The Examiner Interview w/ Amanda Garner:
Sarah Davidson is amazingly beautiful, sweet, and talented. She’s a native Georgian peach, but now, proudly calls Nashville, home. She grew up singing and writing songs, and eventually came to Nashville to study music business at Belmont University. She married, and since divorced, wildly popular Nashville songwriter, Dallas Davidson, and starred in TNT’s ‘Private Lives of Nashville Wives.’
She knows what hard work is, and how hard success is to come by. Her faith in God is strong. Sarah recognizes her career is a journey, and she has learned to be thankful for everything she has been blessed with already, and grateful for where she is at in the present moment, as well as be excited about what the future holds for her.
She recently performed at the 2014 CMA’s, and was also named as one of the best dressed by ‘CMIL’. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with her, here in Nashville, about her journey in her music career, starring in a new reality show, her divorce, and more. Here’s what she shared with me:
Q. What are you currently working on right now?
A. “I am currently writing for my full -length album, and been out promoting my single, ‘Drink You Up.’ I’ve also been playing out on the road and meeting up with different radio stations, D.J.’s, and program directors, just playing my music for them and hoping to get it on the air, and also getting on the road as much as I possibly can playing shows, and I am really excited bout it!”
Q. Your ex-husband, Dallas, is a famous songwriter here in Nashville. Did he write any of your songs?
A. “Yeah! While we were together we actually wrote 2 of the songs together that’s on the EP, and recorded a song he co-wrote called ‘Get Out.’ So yeah, he’s definitely on this. A lot of people ask if it’s challenging to record songs that have his name on it, but, it’s not. I respect him so much as a talent and songwriter, and he’s been such a huge part of my life and journey, and really, that’s what I am sharing with people when I share my music. So, I’m glad to have these songs on my EP.
Q. Was there a defining moment in your life when you realized you wanted to be a musician?
A. “I remember sitting as a child and listening to ‘I Will Always Love You,’ by Dolly Parton and realizing that music was capable of making you feel a certain way, and that’s when I realized I wanted to be a musician.”
Q. Do you have any advice for future aspiring musicians?
A. “ Follow your heart, and do what you love. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. I think that so many times we are affected by the opinions of people sitting behind a desk in big, pretty buildings, or swayed by elementary teachers, or whatever it is. If somebody has a dream, or passion in their heart, it’s there for a reason, and they should pursue it until their heart tells them different.”
Q. Who would you most like to work with one day?
A. “Dolly Parton. I love me some Dolly Parton. I would also love to duet with Bonnie Raitt.”
Q. You star in the new reality show ‘Private Lives of Nashville Wives.’ What kind of experience has that been for you?
A. “It was a really good experience. I felt like it was a really great chance for me to get my journey out there about my music. I’ve been out on the road working really hard, and being able to share my music and get it out there has been really rewarding. I also got to write the title track of the show as well, which was so fun, and just getting a response from people connecting with my music and them letting me know they identify with my music or the show. That’s been the most rewarding part for sure.”
Q. Will there be a 2nd season of ‘Private Lives of Nashville Wives?
A. “As of right now, we don’t know. We are still waiting on TNT to see if they have decided or not, so I’m not sure. I am interested to know as well (laughs)!”
Q. On the show, we see your struggle trying to make it big as a country star, and wondering if you’re good enough. What keeps you going when you have those feelings?
A. “Just the belief in my heart that I have a destiny and a calling. Faith has been a really important key in my life. I’ve always known that I was destined to follow my heart, and destined to make music, and that’s always what I’ve wanted to do, all I’ve ever known to do, and so I really believe this is what I am supposed to be doing. When I get really discouraged, I just tell myself that if I am following my heart, and my heart is telling me to make music, and to write, and perform, then I need to be doing that. Until that changes, I will be. So, that’s what keeps me going. Honestly, the second thing is, just being able to connect to people through my music is such a huge honor. For that person out there that doesn’t connect with my music, there’s always someone who does, and that keeps me going.”
Q. We see on the show an episode where Erica orchestrated a girl’s night out, and nobody seemed impressed. What does a fun night out for y’all look like?
A. “For me, I love going to get a mani- and pedi- at the salon. I just love getting together with girlfriends and having a glass of wine, and then going out to dinner somewhere nice, and seeing wherever the night leads. Me and my friends can either go upscale, or go downtown.”
Q. What is one quality about yourself that you are most proud of?
A. “I get along with most people. I am really laid back, and so probably the fact that I really never meet an enemy or a stranger. I’m very friendly, so I just love people.”
Q, What is one thing about you that you wish everyone knew?
A. “I have such a passion about my music. I love playing music, and more than anything, I’m grateful to anyone who buys an EP, or a T-shirt, or comes to a show. Them going on this journey with me as an artist is just such an honor. They are really helping me follow through with my dream. They’re buying my music and supporting me, and helping me chase my dream so, I owe them endless gratitude. I want everyone to know how grateful I am to do what I do.”
Q. What’s a side of you the public never sees?
A. “The side of me that’s just cooking in the kitchen, having a glass of wine with my pajamas on.”
Q. If I came for dinner at your house, what would we be eating?
A. “Pot pie. I make a mean chicken pot pie!”
Q. Do you have a favorite comfort food?
A. “Pizza. Pizza, and chicken fingers.”
Q. What’s the last book you read?
A. “Don’t let me fool you, I don’t read a lot (laughs) but, I am reading ‘The Sun Also Rises,’ by Ernest Hemingway right now. I’m almost finished with it. I was in Key West and was having breakfast with a group of friends at ‘Blue Heaven,’ an amazing breakfast spot down there, and on my way to a show I stopped by Hemingway, and his second wife, Pauline’s house. I went and sat in a hammock and started reading it. I feel like since I went to Key West, and went to his house, I needed to read a Hemingway book. He’s such an amazing writer.”
Q. Where do you hope to be in your career a year from now?
A. “I hope to continue making music, to live in Nashville, and to be on the road sharing my music with other people. That’s where I’d love to be, but I am also enjoying where I am right now. I’m very grateful where I am right now, and for all of the things I have, but it’s definitely really exciting to have more things start to happen, so hopefully, I will be writing and playing more music. That’s all I know to do.”
Q. How do you maintain your stress?
A. “I maintain my stress by drinking (she laughs). A glass of wine, a bubble bath, helping others. You know, just sitting back and looking, and putting everything into perspective, and doing what I love doing just really keeps me going.”
Q. Do you have a favorite saying, motto, or quote?
A. “My favorite quote is, ‘The greatest message of hope for others is your own personal healing,’ and to think about it and think, okay, if I am going through this, and I’m being honest about it, then they’ll feel like well, if she can do it, then I can do it. I just feel like it’s real important to live my life open and honestly, with good times, or bad times, or whatever happens, and share the experiences with those around me, and maybe help someone else.”
Q. What do you want your fans to know?
A. “I want my fans to know that they are my friends. I’m so grateful to them for buying my music, and supporting me, and caring about me. It’s such a weird feeling to know that I have so many new friends that I connect with through my music. That is just such a huge reward! I will be doing this until I die, regardless if I am on stage for 10,000 people or 10. This is my passion”
Q. Is there anything that you want to say about your divorce?
A. I think that sometimes life takes you places you didn’t expect to go. When I got married, I didn’t expect to get divorced, but I think, it is, what it is, and I am ,where I am now. I have to make sure in the future I make better decisions, and own my part of the blame, and try and be a better person, learn from it, grow from it, and forgive myself, forgive the whole situation. I think it’s very heart breaking and hard. And actually, here is another one of my favorite quotes, ‘No matter what mistakes you make, those mistakes will make you who you are.’ That’s such a huge statement because I made so many mistakes in my marriage, but it’s those mistakes, and how you move on after the dust settles, because no matter what, whether you choose to go up, or go down, those mistakes are going to shape who you will be. I think moving forward in a positive way is the message I want to pass on about my divorce.”
Download Sarah’s debut EP today on iTunes, including new single “Drink You Up”
You can visit Sarah’s website here and find out more about her, her fashion blog, where you can find her, and more.
You can also find Sarah on Twitter and Instagram @sosarahdavidson, and facebook.
Don’t forget to call in at your favorite radio station and request to hear her new single ‘Drink You Up,’ (click to listen).