Country music superstar Sara Evans is scheduled to perform on the summer stage at Tioga Downs on Thursday, July 2 at 8 p.m. Best known for her hits “Born to Fly,” “Suds in the Bucket,” “Slow Me Down” and “A Little Bit Stronger,” among others, Evans is the recipient of several country music awards, among other accomplishments. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster locations and at the Tioga Downs gift shop starting at $25. For more information, visit tiogadowns.com. (Photo credit: Robert Ascroft)
Country music superstar Sara Evans is scheduled to perform on the summer stage at Tioga Downs on Thursday evening, July 2 at 8 p.m.
Since her debut on the charts, country music television, and radio in the late 1990’s, Sara Evans’ distinctive voice has endured, which makes her one of the most recognizable female vocalists in country music.
Evans scored her first number one hit with the tune, “No Place That Far” in 1999, however it was Evans’ third album in 2000, and its number one title song, “Born to Fly” that skyrocketed her to stardom.
Evans followed up with subsequent number one hits, including “Suds in the Bucket,” “A Real Fine Place to Start,” and “A Little Bit Stronger.”
Evans also has to her credit a remarkable string of other top hits including, “I Could Not Ask for More,” “Saints & Angels,” and “You’ll Always Be My Baby,” just to name a few.
Evans has sold nearly six million records, achieving certified Gold, Platinum or multi-platinum status, and is the recipient of several music awards including female vocalist of the year from the Academy of Country Music and video of the year from the Country Music Association for “Born to Fly.”
Evans’ seventh and most recent studio album, “Slow Me Down,” received critical praise from radio, fans and the media, and showcases her songwriting talent on three of the 11 songs. The title song by the same name was named one of Billboard’s “10 Best Singles” and the album received recognition as one of the “10 Best Country Albums.”
The album includes from-the-heart duets with well-known artists like Vince Gill, Gavin DeGraw and Isaac Slade. Slade, lead singer of the rock band The Fray, proves an exceptional pairing with Evans on the song, “Can’t Stop Loving You.”
During a phone interview en-route to Nashville for rehearsals, Evans shared that it was her hope the duet with Slade would be released as a single. Unfortunately, country radio was not open to it since Slade comes from a different genre.
When asked what she considers her signature song, Evans explained during the phone interview, “’Born to Fly’ is the song most fans identify me with.” The song describes aspects of Evans’ life while growing up and working on the family farm. She added, “It was there I daydreamed of moving to Nashville.”
Born and raised in Missouri, performing music has been part of Evans’ life since age four when she started singing in her family’s country and bluegrass band.
As a young person, she listened to country favorites such as Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette, and later influence came from the likes of Patty Loveless, Reba, Ricky Skaggs and The Judds. Evans commented that various other musical artists, such as John Mayer and Sheryl Crow, also provide inspiration.
Fans will remember Evans competing on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and appearing on ABC’s television series, “Nashville.” In addition, Evans also stars in “Simply Sara” webisodes on “My Country Nation,” and has been a featured artist on the PBS Television show “Front and Center: CMA Songwriters Series.” Evans has also been in the spotlight numerous times performing the “National Anthem” at various sporting and special events.
What fans may not know about Evans is that in addition to her music, she is involved in several charitable efforts, is the author of three books along with co-writer Rachel Hauck, and writes a lifestyle blog with her sister-in-law, Kaelin Evans, called “A Real Fine Place,” which features stories about fashion, food, beauty and travel.
Today, family remains an important element in Evans’ career, with brother, Matt Evans, as her band’s bassist and sister-in-law, Kaelin, as Sara’s hair stylist and make-up artist. Evans lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, Jay Barker and children.
Fans will be excited to hear that Evans has plans to return to the studio soon to write and record new music.
When asked what fans can expect at her Tioga Downs show on July 2, Evans replied, “We are rehearsing a new show which will be all about the music.” The show will highlight Evans’ powerful voice and include her hit songs and other fan favorites.
Tickets for the July 2 Sara Evans concert start at $25 and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations or in the Tioga Downs gift shop. For additional information, visit the Tioga Downs web site at www.tiogadowns.com.
