Possessing a clear, sweet voice and a sensitivity to match, Sarahbeth Taite grounds her country music in older sounds: among her first digital single were covers of Waylon Jennings and Dolly Parton, she nodded to Tom Petty on 2020's "Happy Hour," and her sensibility is grounded in the softer country-pop of the 1990s, particularly Reba McEntire. Despite her fondness for old ways, Taite seized the opportunities provided by the digital landscape of the 2010s, leading to the 2020 viral hit "Long Way." A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Sarahbeth Taite began playing music as a child, first learning piano, then picking up guitar. Taite's musical interests intensified as she reached her teens, leading her to attend a Nashville Songwriters Association International workshop in Nashville, an experience that soon led to a publishing contract with Green Hills Music Group. She was still attending high school at the time. Her deal with Green Hills Music Group expired before she moved to Nashville at the age of 17. After relocating, she pursued a career as a performer as well as a writer, having her single "He Loves Me" aired on CMT in 2016. "He Loves Me" was the lead track on her eponymous 2016 EP. Taite began cultivating a fan base online, releasing a series or digital singles beginning with 2018's "Issues" and a series of covers under the umbrella title "Songs I Wish I'd Written" in 2019. Her popularity began to spike in 2020 with the viral hit "Long Way." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine