Sara Evans
Encyclopedia
Sara Lynn Evans is an American country
singer and songwriter.
Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by the RIAA, like 2003's Restless
and 2005's Real Fine Place
. Her 2000 album, Born to Fly
was certified Double-Platinum.
, in 1971, and is of Welsh, English, and Irish descent. She was raised on a farm near New Franklin, MO, the eldest girl of seven children. By five she was singing weekends in her family's band. At age eight, she was struck by an automobile in front of the family home, and her legs suffered multiple fractures. Recuperating for months in a wheelchair, she continued singing to help pay her medical bills. When she was 16, she began performing at a nightclub near Columbia, Missouri
, a gig that lasted two years.
Evans moved to Nashville, Tennessee
in 1991 to be a country music artist. She met fellow musician Craig Schelske and left Nashville with him in 1992, moving to Oregon. They married in 1993. She returned to Nashville in 1995 and began recording demos. Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard
was impressed by her demo of his song "Tiger by the Tail". He decided to help her music career, leading to a signed contract with RCA Nashville.
In 1997, Evans released her first album for RCA, Three Chords and the Truth. Critics praised the album for returning to traditional country and included it in many of their yearly "Top 10" lists. The video for "Three Chords and the Truth", directed by Susan Johnson, was nominated for awards from Billboard Magazine, CMT, and the MVPA. The album included a cover version of an older Country song, Patsy Cline
's "Imagine That", which originally reached No. 21 for Cline on the country charts in 1962. None of the three singles made the top 40. It would be another year before Evans gained full popularity. In 1998 Evans released her second album, No Place That Far
. Critics slammed her on choosing a more pop-country sound. Her first single, "Cryin' Game", hardly made a ripple on the charts but the music video, which re-teamed Evans with director Susan Johnson, did very well in rotation. However, it was her next single, "No Place That Far", a duet with Vince Gill
, that brought her massive success, reaching #1 on the Country charts, as well as the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40. Because of its success, the album was certified "Gold" by the RIAA.
, was released to stores on October 10, 2000, and later became another major-selling album. She insisted on hiring Seattle-based rock drummer Matt Chamberlain (The Wallflowers
, Edie Brickell
), who brought a different sound to her music.
The album became Evans' first album to receive a "Platinum" rating by the RIAA, and spawned four country hits, including the title track ("Born to Fly
") which was the first single released from the album, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Country charts, Evans' first No. 1 as a solo artist. Hits continued from the album all the way into 2002. After "Born to Fly", the second single, "I Could Not Ask for More", was released in 2001, the country version of Edwin McCain
's big pop–rock hit from the year before. Evans' version reached No. 2 on the country charts and was a No. 35 Pop hit, ironically an even bigger Pop hit than McCain's version on Billboard's Hot 100 (McCain's version reached No. 37). In 2002, songs continued to be released from the album; "Saints and Angels" and "I Keep Looking" were the last two singles released from the album. "I Keep Looking" reached No. 5 and "Saints and Angels" reached No. 16. In 2004, the Born to Fly album was officially certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.
In 2001, Evans was the most-nominated artist at the Country Music Association
awards with seven nominations overall, and she won her first CMA award when "Born to Fly" won the award for Video of the Year, her first major award from Country music.
In 2003, Evans recorded a long-awaited fourth album, which was titled Restless
. The album was released August 19, 2003 to stores. The first single released from the album in 2003, "Back Seat of a Greyhound Bus", was a Top 20 Country hit, reaching No. 16 on the Hot Country Songs list that year, but it did not hit the Billboard Hot 100, peaking outside it on the Bubbling Hot 100. Despite the album's first single not reaching the Top 10, the album still sold fairly well, debuting at No. 3 on the "Top Country Albums" list and the No. 20 on the "Billboard 200" list, and sold over 40,000 copies within its first week. However it was the album's next single, "Perfect" that broke Country's Top 10, eventually peaking in the top 5 at No. 2, barely missing Country's top spot. The third single from the album, "Suds in the Bucket
", was the album's most successful single; it became Evans' third Number One hit and was also a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it was Evans' first ever Gold-certified single by the RIAA. The album's fourth and final single, "Tonight", failed to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Restless received a nomination in the 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards
.
, released October 4, 2005. The album's lead single, "A Real Fine Place to Start
," reached No. 1 on the Country charts in 2005, as well as reaching the Pop Top 40 at No. 38. The single marked the first time Evans charted on Billboard's "Pop 100" and "Hot Digital Songs" chart, reaching No. 67 and No. 62 respectively. "A Real Fine Place" was another Gold-certified single by the RIAA. The album sold 130,000 copies within its first week, becoming Evans' first album to reach the No. 1 spot on the "Top Country Albums" chart, while also becoming her most successful album on the "Billboard 200" to date, reaching No. 3. The album sold three times more copies than her previous album had done in their first weeks. On December 6, 2005, Evans released the compilation album Feels Like Home through Cracker Barrel
stores. The album contains remixes of some of her most popular songs, including a live version of "Born to Fly" and an acoustic version of "No Place That Far". In 2005 the album's follow-up single "Cheatin'
" was a top 10 Country hit, peaking at No. 9 there. The third single released from the album, "Coalmine", was the least successful single, just about breaking Billboard's Country Top 40 chart in early 2006.
In 2006, R&R announced Evans as the "Female Vocalist of the Year" in its 2006 Readers' Poll. In spring 2006, Evans released Always There through Hallmark
stores for Mothers' Day. The album has six of her favorite already-released songs, including a live version of "Suds in the Bucket" and an acoustic version of "Born to Fly". Two new songs are on the disc: "You Ought to Know by Now" and "Brooklyn & Austin".
In 2006, the last significant single from the Real Fine Place album was released, titled "You'll Always Be My Baby", which was a Top 20 Country hit, but missing Billboard's Hot 100, reaching a peak position on the Bubbling Hot 100 at #105. An album cut released from the album in 2006, "Missing Missouri", reached No. 52 on the Country charts that year. On May 23, 2006, Evans competed and performed at the 2006 ACM awards
show in Las Vegas, where she won her first ACM for the "Top Female Vocalist". Evans also became a spokesperson for National Eating Disorders Association, and has spoken out widely on this subject, as she has been personally affected by it. She also hosted a charity event, Fashion for Every Body, which featured a fashion show, silent auction and performance by Evans.
On October 9, 2007, Evans released her first Greatest Hits
collection. The compilation features four new songs, including the lead-off single "As If", which was a Top 20 hit on the country charts. Evans released the gift book You'll Always Be My Baby (based on her song). It was written by Evans, Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro. It was announced on October 15, 2007, that Evans would host the 41st annual CMA Awards show with LeAnn Rimes
on November 7, 2007.
A libertarian
Republican
, Evans also showed support for Texas
Congressman Ron Paul
in the 2008 Presidential election
and was the headliner at his "Rally For The Republic" on September 2, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, the same day as the Republican National Convention
in neighboring St. Paul.
(for the movie released October 10). The song is featured on the movie's soundtrack which was released on October 7, 2008, and also includes other big name country artists. "Low" debuted (and peaked) on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs
chart at No. 59 on October 12, 2008. It only remained on the chart for one week before returning for a second week in January 2009 at the same position.
A book called Sweet By and By, written by Evans with author Rachel Hauck, was released on January 5, 2010. It is the first release of a four-book deal inked with Thomas Nelson Fiction. The second book is Softly and Tenderly, and was released January 14, 2011, with the following third and fourth books to be released 2012 and 2013.
Evans stated in a video posting to her fan club on December 23, 2008, that she was working with her brother Matt Evans and producer Nathan Chapman on her sixth studio album. "Feels Just Like a Love Song", was released on July 20, 2009. The song debuted and peaked at No. 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart; after spending two weeks on the chart, it fell off. It was intended as the lead-off single to Evans' sixth studio album, Stronger, but was later cut from the final track listing.
In 2009, ABC Daytime and SOAPnet
sponsored a tour, headlined by Evans, that featured performances throughout the summer. Additionally, soap performers made appearances at her shows. Evans participated in performances on the networks, as well as on-air interstitial campaigns and online promotions.
In late 2009, Evans released a four-song Christmas EP, I'll Be Home for Christmas, to coincide with her 2009 Christmas tour. The EP includes the title track as well as "O' Come All Ye Faithful", "Go Tell It on the Mountain
", and "New Again" (a duet with Brad Paisley
). It was released on November 3, 2009 to digital retailers.
During Evans' 2010 fanclub party on June 10, 2010, she debuted the first single from her sixth studio album, Stronger
, which was released on March 8, 2011. The song, titled "A Little Bit Stronger
," was released to radio on September 27, 2010. One of the few songs on the album not co-written by the artist, it was pitched to Evans by its songwriter, Hillary Scott
of Lady Antebellum
. Additionally, the song was included on the soundtrack to the 2010 film Country Strong. It debuted at No. 56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of October 2, 2010 and hit No. 1 in May 2011. The video for "A Little Bit Stronger
" hit number one on the GAC
top 20 country video countdown on May 20, 2011. Evans sang the song on the finale of season 12 of the American ABC TV show Dancing with the Stars on May 24, 2011.
She released "My Heart Can't Tell You No", her second single from Stronger, to radio on June 20, 2011.
".
She appeared on the game show "Million Dollar Password
" in June 2008.
In September 2006, Evans began competing with other celebrities on the third season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with (professional) partner Tony Dovolani. Evans launched a new fan web site to provide behind-the-scenes material from her participation on the program. Evans was the first country music singer to ever participate in the show. However, she chose to withdraw from the competition due to her divorce.
Also in 2006, Evans guest starred on Jeff Foxworthy
's TV show, Foxworthy's Big Night Out.
Evans made an appearance judging on HGTV Design Star
in which she chose which of two redesigned rooms at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center was most like her own style. This aired on July 6, 2008
In October 2008, Evans also hosted a charity skating fundraiser, "Skating for Life". Olympic skaters skated to Evans' songs.
In March 2009, Evans hosted the ACM GAC Top New Artist Special, which launched the fan voting for the ACMs three new categories: Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group.
Evans sang "God Bless America
" during the All Star Game in St Louis, Missouri on July 12, 2009.
In June 2011 Evans appeared on the Flatts Fest 2011 Tour with Rascal Flatts
, Justin Moore, and Easton Corbin.
Evans married Craig Schelske, an aspiring politician
, on September 25, 1993, and divorced in September 2007.
Evans and Schelske have three children: Avery Jack (born August 21, 1999), Olivia Margaret (born January 22, 2003) and Audrey Elizabeth (born October 6, 2004).
On June 14, 2008, Evans married Jay Barker
, a former University of Alabama
quarterback, national championship winner and current radio show host. They married in Franklin, Tennessee, with their children as their attendants. Evans and her three children now live in Mountain Brook, Alabama
, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama
, with Barker and his children.
, country star Kenny Chesney
, Dancing with the Stars
partner Tony Dovolani
, various members of Evans' band, and four of the five members of the rock band 3 Doors Down
. A representative for Chesney called the allegations "ridiculous," and Kirt Webster, a spokesman for the rock band 3 Doors Down, stated that the accusations are "ludicrous" and "untrue" and that the band members "are saddened by what she's going through."
On September 28, 2007, the divorce between Evans and Schelske became final. Evans will pay him a minimum of $500,000 in alimony over a ten-year period. Evans was awarded custody of their three children with visitation rights to Schelske.
An ex-nanny of Evans', Alison Clinton Lee, sued her for $3 million, claiming that Evans has smeared her name by including it in her divorce papers as one of the many women Evans claims her husband had affairs with. The case was settled in July 2009, for $500,000.
On February 25, 2010, Evans obtained a restraining order against Schelske. Documents say Schelske is not allowed to make any derogatory statements about Evans to the media or make allegations about what led to their divorce.
Compilation album
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and songwriter.
Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by the RIAA, like 2003's Restless
Restless (Sara Evans album)
Restless is a Country music album by Sara Evans, released August 19, 2003 on RCA Records Nashville. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA....
and 2005's Real Fine Place
Real Fine Place
Real Fine Place is a country music album by singer/songwriter Sara Evans. It is her fifth studio album and the follow-up album to the platinum Restless. The album has been certified platinum for U.S. shipments of a million copies...
. Her 2000 album, Born to Fly
Born to Fly
Born to Fly is a country music album by Sara Evans, released October 10, 2000. It is her highest-selling album to date, having earned 2× Platinum certification by the RIAA for U.S. sales of two million copies. The lead single, "Born to Fly," reached number one on January 19, 2001. The album was one...
was certified Double-Platinum.
Early life and the rise to fame
Evans was born in Boonville, MissouriBoonville, Missouri
This page is about the city in Missouri. For other communities of the same name, see Boonville Boonville is a city in Cooper County, Missouri, USA. The population was 8,202 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cooper County. The city was the site of a skirmish early in the American Civil...
, in 1971, and is of Welsh, English, and Irish descent. She was raised on a farm near New Franklin, MO, the eldest girl of seven children. By five she was singing weekends in her family's band. At age eight, she was struck by an automobile in front of the family home, and her legs suffered multiple fractures. Recuperating for months in a wheelchair, she continued singing to help pay her medical bills. When she was 16, she began performing at a nightclub near Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, a gig that lasted two years.
Evans moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 1991 to be a country music artist. She met fellow musician Craig Schelske and left Nashville with him in 1992, moving to Oregon. They married in 1993. She returned to Nashville in 1995 and began recording demos. Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard
Harlan Howard
Harlan Perry Howard was a prolific American songwriter, principally in country music. In a career spanning six decades, Howard wrote a large number of popular and enduring songs, recorded by a variety of different artists...
was impressed by her demo of his song "Tiger by the Tail". He decided to help her music career, leading to a signed contract with RCA Nashville.
In 1997, Evans released her first album for RCA, Three Chords and the Truth. Critics praised the album for returning to traditional country and included it in many of their yearly "Top 10" lists. The video for "Three Chords and the Truth", directed by Susan Johnson, was nominated for awards from Billboard Magazine, CMT, and the MVPA. The album included a cover version of an older Country song, Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
's "Imagine That", which originally reached No. 21 for Cline on the country charts in 1962. None of the three singles made the top 40. It would be another year before Evans gained full popularity. In 1998 Evans released her second album, No Place That Far
No Place That Far
No Place That Far is the second album released by country singer songwriter Sara Evans. The first single, "Cryin' Game", only made it to number 56. This single also included a non-album track titled "Wait a Minute". However, it produced Evans' first number one country hit in its second single, the...
. Critics slammed her on choosing a more pop-country sound. Her first single, "Cryin' Game", hardly made a ripple on the charts but the music video, which re-teamed Evans with director Susan Johnson, did very well in rotation. However, it was her next single, "No Place That Far", a duet with Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
, that brought her massive success, reaching #1 on the Country charts, as well as the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40. Because of its success, the album was certified "Gold" by the RIAA.
Breakthrough: the Born to Fly and Restless albums
In 2000, Evans worked on a third album to be released later that year. The album, Born to FlyBorn to Fly
Born to Fly is a country music album by Sara Evans, released October 10, 2000. It is her highest-selling album to date, having earned 2× Platinum certification by the RIAA for U.S. sales of two million copies. The lead single, "Born to Fly," reached number one on January 19, 2001. The album was one...
, was released to stores on October 10, 2000, and later became another major-selling album. She insisted on hiring Seattle-based rock drummer Matt Chamberlain (The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers is a rock band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Jakob Dylan. Formed in 1989 and originally known as The Apples, the ensemble has gone through numerous personnel changes with Dylan the only constant....
, Edie Brickell
Edie Brickell
Edie Arlisa Brickell is an American singer-songwriter best known for 1988's Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, the debut album by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, which went #4 on the US Albums Chart.-Life and career:...
), who brought a different sound to her music.
The album became Evans' first album to receive a "Platinum" rating by the RIAA, and spawned four country hits, including the title track ("Born to Fly
Born to Fly (song)
"Born to Fly" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country artist Sara Evans. The song was released in June 2000, and served as the lead-off single to her third studio album, Born to Fly. It became Evans' second Number One hit on the U.S...
") which was the first single released from the album, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Country charts, Evans' first No. 1 as a solo artist. Hits continued from the album all the way into 2002. After "Born to Fly", the second single, "I Could Not Ask for More", was released in 2001, the country version of Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:While his albums are released under his name, he does have a permanent band, referred to as the Edwin McCain Band...
's big pop–rock hit from the year before. Evans' version reached No. 2 on the country charts and was a No. 35 Pop hit, ironically an even bigger Pop hit than McCain's version on Billboard's Hot 100 (McCain's version reached No. 37). In 2002, songs continued to be released from the album; "Saints and Angels" and "I Keep Looking" were the last two singles released from the album. "I Keep Looking" reached No. 5 and "Saints and Angels" reached No. 16. In 2004, the Born to Fly album was officially certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.
In 2001, Evans was the most-nominated artist at the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards with seven nominations overall, and she won her first CMA award when "Born to Fly" won the award for Video of the Year, her first major award from Country music.
In 2003, Evans recorded a long-awaited fourth album, which was titled Restless
Restless (Sara Evans album)
Restless is a Country music album by Sara Evans, released August 19, 2003 on RCA Records Nashville. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA....
. The album was released August 19, 2003 to stores. The first single released from the album in 2003, "Back Seat of a Greyhound Bus", was a Top 20 Country hit, reaching No. 16 on the Hot Country Songs list that year, but it did not hit the Billboard Hot 100, peaking outside it on the Bubbling Hot 100. Despite the album's first single not reaching the Top 10, the album still sold fairly well, debuting at No. 3 on the "Top Country Albums" list and the No. 20 on the "Billboard 200" list, and sold over 40,000 copies within its first week. However it was the album's next single, "Perfect" that broke Country's Top 10, eventually peaking in the top 5 at No. 2, barely missing Country's top spot. The third single from the album, "Suds in the Bucket
Suds in the Bucket
"Suds in the Bucket" is the title of a song recorded by country singer Sara Evans. It was released in May 2004 as the third single for her album Restless. It became her third number-one single on the US Country charts, and her first since "Born to Fly" in early 2001...
", was the album's most successful single; it became Evans' third Number One hit and was also a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it was Evans' first ever Gold-certified single by the RIAA. The album's fourth and final single, "Tonight", failed to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Restless received a nomination in the 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
.
Success of the Real Fine Place album and Greatest Hits
After 2003's Restless album, Evans re-emerged with a fifth studio album titled Real Fine PlaceReal Fine Place
Real Fine Place is a country music album by singer/songwriter Sara Evans. It is her fifth studio album and the follow-up album to the platinum Restless. The album has been certified platinum for U.S. shipments of a million copies...
, released October 4, 2005. The album's lead single, "A Real Fine Place to Start
A Real Fine Place to Start
"A Real Fine Place to Start" is the title of a song written by Radney Foster and George Ducas, and recorded by American country artist Sara Evans. The song, which was released in May 2005, served as the lead-off single to Evans' fifth studio album, Real Fine Place. It reached the top of the U.S....
," reached No. 1 on the Country charts in 2005, as well as reaching the Pop Top 40 at No. 38. The single marked the first time Evans charted on Billboard's "Pop 100" and "Hot Digital Songs" chart, reaching No. 67 and No. 62 respectively. "A Real Fine Place" was another Gold-certified single by the RIAA. The album sold 130,000 copies within its first week, becoming Evans' first album to reach the No. 1 spot on the "Top Country Albums" chart, while also becoming her most successful album on the "Billboard 200" to date, reaching No. 3. The album sold three times more copies than her previous album had done in their first weeks. On December 6, 2005, Evans released the compilation album Feels Like Home through Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969 and its first store was located in Lebanon, Tennessee, where the company is now headquartered...
stores. The album contains remixes of some of her most popular songs, including a live version of "Born to Fly" and an acoustic version of "No Place That Far". In 2005 the album's follow-up single "Cheatin'
Cheatin'
"Cheatin" is a song recorded by country music artist Sara Evans, released in October 2005 as the second single from her album Real Fine Place. In early 2006, it peaked in the Top 10 on the US Country charts. The song was later included on Evans' Greatest Hits album.-Content:The song, which is a...
" was a top 10 Country hit, peaking at No. 9 there. The third single released from the album, "Coalmine", was the least successful single, just about breaking Billboard's Country Top 40 chart in early 2006.
In 2006, R&R announced Evans as the "Female Vocalist of the Year" in its 2006 Readers' Poll. In spring 2006, Evans released Always There through Hallmark
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
stores for Mothers' Day. The album has six of her favorite already-released songs, including a live version of "Suds in the Bucket" and an acoustic version of "Born to Fly". Two new songs are on the disc: "You Ought to Know by Now" and "Brooklyn & Austin".
In 2006, the last significant single from the Real Fine Place album was released, titled "You'll Always Be My Baby", which was a Top 20 Country hit, but missing Billboard's Hot 100, reaching a peak position on the Bubbling Hot 100 at #105. An album cut released from the album in 2006, "Missing Missouri", reached No. 52 on the Country charts that year. On May 23, 2006, Evans competed and performed at the 2006 ACM awards
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
show in Las Vegas, where she won her first ACM for the "Top Female Vocalist". Evans also became a spokesperson for National Eating Disorders Association, and has spoken out widely on this subject, as she has been personally affected by it. She also hosted a charity event, Fashion for Every Body, which featured a fashion show, silent auction and performance by Evans.
On October 9, 2007, Evans released her first Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Sara Evans album)
Greatest Hits is a 2007 compilation album from American country music singer Sara Evans. It features ten of her greatest hits from her second through fifth albums, as well as four newly recorded tracks...
collection. The compilation features four new songs, including the lead-off single "As If", which was a Top 20 hit on the country charts. Evans released the gift book You'll Always Be My Baby (based on her song). It was written by Evans, Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro. It was announced on October 15, 2007, that Evans would host the 41st annual CMA Awards show with LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
on November 7, 2007.
A libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Evans also showed support for Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Congressman Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
in the 2008 Presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
and was the headliner at his "Rally For The Republic" on September 2, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, the same day as the Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
in neighboring St. Paul.
Stronger and career today
The single "Low" (sung by Sara Evans) was released to radio on September 29, 2008, to promote Billy: The Early YearsBilly: The Early Years (soundtrack)
Billy: The Early Years is the official movie soundtrack for the film of the same name. It was released October 7, 2008, and charted at No. 70 on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart. The album has produced two chart singles; "Low" by Sara Evans and "Over the Next Hill" by Brooks & Dunn...
(for the movie released October 10). The song is featured on the movie's soundtrack which was released on October 7, 2008, and also includes other big name country artists. "Low" debuted (and peaked) on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart at No. 59 on October 12, 2008. It only remained on the chart for one week before returning for a second week in January 2009 at the same position.
A book called Sweet By and By, written by Evans with author Rachel Hauck, was released on January 5, 2010. It is the first release of a four-book deal inked with Thomas Nelson Fiction. The second book is Softly and Tenderly, and was released January 14, 2011, with the following third and fourth books to be released 2012 and 2013.
Evans stated in a video posting to her fan club on December 23, 2008, that she was working with her brother Matt Evans and producer Nathan Chapman on her sixth studio album. "Feels Just Like a Love Song", was released on July 20, 2009. The song debuted and peaked at No. 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart; after spending two weeks on the chart, it fell off. It was intended as the lead-off single to Evans' sixth studio album, Stronger, but was later cut from the final track listing.
In 2009, ABC Daytime and SOAPnet
SOAPnet
SOAPnet is an American cable television channel that broadcasts current and past soap operas and primetime dramas, along with some original programming. The channel launched on January 20, 2000, and is owned by Disney-ABC Television Group, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
sponsored a tour, headlined by Evans, that featured performances throughout the summer. Additionally, soap performers made appearances at her shows. Evans participated in performances on the networks, as well as on-air interstitial campaigns and online promotions.
In late 2009, Evans released a four-song Christmas EP, I'll Be Home for Christmas, to coincide with her 2009 Christmas tour. The EP includes the title track as well as "O' Come All Ye Faithful", "Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain may refer to:*"Go Tell It on the Mountain" , a Christian spiritual song*Go Tell It on the Mountain , a novel by James Baldwin*Go Tell It on the Mountain , an album by The Blind Boys of Alabama...
", and "New Again" (a duet with Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
). It was released on November 3, 2009 to digital retailers.
During Evans' 2010 fanclub party on June 10, 2010, she debuted the first single from her sixth studio album, Stronger
Stronger (Sara Evans album)
Upon its release, Stronger received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 5 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".Jon...
, which was released on March 8, 2011. The song, titled "A Little Bit Stronger
A Little Bit Stronger
"A Little Bit Stronger" is the title of a song written by Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, and Hillary Scott, and recorded by American country artist Sara Evans. It was released in September 2010 and serves as the lead-off single to her sixth studio album, Stronger, which was released on March 8, 2011....
," was released to radio on September 27, 2010. One of the few songs on the album not co-written by the artist, it was pitched to Evans by its songwriter, Hillary Scott
Hillary Scott (singer)
Hillary Dawn Scott is an American country music singer-songwriter. She is currently a member of Lady Antebellum, a country band that was formed in 2006 and signed to Capitol Nashville.-Early life:...
of Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum is an American country pop music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The trio is composed of Charles Kelley , Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott .The group made its debut in 2007 as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman's single "Never Alone", before signing to Capitol...
. Additionally, the song was included on the soundtrack to the 2010 film Country Strong. It debuted at No. 56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of October 2, 2010 and hit No. 1 in May 2011. The video for "A Little Bit Stronger
A Little Bit Stronger
"A Little Bit Stronger" is the title of a song written by Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey, and Hillary Scott, and recorded by American country artist Sara Evans. It was released in September 2010 and serves as the lead-off single to her sixth studio album, Stronger, which was released on March 8, 2011....
" hit number one on the GAC
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
top 20 country video countdown on May 20, 2011. Evans sang the song on the finale of season 12 of the American ABC TV show Dancing with the Stars on May 24, 2011.
She released "My Heart Can't Tell You No", her second single from Stronger, to radio on June 20, 2011.
Television work
In April 2004, Evans appeared as a special guest on "Nashville StarNashville Star
Nashville Star is an American reality television program. It was transmitted during mid-2008 on NBC, following five seasons on USA Network. It premiered on March 8, 2003, and its five seasons on USA made it the longest-running competition series on cable television. In Canada, the show aired on CMT...
".
She appeared on the game show "Million Dollar Password
Million Dollar Password
Million Dollar Password is an updated version of the game show Password on CBS, which was hosted by Regis Philbin and ran from June 1, 2008 to June 14, 2009. Based upon a format created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman, FremantleMedia produced the program.-Production and broadcast history:Million...
" in June 2008.
In September 2006, Evans began competing with other celebrities on the third season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with (professional) partner Tony Dovolani. Evans launched a new fan web site to provide behind-the-scenes material from her participation on the program. Evans was the first country music singer to ever participate in the show. However, she chose to withdraw from the competition due to her divorce.
Also in 2006, Evans guest starred on Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy
Jeffrey Marshall "Jeff" Foxworthy is an American comedian, television and radio personality and author. He is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe which also comprises Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall and Ron White. Known for his "you might be a redneck" one-liners, Foxworthy...
's TV show, Foxworthy's Big Night Out.
Evans made an appearance judging on HGTV Design Star
HGTV Design Star
HGTV Design Star is an American reality competition show airing on the cable television network HGTV. It premiered July 23, 2006, and has been renewed for a sixth season.Clive Pearse served as host for Seasons 1-4...
in which she chose which of two redesigned rooms at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center was most like her own style. This aired on July 6, 2008
In October 2008, Evans also hosted a charity skating fundraiser, "Skating for Life". Olympic skaters skated to Evans' songs.
In March 2009, Evans hosted the ACM GAC Top New Artist Special, which launched the fan voting for the ACMs three new categories: Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group.
Evans sang "God Bless America
God Bless America
"God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938. The later version has notably been recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature song ....
" during the All Star Game in St Louis, Missouri on July 12, 2009.
In June 2011 Evans appeared on the Flatts Fest 2011 Tour with Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts is an American country music band that originated in Columbus, Ohio, United States of America. Since its inception, Rascal Flatts has been composed of three members: Gary LeVox , Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney...
, Justin Moore, and Easton Corbin.
Sara Evans' Band
Current band:- Sara Evans - Lead Vocals
- Jim Bloodgood - Drums
- Matt Evans - Bass/Band Leader/Harmony Vocals (Sara's brother)
- Lesley Evans Lyons - Harmony Vocals (Sara's sister)
- Ashley Evans Simpson - Harmony Vocals (Sara's sister)
- Jonathan Lawson - Fiddle/Acoustic Guitar/Harmony Vocals
- Justin Butler - Lead Guitar/Acoustic Guitar
- Brent Wilson - Lead Guitar/Acoustic Guitar/Mandolin/Harmony Vocals
Personal life
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, on September 25, 1993, and divorced in September 2007.
Evans and Schelske have three children: Avery Jack (born August 21, 1999), Olivia Margaret (born January 22, 2003) and Audrey Elizabeth (born October 6, 2004).
On June 14, 2008, Evans married Jay Barker
Jay Barker
Jay Barker is a former professional American football quarterback, and a current Birmingham radio personality.- Football career :...
, a former University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
quarterback, national championship winner and current radio show host. They married in Franklin, Tennessee, with their children as their attendants. Evans and her three children now live in Mountain Brook, Alabama
Mountain Brook, Alabama
Mountain Brook is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, and a suburb of Birmingham. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,821. Mountain Brook is a particularly affluent city within the Birmingham metropolitan area and has appeared in several lists...
, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, with Barker and his children.
Divorce
On October 12, 2006, Evans left Dancing with the Stars, citing personal reasons, and the following day it was revealed that Evans had filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years, Craig Schelske. Documents filed by Evans' husband accused the singer of having close to a dozen affairs, including singer/songwriter Richard MarxRichard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
, country star Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
, Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
partner Tony Dovolani
Tony Dovolani
Driton "Tony" Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York City. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed a Latin bad boy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time...
, various members of Evans' band, and four of the five members of the rock band 3 Doors Down
3 Doors Down
3 Doors Down is an American rock band from Escatawpa formed in 1996. The band consists of Brad Arnold , Matt Roberts , Todd Harrell , Chris Henderson , and Greg Upchurch ....
. A representative for Chesney called the allegations "ridiculous," and Kirt Webster, a spokesman for the rock band 3 Doors Down, stated that the accusations are "ludicrous" and "untrue" and that the band members "are saddened by what she's going through."
On September 28, 2007, the divorce between Evans and Schelske became final. Evans will pay him a minimum of $500,000 in alimony over a ten-year period. Evans was awarded custody of their three children with visitation rights to Schelske.
An ex-nanny of Evans', Alison Clinton Lee, sued her for $3 million, claiming that Evans has smeared her name by including it in her divorce papers as one of the many women Evans claims her husband had affairs with. The case was settled in July 2009, for $500,000.
On February 25, 2010, Evans obtained a restraining order against Schelske. Documents say Schelske is not allowed to make any derogatory statements about Evans to the media or make allegations about what led to their divorce.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Billboard Music Video Awards | Best Country New Artist Video of the Year | |
| 1999 | Country Music Association Awards Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967... |
Vocal Event of the Year | |
| Horizon Award | |||
| 2000 | Country Music Association Awards | Horizon Award | |
| 2001 | Country Music Association Awards | Video of the Year for "Born to Fly" | |
| Single of the Year for "Born to Fly" | |||
| Song of the Year for "Born to Fly" | |||
| Album of the Year for Born to Fly | |||
| Female Vocalist of the Year | |||
| 2002 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Female Vocalist | |
| Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | ||
| 2004 | Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | |
| CMT Flameworthy Awards | Female Video of the Year for "Perfect" | ||
| BMI Country Awards | 50 Most Performed Country Songs Award for "Perfect" | ||
| 2005 | CMT Music Awards | Hottest Video of the Year for "Suds in the Bucket" | |
| Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Female Vocalist | ||
| Album of the Year for Restless | |||
| Country Music Association Awards | Musical Event of the Year for "New Again" (with Brad Paisley Brad Paisley Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references.... ) |
||
| Female Vocalist of the Year | |||
| 2006 | CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year for "A Real Fine Place To Start" | |
| R&R R&R (magazine) R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes... |
Female Vocalist of the Year | ||
| Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Female Vocalist | ||
| Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | ||
| 2007 | CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year for "You'll Always Be My Baby" | |
| BMI Country Awards | 50 Most Performed Country Songs Award for "You'll Always Be My Baby" | ||
| 2008 | BMI Country Awards | 50 Most Performed Country Songs for "As If" | |
| 2010 | Dove Awards | Special Event Album for Glory Revealed II: The Word of God In Worship | |
| 2011 | CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year for "A Little Bit Stronger" | |
| Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | ||
| Single of the Year for "A Little Bit Stronger" | |||
| American Music Awards American Music Awards -Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC... |
Favorite Country Female Artist | ||
Discography
Studio Albums- 1997: Three Chords and the Truth
- 1998: No Place That FarNo Place That FarNo Place That Far is the second album released by country singer songwriter Sara Evans. The first single, "Cryin' Game", only made it to number 56. This single also included a non-album track titled "Wait a Minute". However, it produced Evans' first number one country hit in its second single, the...
- 2000: Born to FlyBorn to FlyBorn to Fly is a country music album by Sara Evans, released October 10, 2000. It is her highest-selling album to date, having earned 2× Platinum certification by the RIAA for U.S. sales of two million copies. The lead single, "Born to Fly," reached number one on January 19, 2001. The album was one...
- 2003: RestlessRestless (Sara Evans album)Restless is a Country music album by Sara Evans, released August 19, 2003 on RCA Records Nashville. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA....
- 2005: Real Fine PlaceReal Fine PlaceReal Fine Place is a country music album by singer/songwriter Sara Evans. It is her fifth studio album and the follow-up album to the platinum Restless. The album has been certified platinum for U.S. shipments of a million copies...
- 2011: StrongerStronger (Sara Evans album)Upon its release, Stronger received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 5 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".Jon...
Compilation album
- 2007: Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Sara Evans album)Greatest Hits is a 2007 compilation album from American country music singer Sara Evans. It features ten of her greatest hits from her second through fifth albums, as well as four newly recorded tracks...