MUSIC INSIGHT an edgy contemporary sensibility that keeps her at the vanguard of today ’ s successful country performers . She ’ s sold nearly six million records and her last four albums have been certified Gold , Platinum or multi- Platinum . She ’ s scored five No . 1 hits , among them “ Suds in the Bucket ,” “ A Real Fine Place to Start ,” “ No Place That Far ” and “ A Little Bit Stronger ,” the title track of her charttopping 2011 album Stronger . The single was No . 1 for two weeks and was certified platinum by the R . I . A . A . Evans has amassed an impressive collection of awards , including female vocalist from the Academy of Country Music and video of the year from the Country Music Association for her ground breaking clip “ Born to Fly .”
At the root of all those accolades is a God-given talent fueled by an impressive Midwestern work ethic instilled by her parents . She grew up singing in her family ’ s band and then moved to Nashville looking for a record deal . Legendary songwriter Harlan Howard heard her on a demo and helped open a door for her at RCA Records where she ’ s been ever since . “ I ’ ve always felt like I ’ m a very lucky person ,” says Evans . “ To be given a gift to sing , I don ’ t know why the Lord has
blessed me with this talent , but it has always made me feel lucky . I always appreciate those special moments like having a No . 1 record or doing a great show .”
Seven albums into an already impressive career and Evans has never been more excited about the music she ’ s making . “ I feel like I sang with a ton of confidence this time around ,” she says . “ You always want to get better with your craft and your art . I ’ m always striving to sing better , write better , and perform better because I ’ m very competitive with myself .”
After enduring a divorce , Evans rebounded personally and professionally . She and her three children are now settled in Birmingham with former pro quarterback-turned-sportscaster Jay Barker , whom she married in 2008 . “ Everything in my professional life is a reflection of my personal life and I feel confident , happy
INSIGHT
March 2017 14