Introduction
Sara Evans, born Sarah Lynn Evans on February 5, 1971, in Booneville, Missouri, spent her childhood on a farm near New Franklin. The eldest of seven siblings, her musical journey began early. By the age of five, she was already performing on weekends with her family’s band.
Life took a challenging turn at eight when she was struck by a car in front of her home, resulting in multiple leg fractures. Confined to a wheelchair for months, Sara continued to sing, contributing to her medical expenses. Around the age of ten, her father took her to Nashville, where she recorded a single and tried to promote it at Fanfare. By sixteen, she was performing at a nightclub near Columbia, Missouri, a gig that lasted two years.
In 1991, Sara made the move to Nashville, Tennessee, with the ambition of becoming a country music artist. There, she met fellow musician Craig Schelsky. In 1992, they left Nashville for Oregon and married in 1993.
However, Sara returned to Nashville in 1995 and began recording demos. Her demo of Harlan Howard’s song “Tiger by the Tail” impressed the renowned songwriter. He became a champion for her music, which led to a recording contract with RCA Nashville in 1997. That same year, Sara contributed vocals to Martina McBride’s “Evolution” album.
Her debut album, “Three Chords and the Truth,” was released by RCA in 1997. While none of its three singles broke into the top 40 of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, the album garnered critical acclaim for its neo-traditional country sound.
1998 saw the release of her second album, “No Place That Far.” The lead single, “Cryin’ Game,” also didn’t reach the top 40. However, the album’s title track became Sara’s first number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart in March 1999. The album achieved gold certification by the RIAA and produced another top 40 country hit, “Fool, I’m a Woman.”
Sara’s third studio album, “Born to Fly,” arrived on October 10, 2000. She notably insisted on hiring Seattle-based rock drummer Matt Chamberlain, which brought a distinct sound to her music. The title track, released as the lead single, soared to number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. Three more singles followed, with the first two reaching the top ten and the last hitting the top 20. “Born to Fly” eventually earned double platinum certification from the RIAA.
In 2003, Sara released her fourth studio album, “Restless,” on August 19. The lead single, “Backseat of a Greyhound Bus,” reached the top 20 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album debuted strongly, at number three on the Top Country Albums chart and number 20 on the Billboard 200, selling over 40,000 copies in its first week. “Perfect,” the second single, peaked at number two on the country charts. However, it was the third single, “Suds in the Bucket,” that became her most successful to date. It became Sara’s third number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart and her fifth top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it was her first single to be certified gold by the RIAA. The fourth and final single from the album, “Tonight,” did not reach the top 40 country charts. “Restless” received a nomination at the 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Continuing her success, Sara’s fifth studio album, “Real Fine Place,” was released on October 4, 2005. The lead single, “A Real Fine Place to Start,” also reached number one on the Hot Country Songs chart in 2005 and entered the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the RIAA. The album sold an impressive 130,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. “Cheatin’,” the second single, became a top ten country hit, peaking at number nine on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album produced two more charting singles: “Coalmine,” co-written by Richie McDonald of Lonestar, and “You’ll Always Be My Baby,” a top 15 hit. Sara also released a gift book accompanying the fourth single, co-authored with Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro, also titled “You’ll Always Be My Baby.” Several of Sara’s family members contributed backing vocals to the album, including her parents, Patricia Boggs and Jack Evans, her sisters Leslie Evans Lyons and Ashley Evans Simpson, and her brother Matt Evans, who also served as a production assistant and co-wrote two tracks.
On October 9, 2007, Sara released her first greatest hits collection. This compilation featured four new songs, including the lead single “As If,” which became a top 15 hit on the country charts. On October 15, 2007, it was announced that Sara would co-host the 41st annual CMA Awards show with LeAnn Rimes on November 7, 2007.
Two more singles were released from the greatest hits album. The first achieved minor top 30 success, while the latter, “Low,” became Sara’s first single to miss charting. “Low” was released to radio on September 29, 2008, and debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number 59 on October 12, 2008. It remained on the chart for only one week initially but returned for a second week in January 2009 at the same position before dropping off again. In a video message to her fan club on December 23, 2008, Sara shared that she was working with her brother Matt Evans and producer Nathan Chapman on her sixth studio album.
The first intended single from this album, “Feels Just Like a Love Song,” was released on July 20, 2009. It debuted and peaked at number 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart after two weeks before falling off. Ultimately, it was cut from the final track listing of Sara’s sixth studio album, “Stronger.”
Sara began preparations for her seventh studio album in mid-2012 and entered the recording studio in early November. On August 15, 2013, she announced a new single titled “Slow Me Down,” which was made available for digital download on September 3, 2013, and released to country radio on September 23rd. “Slow Me Down” served as the lead single and title track of the album, which was released on March 11, 2014. The album debuted at number 9 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, while the single peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in May 2014.
Sara married Craig Schelsky, an aspiring politician, on September 25, 1993. They had three children: Avery Jack, Olivia Margaret, and Audrey Elizabeth. Their divorce became final on June 14, 2008. On June 14, 2008, Sara 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 attendants. Sara and her three children currently reside in Mountain Brook, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, with Barker and his four children: Andrew, Braxton, and twins Sarah Ashley and Harrison.