Sara Evans stopped by The Bobby Bones Show to talk about her new song, get vulnerable about the time her husband was arrested and more.
Evans new song “Pride” is one of her most intimate songs. She put a lot of personal feelings and thoughts into it. She wanted to write a song that talked about her marriage and everything she has been going through in the last four years. Also, about the scary topic of abuse and addiction, what that can do to a family and, more importantly, what pride can do to a person and relationship.
Evans shared that she feels like her life has been on full display since she got her record deal when she was 24. She went through a public divorce after having three small children while on Dancing with the Stars. Her life has always been an open book in some ways, but she’s also been able to keep some things private. When she divorced her first husband it was so public and there were so many lies and rumors and it showed her an ugly side of love. Then she married Jay Barker and there was so much love and passion for each other and their relationship escalated quickly. She opened up that when she was a kid she was always chasing after her father. He was a great dad, but a horrible divorce dad and she realized she had some daddy issues that stem from that and is always thinking wrongly about what love is and what she deserves. Also, she is one of seven children and shared that all her siblings are great musicians, so she carries around some guilt that she was the one who made it and became rich and famous. She realized that it’s because she was the one who took the risk, which is what her hit song “Born To Fly” is about.
On her new album, Unbroke, she has a song called “Mask” that is about how her husband, Barker, is not her ex-husband and that’s why she fell for him. But just like any human, Barker had his own set of issues. His father died when he was in the NFL Combine and he struggled with mother issues. When they first met, he didn’t drink but started when he was in his mid-thirties. She always says he is an amazing man who made some bad decisions. Not long after their marriage, abuse started, and she didn’t want to put her kids through a divorce again. She was hoping his behavior would change but then noticed that a lot of things about herself had changed so she could make sure he was happy. She knew what was happening was bad, but it never happened in front of the kids. She just thinks alcohol does not go well with his chemistry makeup because it makes him angry, when it makes her feel happy. They got to a place in 2020 after having a bad fight where she decided they needed to separate. She kicked him out because she knew they were going to a place that was very bad. They stayed separated on and off for two years and then at the end of 2022 he got arrested. He had gotten to a place where he was so worried that she was going to move on and find someone else because they were still married. Even though they were separated, the thought never crossed her mind because she was so in love with him still and just wanted him to change. Their child called the police because she was scared that he showed up outside their house in the middle of the night, but by the time the cops arrived, he was gone, and the situation was fine. She woke up the next morning to a bunch of calls and had no idea he was arrested, and she was able to get him out of jail and home safely.
During that time, she started writing her new record. She had been writing all these songs that were very sad country songs and when he got arrested, it was the lowest of lows because his whole family was mad at her because they thought she had him arrested, which she didn’t. A couple months later he reached out to her and said that everyone had told him not to talk to her, but she was still his wife. The message broke her heart because she was missing him so much and they knew they belonged together but there was a serious problem. That was the moment he hit rock bottom and knew if he didn’t change, he would lose everything. Evans did not press charges, but he was ordered to do classes through Zoom and that’s when he realized he was one of the worst people in the program. He called getting arrested one of the best things to ever happen to him because it was the wake-up call for him to change. They got counseling and therapy together and it showed her that he really did love her and the kids.
Evans shared that she likes to live a “Hannah Montana” type of life. On the road she is a singer and performer, but at home she just wants to be a mom and wife. She’s always felt guilty for working and wants to make up for it at home. She just launched her first podcast, Diving In Deep With Sara Evans, which will give fans the whole truth because she is not holding back anything. She’s always wanted to be the person who does more than just sing because she knows she can provide more than what the expectation is of her. She has an old sense of humor and knows sometimes it does not come across when she’s on stage, so she’s excited to have it on full display in the podcast. Another reason she is starting the podcast is because it will allow her to be home more and present with her kids because she won’t have to spend as much time on the road.
Her new record, Unbroke, comes out June 7, and her new song “Pride” and podcast, Diving In Deep With Sara Evans, are available today (March 21).