Evans is recognized as one of the most successful artists of her generation with accolades including the Academy of Country Music's Female Vocalist of the Year and the Country Music Association's Video of the Year for "Born to Fly," which she wrote and said is basically a story of her life.
Evans has been celebrated as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" and was the first-ever country artist to join the celebrity cast of "Dancing With the Stars." In 2007 she released her Greatest Hits, celebrating a decade long career and over 5 million career sales featuring hits including "Born to Fly," "I Could Not Ask for More," "Suds in the Bucket," "A Real Fine Place to Start" and "As If."
A member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet for three consecutive years, in 2008 Evans was honored with the prestigious ARC Crystal Cross Award for her charitable contributions. Currently, she is writing and in the studio working on her sixth studio project.
One of seven children, Evans began singing country music with her family's band when she was 5 years old. By the time she was 16, she landed a gig singing regularly at a club in Columbia, Mo.
Of course, Nashville is mecca for all aspiring country artists and Evans made her way to Music City determined to realize her dreams. She got her first break when legendary songwriter Harlan Howard heard her amazing voice and tapped her to sing his demos. A deal with RCA Records followed soon after.
Produced by Pete Anderson, her debut disc, "Three Chords and the Truth," earned praise from critics, but it was her second disc, "No Place That Far," that brought Evans the commercial success to match the critical acclaim. Her next album, "Born to Fly" spawned four hit singles, which are included on "Greatest Hits"Ê-Ê"I Could Not Ask for More," "Saints and Angels," "I Keep Looking," and the title track.
"It was the first time I ever wrote with Marcus Hummon," Evans recalls of penning "Born to Fly." "It was basically a biography of my life on the farm - talking to a scarecrow and dreaming. I had such huge dreams of doing something that nobody where I came from did."
Evans says "I Keep Looking" is another song that captures who she is and what she's really about. "That song was more about me just wanting to express my true nature, how I am as a person," she relates. "I'm totally that way. I keep looking forward and asking how to make things better. What can I do next?"
Always looking to stretch herself artistically, Evans has continued to develop her gift as a songwriter. Her fourth album, Restless, spawned the hit "Perfect," which Evans penned with Tom Shapiro and Tony Martin. The album also featured one of Evans' signature hits, the high-spirited "Suds in the Bucket."
She followed Restless with Real Fine Place, which served up four hits singles - "Cheatin'," "You'll Always Be My Baby," "Coalmine," and the title track, which spent two weeks at No. 1.
Writing and recording four new songs for the greatest hits package - songs strong enough to fit comfortably alongside her already impressive body of work - was a challenging task, but Evans is pleased with the outcome.
"I could only choose four songs," Evans says of rounding out the collection with new tunes, "but they are exactly the songs that this project needed."
It's that ability to write songs that connect with the heart of her audience that has made Evans such a successful artist, and it's her willingness to take risks and embrace a challenge that has widened her following.
"Some things just feel right," she says, citing her participation in ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."
"It totally, totally changed my career. It was one of the best times of my life. I loved it."
Releasing a Greatest Hits package generally signals the close of one chapter in an artist's career and the beginning of a new one. It is often a time for introspection and taking a hard look at the factors that contributed to those hits.
Evans humbly credits her success to "luck, the kindness of country radio, and a good record label."
Obviously, there's been so much more involved. Evans is a vibrant, talented woman with a distinctive voice and an innate ability to relate to her audience. She's a songwriter, a mother of three, and a master at multi-tasking, but above all, she's real. It's that honesty and integrity that resonate throughout her music.
"I'm just really grateful for what I have. I want my life to mean something and I want to make music that matters."