schelske married Evans in 1993. Schelske was an aspiring singer at the time of their marriage. Schelske ran for congress in 2002, in the fifth district of Oregon, as a Republican candidate. The couple retired to Franklin, Tennessee, after Evans became extremely successful on the business front. They also had a small cabin in Oregon and a Missouri home. Evans gave birth to Avery Jack, Evans' first son. Olivia Margaret was born in 2003 and Audrey Elizabeth was born a year later. Evans' children have performed in her touring band, the former as a guitarist and the latter as a vocalist. While her daughter's debut in 2021 was in 2021, her brother is now touring as part of Thomas Rhett's band.

Evans had filed for divorce from Schelske following her release from Dancing with the Stars in 2006. Evans accused Schelske of unemployment, alcoholism, infidelity, watching adult entertainment with their children present, possessing sexually explicit photographs of himself and others, as well as verbal abuse in court records. Schelske denied all of his wife's allegations. Schelske and Evans explained that the "interrupted adult entertainment viewing" was inadvertent and involved both Schelske and Evans. Schelske also claimed that his explicit photograph collection was limited to photos of the newlywed couple, although Evans had numerous personal issues. Schelske accused Evans of having numerous affairs with fellow musicians, including Kenny Chesney. The allegations were "ridiculous," according to a Chesney spokesperson.

Evans and Schelske's divorce was finalised on September 28, 2007. Evans was ordered to pay Schelske $500,000 in alimony for a ten-year period, and was given primary custody of their three children. Evans' ex-nanny sued her for $3 million, arguing that Evans smeared her name by accusing her of an affair with Schelske. In July 2009, the case was settled for $500,000. Evans obtained two provisional restraining orders against Schelske in 2010, and 2011, prohibiting him from making any derogatory remarks about Evans or their former marriages.

Schelske also sued Evans' John Hollins Sr. and his company (Hollins, Wagster, Yarbrough, Weatherly & Raybin, P.C.) After Hollins spoke to People magazine in October 2006 about Evans' divorce allegations, he was charged with "slander, false light, and other harms." That litigation resulted in an undisclosed financial settlement and a letter from Hollins in 2011, which said in part: "My company and I represented Sara Evans in a contentious divorce from Craig Schelske... to the best of my ability." I'm sorry that my words on behalf of Sara Evans caused Mr. Schelske in any way." Schelske released a public statement thanking God, family, and friends for their service during the time, and saying, "Sara is not my enemy... Hollins... he's the one who did this."

Evans' second husband Jay Barker will be matched with her marriage counselor. In 2007, the pair first started exchanging emails and soon started a dating relationship right afterward. Barker, a former University of Alabama quarterback, was a radio host at the time, and at the time of their meeting, he was a radio host. The pair married in Franklin, Tennessee, on June 14, 2008, with their children as their attendants. Barker shared the custody of four children with his ex-wife, taking the total number of seven children when both families were present. "We are really a family." We don't think of it as 'blended'; they are just our kids. However, we also know our roles. In 2011, Barker wrote, "I'm around when Sara's kids' father is around." The family later lived in Mountain Brook, Alabama, a Birmingham suburb.

Evans' family returned to Nashville in 2019 to ensure that Evans would live in a more convenient location to the country's music industry. Barker was arrested for aggravated assault on January 15, 2022, after she was convicted of attempting to hit Evans while driving a passenger in a friend's car after leaving a party. According to the affidavit, the couple is divorced, and Evans had applied for divorce prior to the incident in August 2021, citing "concilable differences and inappropriate marital behavior" in the case. Barker responded to his detention on social media by saying that the papers "do not accurately reflect our culture and complicated fabric of our lives." Barker was released from the Davidson County Jail on a $10,000 bond and was scheduled for a court appearance in March 2022. Barker signed a guilty plea and was sentenced to a year of probation in June 2022. According to Billboard, Evans and Barker's divorce is still "in progress."

Evans has suffered with panic attacks and trepidation at various times in her life. Evans' memoir recalled a "meltdown" in December 2005 after realizing her first marriage was over. She related to having "terrifying feelings" of being kidnapped and losing her own power. Evans refused to leave her Nashville home for ten days and was afraid to "walk from one room to another." She was also admitted to the hospital for a short time and was diagnosed with "exhaustion." Evans found solace in her Christian faith and began serving with a pastor who helped her regain control of her mental stability. "He advised me to sit at home for the time being and get some rest, and then let God do the rest," she said. Evans also spoke with a doctor who gave her anti-anxiety drugs.

Evans was nearly killed in a plane crash in Minnesota in December 2012. Following a successful landing, the aircraft's gyroscope malfunctioned, causing the plane's private plane to fly upside down. "I knew we weren't been on the air long enough, so we were still seconds away from dying." I had no idea about it. Her memoir recalled that it was so strange and peaceful. Despite the plane's one wing breaking, the pilots were able to rebrand it. In Fargo, North Dakota, the pilots made an emergency landing.

Evans is a spokesperson for the National Eating Disorders Association, and he has written extensively about the subject. After having a close friend suffer from anorexia, she was compelled to become their spokesperson. "I have never suffered from an eating disorder, but I am well aware of our culture's obsession with body image," she told CMT. Fashion for Every Body, a charity exhibition that featured a fashion preview, silent auction, and Evans' appearance, was also held at a charity event. Evans, a libertarian Republican from Texas, also endorsed Texas Congressman Ron Paul in the 2008 presidential election and was the front page of his "Rally For The Republic" in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the same day as the Republican National Convention in neighboring St. Paul.

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Career

Following the completion of her contract, Evans resigned from her position. Pete Anderson, a producer and guitarist best known for his collaboration with Dwight Yoakam, decided to have her album produced by her. She moved to Los Angeles, California, to record the album. On RCA, Three Chords and the Truth were announced in July 1997. The album's music was based on traditional honky tonk style and attracted critical acclaim. "This collection of originality is backed up by great songs and solid backup musicianship," Allmusic's James Chrispell said. "At once a keeper of the best of country's past and a feminist writer and singer establishing a timeless contemporary country sound, she encourages applause among the top country divas." The album, on the other hand, was not commercially successful. On the Billboard country albums chart, the album debuted at number 56. Three singles, "Shame About That," the title track, and "Shame About It"—all in order of release, and True Lies, the title track's leader, and "Shame About It"—debuted outside the Billboard top 40. Country radio, according to Evans, refused to air the singles because they were "too country." "It was the most painful experience of my life" she wrote in her book.

Evans returned to the studio to record her next album in the hopes of commercial success. She wanted to record an album that was both "modern" and "without compromising" her musical tastes. The result was No Place That Far, which was published on RCA in October 1998. The initiative debuted at number 11 on Billboard's country albums chart, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard country albums chart. Although its lead single ("Cryin' Game") debuted outside the country's top 40, its second single (the title track) debuted at number one on the Billboard country songs chart, gaining the number one spot on the Billboard country songs chart. Its success was due to the buy-in from country radio programmers who were invited to a private showcase of her new repertoire in Cincinnati, Ohio. "They were all eating out of my hands and singing my praises by the end of the show," Evans described. The album's last single, "I'm a Woman," debuted at number 32 on the country songs chart, disappointing Evans. "I felt like I was always starting over," she said at country radio. Evans recruited a co-manager to help with career growth. At that time, Evans discovered she was pregnant with her first child at the time. This caused discontent with her record label, who had advised her to "lose the baby weight as soon as possible."

After watching Faith Hill's "Breathe" music video, Evans was inspired to make shifts in her career. "I'm going to lose this weight, grow my hair long, and make the best album Nashville has ever heard," she said. She was attracted to the bluegrass sound by Dixie Chicks and sought out Paul Worley, the band's producer. Matt Chamberlain, a rock session drummer, also wanted to play drums. Evans' third studio album will be produced by the pair together. Born to Fly, RCA Nashville's September 2000 edition, was released in October 2000. The project was co-produced by Evans and Worley. The album became Evans' best-selling album in the United States, achieving double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Thom Jurek, a critic, took note of the situation. Evans referred to her as having the "confidence and authority of a veteran veteran who is in charge of her work," Evans said. Born to Fly ranked sixth on the Billboard country albums chart and number 55 on the Billboard 200.

Born to Fly's four singles were released. The title track was first, and Evans co-wrote with Marcus Hummon. This year, it ranked at number one on the Billboard country singles chart and ranked 34 on the Hot 100. The next installment was a recap of Edwin McCain's "I Could Not Ask for More," followed by "Saints & Angels" and "I Keep Looking," the latter two being a top-five country hit in 2002. Evans received five nominations from the Country Music Association Awards in 2001. This year, the Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year were included in this issue. Born to Fly's title track was later named Music Video of the Year by the singer. The Academy of Country Music Awards also praised her for Best Female Vocalist. Evans joined Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Jamie O'Neal, and Carolyn Dawn Johnson on the all-women headlining Girls Night Out Tour in 2001, enjoying her new fame.

Restless was her fourth studio album and was released in August 2003, with Evans and Worley continuing to co-produce. Restless had mixed reactions. Edward Morris, a writer, described it as "more pop than country in terms of appearance and attitude." It was described as "slick and predictable" by James Christopher Monger. Restless debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and rated platinum in the United States. Although the lead single "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus" debuted at number 20 on Billboard's top 20, its second single, "Perfect," climbed to the top of the Billboard country chart. The album's third single was called "Suds in the Bucket," according to the album's traditional "Suds in the Bucket." The song was not supposed to be included in the project's track list, but Evans pushed for its inclusion. It was her third top-one song on Billboard's country chart. The fourth and final single "Tonight" was less popular, peaking outside the top 40 of Hot Country Songs in 2005. Evans was later nominated for numerous awards by the Academy of Country Music in both 2003 and 2004. She also received similar nominations from the Country Music Association. She co-headlined the Mud & Suds Tour with Brad Paisley in 2004.

Evans also published a cover of Radney Foster's book "A Real Fine Place to Start" in 2005. It was her fourth top ten songs on the Billboard country survey and her fourth song to chart in the Top 40. It would be the title track to her fifth studio album Real Fine Place, which was released in October 2005. Evans co-produced with Mark Bright on her previous albums, unlike her previous albums. "The perfect blend of radio-friendly country pop and the rootsy sounds she sold with her 1997 debut Three Chords And The Truth," BBC reporter Sue Keough described it as "the perfect blend of radio-friendly country pop and the rootsy sounds she delivered with her 1997 debut "The Truth." Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine praised it for being "less than necessary" in its catalog, while Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine called it 2.5 stars, despite the fact that it was not very important. Despite mixed reviews, the album was her first to top the Billboard country albums chart. It also debuted on the Billboard 200 at number three. It also scored platinum in sales like its predecessors. The single "Cheatin" appeared on the country chart, and Real Fine Place also featured the single "Cheatin" which landed at number nine. While the follow-up single "Coalmine" faltered on the charts, the sequel "You'll Always Be My Baby" debuted in 2006, putting it at number 13. The Academy of Country Music will also honor her as the Top Female Vocalist Award winner.

Evans had hit the height of her career by 2006. She was lining her own tours and made nearly 300 appearances in one year. Evans appeared on the ABC network in August of that year. In September, she and her dancing partner Tony Dovolani made their first appearance on the programme. When Evans competed on the program, she and her family migrated to Beverly Hills, California, where the show rented her a home. In her memoir, "It was completely exhausting and totally rejuvenating at the same time." Evans' marriage to husband Craig Schelske was also ending at the same time. Evans was effected by her personal life's turmoil, and she was prone to depression and panic attacks. Following her first appearance, she declared her exit from the show after filing for divorce from Schelske. "I had to stop working entirely, concentrate on my children, and really figure out what I was going to do," she later explained.

Between 2006 and 2007, Evans' divorce attracted a lot of national media attention. The recording of a studio album of a personal tragedy has been postponed for several years. Evans, on the other hand, did begin to play new music on a limited basis. RCA released her first compilation album of Greatest Hits in 2007. The project debuted at number three on the Billboard country albums chart and number eight on the Billboard 200. Twelve of Evans' most well-known songs were included on the album, as well as four new tracks co-written by Evans. Thom Jurek of AllMusic gave the album three stars, criticizing the album's production and choice of content. Three of the company's latest songs were released as singles. Its lead single, "As If," debuted on the Billboard country songs chart at number 11 on the Billboard country charts. It was followed by "Some Things Never Change" by the top 40 entries. She co-hosted the Country Music Association Awards later this year.

Evans appeared on CMT Crossroads, a music display on CMT, which paired country music artists with pop music artists for collaborative performances in May 2008. She performed songs from both artists' catalogs on her show on her episode. Evans wrote the theme song to film Billy: The Early Years in September 2008. On the Hot Country Songs chart, the single, "Low" was briefly charted for a brief period of time. ABC Daytime and SOAPnet sponsored a tour that featured performances throughout the year in June 2009. "Feels Just Like a Love Song," Evans' next single was "Feels Just Like a Love Song," which only reached number 59 on the country's charts. I'll Be Home for Christmas, she closed 2009 with an extended play of Christmas songs. The announcement came during a two-month holiday trip.

In 2010, Evans co-authored The Sweet By and By, with author Rachel Hauck. Softly and Tenderly, the book's sequel, was released in January 2011. Both books were based on Christian themes, and the main characters explored their religious relationships. In 2011, Evans returned to action. Nathan Chapman, a Grammy award-winning musician, was enlisted by her to help re-launch her career. Evans began looking for songs, and eventually found the album "A Little Bit Stronger." Lady Antebellum lead singer Hillary Scott co-wrote the album, which allowed Evans to record the song after the band did not cut it. It was released as a single in 2010 and topped the Hot Country Songs chart in 2011. "A Little Bit Stronger" became her first top-one single since 2005 and spent two weeks at the top of the charts. It was released on Evans' sixth studio album, Stronger. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums list and at number six on the Billboard 200. In the United States, a faster gold was later rated.

On their Flatts Fest tour in mid-2011, Evans opened Rascal Flatts as the first act. The pair toured into 2012 and then stopped touring. The Country Music Association Awards also named "A Little Bit Stronger" for Single of the Year in 2011. Evans was also named Female Vocalist of the Year by the organization. In 2011, the Academy of Country Music Awards nominated Evans for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Evans felt pressure to maintain the company's profitability after her return to work. She told Country Music Television, "I've been working my assassination." Evans had hoped to get "two or three big hits" off Stronger. On the Billboard country chart, the follow-up single, a recreation of Rod Stewart's "My Heart Can't Tell You No," has only risen to number 21. It was followed by "Anywhere," its third single, which peaked outside the top 40 in 2012. In 2012, Evans wrote Love Lifted Me, her third book. Rachel Hauck and co-written the book, which was based on a similar plot as her previous book launches. At Game two of the 2012 NBA Finals, Evans performed the National Anthem. At Game 2 of the 2015 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets, Evans performed the National Anthem.

Evans and Mark Bright returned to the recording studio in November 2012 to prepare for their next album project. The single "Slow Me Down" was released by RCA a year later. According to Evans, the single needed more attention due to Bro-country's success, which had taken chart positions away from women. "I did something like forty-four free shows this year, on top of my regular touring dates," her memoir recalled. Nevertheless, "Slow Me Down" debuted in the top 20 on the Billboard country songs chart and ranked 17 on the Billboard country airplay chart, ranking 20 in the top 20 and number 17 on the Billboard country airplay chart, placing it at number 19 on the Billboard country songs chart and number 17 on the Billboard country airplay chart. On RCA, her seventh album of the same name was released in March 2014. The album debuted on the Country Albums list as number two on the Country Albums chart and at number nine on the Billboard 200. It was selected as one of the best of 2014" in AllMusic's year-end review and ranked number ten on Billboard's "Best Country Albums of 2014," ranked at number ten.

Evans appeared on ABC's Nashville in October 2014, playing herself. Will Chase performed in-character as Luke Wheeler in a duet version of her upcoming single, "Put My Heart Down." As the authors interviewed Rayna Jaymes about her time as a working mother in the country music industry so that Rayna's story would come across as authentic, Evans herself inspired the series lead Rayna Jaymes. Evans' first complete studio album of Christmas songs, At Christmas, was released in November 2014. Along with original tunes, the project included covers of Christmas songs as well as original tunes. She later promoted the campaign on ABC's annual CMA Country Christmas television special. Evans appeared on CMT Crossroads for the second time this year, this time alongside rock band REO Speedwagon.

Evans left the company in February 2016 after spending her entire recording career on RCA. She revealed that she would be signing a deal with Sugar Hill Records six months later. However, the company underwent a restructure, and Evans eventually resigned, and he eventually decided to leave the company. Evans appeared on the season finale of USA Network's Chrisley Knows Best the same year. "Infinite Love" was her debut on a new album by the singer. Todd Chrisley, one of the show's cast members, performed duet. In 2016, a pair's recording debuted in the top 40 of the Billboard country chart. On the 2016 season finale of ABC's game show Celebrity Family Feud, Evans and several of her siblings competed against the Chrisley family.

Evans had grown dissatisfied with the country radio's lack of funding for female artists. "No one seemed to celebrate all my previous accomplishments that I'd worked years to achieve," she recalled. Evans had to start Born to Fly Records as a result of her dissatisfaction. Sony RED also partnered with the company to release its music. "Now I'm in the driver's seat, and every decision is made between my managers and me," she explained. Words, the label's ninth studio record, was set in July 2017. All fourteen of the album's tracks featured female songwriters. "Words provides a sharp and welcome contrast to the bustling digital age," AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said. "Artistic liberty never sounded so good," Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press praised the album and concluded, "Artistic liberty has never sounded so good." Words reached their high on the Billboard country albums chart and ranked 46 on the Billboard 200. Despite heavy promotion, its lead single ("Marquee Sign") failed to make a chart debut.

Evans' son and daughter collaborated with her brother and daughter to produce The Barker Family Band, an EP. The project featured harmonies from Evans and her children who performed covers of songs by Aretha Franklin and Fleetwood Mac. At City Winery in Nashville, Tennessee, a related live album was shot. Both projects were promoted through a mini tour that included five show dates in May 2019. Evans' tenth studio project, Copy That, was unveiled in May 2020. The project was a compilation of classic country and pop covers from different decades. The album has received mixed feedback. "Copy" is a clever word for a covers album, but it also raises the possibility that these new cover versions are simply Xeroxes of the original," AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said. In comparison, Jeffrey B. Remz of Country Standard Time found it to be "just too syrupy" in his review. Evans wrote a book in September 2020 that outlined highlights from her life and work. Howard Books brought the book out.

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