Sara Evans proves she's still 'Restless' at sold-out Nashville Ryman concert

Boonville, Missouri-born country music superstar Sara Evans is seated backstage at downtown Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on Thursday evening a half hour after being invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry and celebrating the 20th anniversary of her platinum-selling release "Restless" -- by playing it from beginning-to-end -- at a sold-out concert.

"My mother always told me that God puts people on Earth to do what they're born to do," Evans said to The Tennessean.

Though from a release before "Restless," the song she sang as her second encore to close the evening may double as the definition of her life's overall purpose.

More than being an Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association award-winning vocalist with five No. 1 singles and 10 million albums sold, Sara Evans was born to fly.

It's the only plausible reason why her voice, still, 25 years after her mainstream debut, can still hit Mariah Carey-style multi-octave vocal runs that elevated songs like the album's title track and "Tonight" to the rafters of country music's Mother Church.

These were vocal runs that were achieved between "ugly-cried" teardrops of joy and persistent nervousness about the event.

For lifelong country fans like Evans, The Ryman's stage has a way of reducing them to the age they learned that appearing on it and earning standing ovations redefined career arcs.

Evans was nervous until special guests Lady A and Carly Pearce were joined onstage by Country Music Hall of Famer and longest-standing Grand Ole Opry member "Whisperin'" Bill Anderson.

The moment stunned the country superstar.

Anderson appeared and recalled how he had seen Sara perform in a small warehouse showcase before her first album was released because she had included his song "Walk Out Backwards" in her project.

"It's a long way from that warehouse to selling out the Ryman," Anderson said. He went on to say he had two questions for her, beginning by jokingly asking if she would sing "Walk Out Backwards."

Evans immediately sang an acapella version of the tune, which reflected the superstar in full, unencumbered -- and finally calm and relaxed -- vocal range.

As she finished, Anderson asked his second question. "The second question is from me and Lady A, Carly, and a bunch of other people. Would you like to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry?"

"God is good," stated Evans after another impromptu crying fit.

Here are a few other takeaways from a night that redefined what will become the latest chapter of Evans' storied career.

Sara Evans -- Grand Ole Opry superfan

Before starting her performance career at the age of 6 as the front-child of her family quartet band playing late-night bar gigs in a rural Missouri farming community equidistant to Kansas City and St. Louis, Evans told The Tennessean that visits to her "granny and paw paw's" house (on her mother's side of the family) involved Saturday nights spent around the record player listening to "Live from the Grand Ole Opry" albums celebrating the genre's pre-Golden Era stars like Ernest Tubb.

Evans -- before being asked to be a member, still an occasional onstage performer on Opryland Drive -- describes getting nervous before playing there because she's long aspired to be invited to be a member.

"I'm elated to achieve that goal finally -- but I'll still be nervous," joked Evans.

Evans on working with Lady A's Hillary Scott

Lady A vocalist Scott is also credited for adding background vocals on Evans' third studio album.

Evans, Scott and Lady A's male members Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood were friends long before 2003. She recalls championing their cause to legendary producer Paul Worley who eventually produced their 2008-released debut album.

Having Scott onstage with her at various points of her evening at The Ryman was an "emotional" experience for Evans.

Frequently, intersecting journeys to Nashville acclaim are treks that exist before, during and after hit songs emerge. The simultaneous longevity and acclaim of those journeys create moments that yield -- to the uninformed eye -- profoundly earnest moments.

"Suds In The Bucket"'s deeper meaning

When Carly Pearce was 14 and preparing for teenage concerts, she likely spent considerable time two-stepping in her bedroom to Sara Evans' 2004-released, now signature song, "Suds In The Bucket."

Thus, on a night when the two female artists who proclaimed before they were the age of 12 that they would grow up to be Grand Ole Opry members were both onstage sharing that in common, their shared two-stepping achieved a different level of unrepentant joy.

Evans recorded the song (which she recalls RCA Records president and Country Music Hall of Famer Joe Galante was so not in favor of being recorded that he sequenced it as the last song upon "Restless"' release) before giving birth to her daughters Audrey and Olivia.

The vocalist proudly reports that neither of her daughters -- to the point of the song -- has ever dated a heartbreaker driving a white pickup truck.

A Family Affair

Between Evans' brother Matt and children Olivia and Avery ("my favorite, and my daughters know it -- he's perfection") onstage (and Aubrey offstage), plus her parents, siblings and family in the crowd, there were nearly two dozen members of the Evans clan in attendance at The Ryman on Thursday evening.

"My kids, siblings and I have been through a lot together recently," began Evans to The Tennessean.

"I was balancing motherhood, a failing marriage, three young kids on the road with me, and an extremely demanding career. I was determined not to let country radio have any excuse not to play me. I didn't see any signs that I was headed for a crash," stated Evans in her 2020-released memoir, "Born To Fly."

A year later, Evans filed for divorce from her second husband, Jay Barker, citing "irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct."

"I almost died three times in my childhood," recalled Evans onstage during her concert.

"That means I only have six lives left."

The punchline left the crowd howling with laughter.

Sara Evans is still "Restless"

On Thursday evening, Evans, 52, performed in a manner that would easily astonish two 25-year-olds.

"I still act and think like I'm a new artist," Evans told The Tennessean.

"I'm still up and coming and not old enough to be a legend. So, I am in camaraderie with my fellow female artists trying to get spins on country radio and getting pissed about the lack of opportunities we still have to grow our careers. The [country music industry] model isn't getting a record deal, making a record, doing a photo shoot, shooting a video, then going on tour anymore. However, success at this, or anything, still requires first knowing how to be the real deal. As long as all of us here and working know in our hearts that we were born to do this -- more than being born to do anything else -- we'll all succeed."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Sara Evans proves she's still 'Restless' at sold-out Nashville Ryman concert