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Sugarland Country duo gets back to what it does best
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Jennifer Nettles, left, and Christian Bush comprise country superstar duo Sugarland. The country-music act will come to Covelli Centre on Friday as the second stop on its tour.
By John Benson
It’s been a tough year for Nashville’s platinum-selling act Sugarland.
Even though the country duo is one of the top Music City acts around, winning multiple Grammy, CMA and ACM Awards and selling more than 9 million records, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush are still reeling from a horrific stage collapse last August at the Indiana State Fair that left seven people dead and 45 injured.
While lawsuits surrounding the incident hover over the band, Sugarland is back to doing what it does best this spring with its “In The Hands Of The Fans 2012 Tour,” which comes to Youngstown for a Friday show at Covelli Centre.
Here are 10 things you probably didn’t now about Sugarland:
• Sugarland made its live debut in August 2002 with only four songs in its repertoire.
• Prior to forming Sugarland, Nettles was in The Jennifer Nettles Band, which actually won a contest to appear at a 1999 Lilith Fair show date.
• Sugarland was once a trio, with singer Kristen Hall leaving the group in 2005.
• Music runs in Bush’s family. His brother, Brandon, is not only an ex-member of rock act Train but also plays with Sugarland on occasion.
• Sugarland once appeared on “Sesame Street” to sing the educational tune “Songs” with Elmo.
• Another popular duet put Sugarland on the map. In 2006 Nettles sang “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” with Bon Jovi. The song eventually went No. 1, opening country music’s eyes to rock act Bon Jovi and up-and-coming twosome Sugarland.
• Nettles married boyfriend Justin Miller last fall. If he looks familiar it’s because he appeared in the video for Sugarland’s 2006 hit “Want To.”
• Aired during the most recent Super Bowl, a new soft-drink commercial features Nettles’ singing Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”
• Sugarland has enjoyed No. 1 hits “Settlin’,” “All I Want to Do,” “Already Gone,” “It Happens” and “Want To,” as well as top 10 singles “Baby Girl,” “Stuck Like Glue,” “Something More,” “Everyday America” and “Stay.”
• In concert, the country act has been known to kick out creative covers by Beyonce (“Irreplaceable”), Kings of Leon (“Sex on Fire”) and Pearl Jam (“Better Man”).