“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him,
and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
These words have flowed through Iowa native Sarah Davison’s soul for years as they lead her on her musical journey. 13 years ago that journey crossed the path of a few people and, High Road was born; a supergroup of musicians, their resume includes GRAMMY and Dove nominations, performances at the Grand Ole Opry, performed alongside Mark Wills, Emily Ann Roberts, The Isaacs, toured with Blake Shelton and much much more. The all-female country/roots/gospel band recently released their latest album Straight From The Heart that features a who’s who of country, gospel and bluegrass from vocals to production.
We recently caught up with Sarah to chat about the history of HR, the new album and more.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
SD: I am the leader of High Road, which is a country gospel female group, and I currently live in Nashville. I moved here several years ago to attend college and majored in piano performance. I have always had a love for country and bluegrass music. I play regularly for country artists and major tours as a keyboardist as well.
CN: High Road was formed in 2011. How did the formation come about and how has the band evolved since then?
SD: It started right after college when I met some gals who loved country gospel music, and so we started playing in small churches or county fairs whenever they’d ask us to come. Since then, it’s exploded into something that is pretty much a full-time thing, taking us all around the world!
CN: Who are some of the influences who inspired you all to pursue music?
SD: I always admired and loved the sound of Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, the Isaacs, and Suzy Bogguss growing up. My family also always had music playing around, and they were all fairly musical too!
CN: Your sound combines several genres like Country, Gospel, and even Bluegrass. How did this diverse sound emerge?
SD: Honestly, we are like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band—we don’t fit in a box, and we just want to make good music. That’s all we care about! Old-time music never had to be put in a box—they incorporated any instruments they had available to them back in the day!
CN: Your brand new album is titled ‘Straight From The Heart’ and is released via Daywind Records. How did that title come about?
SD: It’s a line from one of the new songs—it’s called “That’s What Love Is.” We love the song so much!
CN: The lead single released earlier this spring is a reimagined version of Dottie Rambo’s “When I Lift Up My Head Up.” What made you choose that as the first single?
SD: We all love Dottie’s songwriting and thought it would be so cool to put an old standard Rambo song on there, so we did!
CN: Ricky Skaggs is featured on the track “What If That’s What Heaven’s Like.” What was it like working with the Country Music Hall of Famer?
SD: He is just as real and genuine as they come—a super kind-hearted person who is honestly one of the most talented in the business!
CN: Are there any fun stories you have during the recording sessions with Ben Isaacs (who produced the album) and The Isaacs who are featured?
SD: Oh boy! This is our third album with Ben being our producer, and I guess you could say we are like family by now. At the end of one of the songs on the album, you’re going to hear me laughing at the very end, and I had no idea that Ben kept recording when I laughed! It surprised me when I got the final mixes back! I actually was laughing because I thought I messed up on part of my piano solo, but Ben left it in there for good! HA!
CN: Can you share a little bit about how your version of “Working on a Building” came about?
SD: It features Karen Peck, The Nelsons, Kim Hopper, and Kenna Turner West. We were the featured artist for a segment of the Dove awards last fall, and I was asked to be the musical director for the portion of the program which was a tribute to women and gospel music. We came up with the idea to do a song that was an old standard, revamp it, and feature multiple women who have influenced gospel music in a big way. That’s how it came about, and it was so fun to produce with Ben!
CN: You’ve been nominated for multiple Dove and Grammy awards and topped the Southern Gospel charts over the years. What is the biggest highlight for you?
SD: I honestly think that being nominated for a Grammy was a highlight for sure. We hope that maybe someday we can win one! We really don’t do it for the awards, though. It’s the girls and kids who come up to us after a concert saying we influence them to play the guitar or start singing or start writing songs. That’s what really makes us want to continue doing it as much as we do!
CN: How have all these years of experience inspired your live performances and concerts?
SD: Experience is the best teacher for sure. Being on the road teaches you a lot about yourself and a lot about how to treat others. I think the biggest thing for me is always treating others the way that you would want to be treated when you travel on the road together. I’ve been in bands before that haven’t treated their musicians or their road crew great, and it really makes a difference. When you respect others and learn from everyone around you, it makes the whole experience more worthwhile and more fulfilling.
CN: You’ve already had the honor to work with Ricky Skaggs and The Isaacs. Is there another artist that you would love to collaborate with?
SD: I think it would be a dream to work with someone like Patty Loveless someday or Alison Krauss!
CN: What was the first concert you ever attended?
SD: Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss back in the 90s with my mom and dad. I still have the autographed t-shirts!
CN: Favorite song at this very moment?
SD: “Dirt Cheap” by Cody Johnson. 👍🏼 Incredible song.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
SD: I hope that others would say I work hard and I’m a kind person. I pray that God gives me wisdom and humility every day, actually—because none of us are greater than the other, and we all should live each day like it’s a gift!
CN: What else can fans look forward to this summer?
SD: Lots of traveling around the country and maybe a new video or two! You never know!
CN: How can readers learn more about High Road?
SD: Our website is highroadmusic.com and we are on all the socials—so find us and follow us!