Sarah Darling

SARAH DARLING

Interviewed by Ron Brunk, President of Ugly Dog Music and Editor of WVVoices.

March 10, 2005

“Believe in endless possibilities.”

That was one of the first things Sarah Darling said to me when we sat down to conduct this interview. And an outlook like that certainly explains how a sweet, soft-spoken girl from a tiny town in Iowa became featured in what was possibly the biggest music video of 2004. Sarah is obviously lovely, but she is also quite an engaging person with a lot going on behind those sparkling blue eyes. She definitely does not fit the blonde stereotype. Following is a portion of our conversation.

RB: Tell me about your hometown.

SD: I’m from Mitchellville, Iowa, outside Des Moines. It’s a very small town…the population is probably less than two thousand.

RB: What kind of memories do you have of Mitchellville?

SD: Family. That’s the big thing about my hometown. All my family lives there, all within just a few miles, and we spent so much time together, just being with each other. Big family meals, birthday parties, get-togethers of all types…we’re very close-knit. I was raised on a lot of love.

RB: So you’re not one of those artists with a “tortured” background or bad memories from childhood?

SD: Definitely not. I was very blessed to have wonderful parents and grandparents. In fact, one of my favorite people in the world is my grandfather. He’s such a source of wisdom and strength. Seems like he always knows just what to say. He’s been a huge influence in my life and on the way I look at the world.

RB: What kind of things has he taught you?

SD: Well, he told me to always surround myself with positive energy and positive people. He says to always keep looking up…don’t waste time looking down or back. He also helped me to understand how to deal with adversity by teaching me that disappointments are what make you hungrier, if you let them. Instead of being dragged down by setbacks, you have to use them as motivation.

RB: Sounds like a very wise man. What did he say about your desire to pursue a career in music and entertainment?

SD: Oh, he’s very supportive. In fact, my entire family is completely behind me…they couldn’t be more supportive. I think they’ve known for a long time that this is what I was destined to do with my life, and they do everything they can to help me.

RB: When did you start singing?

SD: I was singing when I was two or three years old. My mother and grandmother did house-cleaning jobs in our neighborhood, and they would take me along when I was just a little girl. I would sing while they cleaned! Some of the houses had a piano and I would play the piano and sing. It just seemed to come naturally to me.

RB: Did you have any formal training?

SD: Not really. I did have some standard music classes in school, and the teacher there predicted that I would be a singer when I grew up.

RB: She was prophetic in that regard, was she not?

SD: Yes, and I knew from my earliest years what I wanted to do, and I just poured myself into it. My parents got me a sound system and I practiced with it in the basement constantly. Then when I was fifteen, I started performing at every local event that would have me…toughman contests, weddings, pageants, bars, ballgames, political rallies…you name it, I did it!

RB: You’re quite a driven person, aren’t you? I guess those early days were vital to your development as a performer.

SD: Absolutely. When it’s just you and your little sound system, you really learn to be an entertainer. It forces you to learn how to capture and hold an audience. That was such a wonderful time for me, and it really seasoned my voice.

RB: I’m really curious as to your influences. Who are some of the artists that you look up to?

SD: There are so many…but I especially love Lee Ann Womack and Sarah McLaughlin. And I think Shania Twain is just incredible. She has had a big influence on my music and life.

RB: I heard that you also did some modeling. Is that true?

SD: Yes, modeling is another thing I enjoy…and I did quite a bit of it. In fact, one of the scariest things I ever did came about as a result of a modeling opportunity. I made my first trip to New York City as part of a modeling job when I was sixteen. That was a rather overwhelming experience for a young girl from Iowa. But scary is good because it makes you stronger. If you’re scared of something, you’ve got to just face it.

RB: Tell me about your move to Nashville. How did that come about?

SD: Well, a big moment in my life came when I was nineteen. I had the privilege of performing at the Iowa State Fair, and that was the turning point. It was such an amazing experience, everything went so well, and I knew that it was time for me to step out. That’s when I made the decision to move to Nashville.

RB: Why Nashville?

SD: Because I love country music. I enjoy a