Stillwater Country Star On The Rise

Stillwater Area High School graduate and rising country star Sara Wallin, 23, had the opportunity of a lifetime on May 28 when she sang at the Midwest Country Music Theater in Sandstone, Minn. with Tommy Cash—brother of country music legend Johnny Cash.

“It was a really big honor,” Wallin said. “Not a lot of people can say that they’ve done that.”

Although she grew up listening to country music, it wasn’t until Wallin was 16 that she decided she wanted to pursue a career in singing. She starting performing in karaoke shows and later began singing at other venues.

Wallin has since performed in several of the most respected venues in Nashville Tenn., like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, where musicians like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline got their starts.

Wallin is fairly new to the music business but she is already making waves in the country music community. With the help of her father, Craig Wallin—who is also her manager—she has landed several gigs with well-known country stars including Buddy Owens, Clinton Gregory and Steve Hall and the Shotgun Red.

Her dad was also her connection with Tommy Cash, with whom she has now shared the stage twice.

To some young adults, working so closely with a parent might seem difficult, but Sara Wallin’s experience has been positive so far. “It’s nice to have him there to guide me in the right direction,” she said. Her father agreed. “We want her to focus specifically on her singing,” Craig Wallin said.

Although she is from the Midwest—a region not known for its interest in country music—Wallin said she has not had trouble making connections and pursuing her passion. “I’ve just communicated with people with similar interests,” she said.

Wallin sited the Internet as a key way she has connected with musicians and fans. Her dad estimated that she has a presence on between 300 and 400 Web sites. They have been making a conscious effort to interact online. “I think it is important to do it so people can see what kind of abilities she has and her passion for country music,” Craig Wallin said.

Sara Wallin’s performance with Cash will be aired on RFD-TV, a cable TV network, in a few weeks. The network is available in 27 countries and also features select content streaming online.

Wallin has come a long way from singing karaoke, and she has big plans for the future. She is hoping to move to Nashville during the next year and is in the midst of collecting material for a new CD. Wallin is also planning to release a country music video in the near future.

Her advice for others interested in pursuing a career in music is simple. “Follow your dreams,” she said. “No dream is too big to follow.”