Exclusive Premiere: Listen to Sara Evans Sing “Long Way Down” From New Album, “Words,” + Hear the Story Behind the Song Choice

Exclusive Premiere: Listen to Sara Evans Sing “Long Way Down” From New Album, “Words,” + Hear the Story Behind the Song Choice

After more than three years, Sara Evans has finally found the right Words.

Sara is gearing up for the release of her new album, Words, on July 21—her first studio album since 2014’s Slow Me Down. The new 14-song collection features 14 female songwriters, including Ashley Monroe, Caitlyn Smith, Hillary Lindsey, Hillary Scott, Liz Hengber and Sonya Isaacs.

In the lead-up to the album’s release, Sara is making Track 1—a “badass” cover of The SteelDrivers’ “Long Way Down”—available across all streaming platforms on June 30, but Nash Country Daily has the exclusive premiere of the song today. Check it out below.

“We were almost done tracking [the album], but we still were missing something,” says Sara in the accompanying video. That’s when Tracy Gershon, Sara’s A&R director, suggested “Long Way Down.”

“Because it’s very bluegrassy, very country, ‘Long Way Down’ wasn’t the type of song that we were feeling to begin the album process, but it just fit so perfectly,” adds Sara. “Now it’s just such a badass song that we decided to put it number one on the album.”

Words Track Listing and Songwriters

  1. “Long Way Down” (Tammy Rodgers / Liz Hengber / Jerry Salley)
  2. “Marquee Sign” (Sara Evans / Jimmy Robbins / Heather Morgan)
  3. “Diving in Deep” (Gordie Sampson / Hillary Lindsey / Steve McEwan)
  4. “All the Love You Left Me” (Ben West / Hillary Lindsey / Gordie Sampson)
  5. “Like the Way You Love Me” (Sara Evans / April Geesbreght / Jason Massey)
  6. “Rain and Fire” (Claude Kelley / Charles Harmon)
  7. “Night Light” (Daniel Tashian / Jaida Dreyer)
  8. “I Need a River” (Marcus Hummon / Darrell Scott / Sonya Isaacs)
  9. “I Don’t Trust Myself” (Caitlyn Smith / Gordie Sampson / Steve McEwan)
  10. “Make Room at the Bottom” (Ashley Monroe / Brett James)
  11. “Words” (David Hodges / Jake Scott / Jimmy Robbins)
  12. “I Want You” (Shane Stevens / Victoria Monet)
  13. “Letting You Go” (Sara Evans / Emily Shackelton / Victoria Banks)
  14. “A Little Bit Stronger” acoustic (Hillary Scott / Hillary Lindsey / Luke Laird)

main photo by Kristin Barlowe

Contests