Sara Evans

Country music singer and reality television dancer Sara Evans is making a stop at Smith Mountain Lake Friday as part of her current tour. She's the first performer in the Mariners Landing Summer Concert Series, which continues through August.

Evans is no stranger to the stage. She began performing with her family's band in Booneville, Mo., when she was 5 years old. She eventually made her way to Nashville, where she was discovered by songwriter Harlan Howard.

Since taking to the stage professionally in 1997, Evans has released five albums, including one certified gold, two platinum and one double-platinum.

To celebrate her 10th year in the music business, Evans released a greatest hit album, including 10 signature songs and four new tracks produced by John Shanks. For Evans, releasing a greatest hits package is like looking through a photo album; each song is a snapshot that brings back a flood of memories.

"My first No. 1 record came when I was pregnant with Avery," said the mother of three of "No Place That Far" which hit the top of the charts.

"I remember that time because it was the most amazing time in my life," said Evans. "I thought things could absolutely not get any better. I was expecting my first child and having my first No. 1 record."

Evans has won numerous accolades, including Academy of Country Music's Female Vocalist of the Year and the Country Music Association's Video of the Year for "Born to Fly."

In 2006, Evans joined the star-studded cast on the reality television show "Dancing With the Stars." She left the show to spend time with her children when she filed for divorce. In June, she married former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker.

The Mariners Landing Summer Concert Series is presented in part by the Sweetwater Entertainment Group. The concerts will be held directly across the Mariners Landing entrance on the Smith Mountain Lake Parkway in Huddleston. Tickets to Sara Evans are $40 at the gate. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the concerts begin at 7. For more information about the concert series, visit www.smlconcerts.com.

-- Laurie Edwards