Sara Evans: born to sing  

The elation did not last forever given the success or lack thereof of the first album.

"I was very discouraged with the single, "Three Chords..." I can't count how many times I've heard that's the biggest song radio ever missed. That was discouraging because I knew it was a great song, and everybody in Nashville knew it was a great song. It was released same exact day as (Lee Ann Womack's) "The Fool." There were a lot of things that played into it that were out of my control. Radio saw me as just a little bit too retro."

The title track only reached the mid-40's on the Billboard charts.

The first single, "True Lies," released in March 1997, only reached 59, while a third single, the more uptempo "Shame About That," did slightly worse.

While the album garnered great reviews, the truth was the album didn't sell.

A lack of hit singles will do that.

Evans readily admits she was anxious about her second album, which, in almost every case in the country record industry, would be a make or break album.

"Yes. I put a lot of pressure on myself because I wanted to succeed. I was really very calculating with that record. I was just determined to get radio to fall in love with me, and it worked."

"No Place That Far" turned the trick.

But discouragement returned when the next single, "Fool, I'm a Woman" "topped at 22 or something like that. That was really discouraging...That was because no one wanted to come off 'No Place...' No one wanted to play a new single. You have mistakes that are made. They (RCA) conceded that - that it was too soon."

The Type A Evans did not let up for album number three.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself for the third record. I wanted to go out on this radio tour. We hit it for six weeks non stop. I just had to go back out and see these radio people and say, 'You've got to listen this. This is something that you can't deny.' I wanted to say 'I'm your Faith Hill.'" This is my year. This is my time. I've got the voice for it. I've got the album for it. So, here it is."

"Now, I feel it's totally my time. Everything about me is just winding up great. I've got my baby and family intact. I've got my career to where I'm organized - staff and things I need. Things I need to make it comfortable and successful. The album's going great. I'm really going great. I love this record. No matter what happens, I'm proud."