Sara Evans and Husband Jay Barker’s Relationship Timeline

Sara Evans and her husband, Harry “Jay” Barker , have navigated ups and downs in their marriage.

The country singer married Barker, a former football player in 2008, one year after she finalized her divorce from Craig Schelske , with whom she shares three kids.

While navigating her divorce, Evans’ marital counselor introduced her to Barker, who was going through a split of his own.

"He told us he'd never known two people more alike," Evans told Birmingham magazine in 2015. "He felt we could at least be supportive friends. We would get together with our kids as 'just friends.’ Before long, they told us we should be dating."

Barker, who shares four kids with ex-wife Amy DiGiovanna , moved to Alabama after their wedding. Nearly 14 years later, Barker was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon . The booking stemmed from an alleged January 2022 incident in Nashville after he allegedly tried to hit Evans with his vehicle.

The arrest drew attention to Evans’ August 2021 divorce petition, which they eventually withdrew.

Scroll through for a timeline of their relationship: