Sara Evans Keeps It In The Family On New Project, ‘The Barker Family Band’

The Barker Family Band. Photo: David McClister

Sara Evans is coming full circle on an upcoming six-song EP, The Barker Family Band, which finds her joining with daughter Olivia Barker (16) and son Avery Barker (19). The side project, which releases April 12, includes a range of covers, as Olivia takes the lead on renditions of Beyonce’s “XO” and the Judy Garland classic “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” while Sara brings a cover of Aretha Frankin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” and even tackles a bit of her own 2001 hit “Born To Fly.” Olivia and Avery penned the EP’s lone original, called “The View.”

Evans began her singing career at age 5, performing in the Evans Family Band with two of her siblings, before going on to sign with RCA Records and earn five No. 1 singles. She married former football player Jay Barker in 2008.

“Family is everything to me and making a record like this has been a dream for me since my kids were little,” said Sara, who notes she also has a solo album in the works for later this year. “They were literally raised on a tour bus around music and this is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’m honored that I get to make this music with them before they embark on their own careers as musicians.”

A limited engagement acoustic tour, City Winery and SiriusXM Y2Kountry Present Sara Evans and The Barker Family Band launches this spring.

The Barker Family Band track listing:

“Born To Fly Intro” – lead vocals Sara Evans
“Dreams” – lead vocals Sara Evans
“XO” – lead vocals Olivia Barker
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” – lead vocals Sara Evans
“The View” – lead vocals Olivia Barker
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” – lead vocals Olivia Barker