In 1998, Sara Evans released “No Place That Far” as the second single and title track off her second studio album, which then became her breakthrough hit!
Evans moved to Nashville in the mid-1990s and got a job as a demo singer. Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard heard and was so impressed by her traditional country singing style that he convinced RCA Records’ executives to hear the aspiring singer sing. That same day, Evans signed a seven-album deal with the label.
However, her debut album was not commercially successful, only peaking at No. 56 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. She said country radio refused to play her songs as they were “too country” – which Evans described as the most heartbreaking experience of her life.
In an effort to achieve commercial success, she went back into the studio to record something contemporary but without compromising her musical interests. The result was “No Place That Far.”
Sara Evans’ First Commercially Successful Track
Sara Evans co-wrote “No Place That Far” with Tom Shapiro and Tony Martin and featured backing vocals by country music icon Vince Gill. The song tells a woman’s narrative as she imagines what life would be like without her lover by her side, along with the lengths she’s willing to go just to get to where he is.
It became her first No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and was also a crossover success – peaking at No. 37 on Billboard Hot 100. It also helped her earn her first CMA Awards nomination for Vocal Event of the Year. Evans followed that success with several hits – Sara Evans songs such as “Born to Fly” and “Suds in the Bucket” also ranked No. 1 on the country chart.
Make sure to listen to “No Place That Far” by Sara Evans in the video below.
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Sara Evans, Vince Gill