Sugarland

Sugarland
Company type	Duo
Industry	Music
Founded	2002
Headquarters	Douglas, Georgia, United States
Products	Country music albums and singles

Sugarland is a country music duo originating from Douglas, Georgia, composed of singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles (lead vocals) and Kristian Bush (vocals, guitar, mandolin). Established in 2002 alongside Kristen Hall (vocals, guitar), the trio each brought backgrounds in folk rock—Nettles previously performed with Soul Miner's Daughter and the Jennifer Nettles Band, Bush was part of the duo Billy Pilgrim, and Hall pursued a solo career. Following Hall's exit in 2006, Nettles and Bush continued as a duo.

The group signed with Mercury Nashville Records in 2004 and, by 2010, had released four studio albums, one Christmas album, and a live album. Their discography yielded 15 singles charting on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including chart-toppers such as "Want To", "Settlin'", "All I Want to Do", "Already Gone", and "It Happens". Additionally, Nettles featured on Bon Jovi's 2005-2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", which reached number one on country charts. Their four studio albums—Twice the Speed of Life, Enjoy the Ride, Love on the Inside, and The Incredible Machine—have all been certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America. After taking a break in 2012 for solo projects, they reunited in 2017 with the release of Bigger under Big Machine Records.

2004–2005: Twice the Speed of Life

Prior to forming Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush, and Kristen Hall were active participants in Atlanta’s folk-rock circuit throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, frequently performing at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia, a venue once owned by Nettles’ former spouse.

Sugarland’s debut album, Twice the Speed of Life, was launched on October 26, 2004. The lead single "Baby Girl" climbed to number two on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and set a record for the longest duration on the chart since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking in 1990; it also marked the highest-charting debut single for a group in over a decade. Other singles from the album included "Something More" (#2), "Just Might (Make Me Believe)" (#7), and "Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good)" (#17). The album was certified triple platinum after selling three million copies. In late 2005, Sugarland collaborated with Bon Jovi on Country Music Television’s Crossroads, where Nettles performed on their single "Who Says You Can't Go Home," which reached number one on country charts. The duo toured extensively across North America alongside artists such as Brad Paisley in 2005 and supported Kenny Chesney during his Flip Flop Summer Tour from 2006 to 2007.

2006–2007: Enjoy the Ride

In December 2005, Kristen Hall departed from Sugarland to focus on songwriting at home, as announced by Nettles and Bush in January 2006.

Sugarland earned a nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards and performed "Something More" at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2006. They garnered several nominations at that year’s CMT Music Awards including Group/Duo Video of the Year for Just Might (Make Me Believe), Breakthrough Video of the Year for Something More, and Collaborative Video of the Year for Who Says You Can't Go Home. Their sophomore album, Enjoy the Ride, was released on November 7, 2006, debuting at number four on the US Top 200 chart and number two on Top Country Albums with first-week sales of 211,000 copies. It eventually achieved multiplatinum certification after selling three million units. The initial singles "Want To" and "Settlin'" both reached number one on country charts, while subsequent releases "Everyday America" and "Stay" secured top ten positions. A special Wal-Mart edition featured a five-song Christmas EP including "Little Wood Guitar," co-written by Bush and Ellis Paul; this track was highlighted by USA Today as a potential holiday classic.

Throughout 2007, Sugarland performed at prominent award ceremonies such as the CMT Music Awards and ACM Awards. Their rendition of Beyoncé Knowles’ "Irreplaceable" at the American Music Awards included Knowles joining them live on stage; despite mixed critical reviews, audience response was favorable. They also appeared on The Tonight Show and embarked on their inaugural headlining concert tour—the Change for Change Tour—with support from Little Big Town and Jake Owen. At the 41st CMA Awards that year, Sugarland was honored with Vocal Duo of the Year.

Broadening their outreach beyond music venues, Sugarland made appearances on children's programming: performing "Songs" alongside Elmo on Sesame Street in September 2007 and guest-starring in an episode of "Yo Gabba Gabba!" in November.

2008–2009: Love on the Inside

Recording for Love on the Inside began in February 2007, with Nettles and Bush working to follow up their previous album, Enjoy the Ride. The Deluxe Fan Edition was made available on July 22, 2008, with the standard version released a week afterward. The fan edition features collaborations with Little Big Town and Jake Owen, a rendition of The Dream Academy's 1985 hit "Life in a Northern Town", along with four additional tracks including "Fall Into Me" and "Come On Get Higher".

The album's first single, "All I Want to Do", entered the country charts at number 27—marking their highest debut—and went on to become their third chart-topping single by August 2008. Following this, "Already Gone" was released on September 8, 2008, eventually reaching number one in January 2009.

Sugarland embarked on their second headlining Love on the Inside tour starting September 13, 2008, with support from Ashton Shepherd and Kellie Pickler, wrapping up after 25 shows on November 16, 2008.

In December 2008, the duo earned three Grammy nominations and performed at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in February 2009, where they secured wins for Best Country Song and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group.

On February 11, 2009, Sugarland received two nominations from the Academy of Country Music for Top Vocal Duo and Vocal Event of the Year for "Life in a Northern Town." During the awards ceremony in April, they claimed Vocal Duo of the Year, ending Brooks and Dunn's nine-year winning streak. Additionally, Nettles was honored with a Milestone award presented by Reba McEntire.

In March 2009, Sugarland toured Europe performing at military bases in Italy and scheduling concerts throughout France, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Later that year, they joined Keith Urban on select dates of his Escape Together World Tour and also toured alongside Kenny Chesney during his Sun City Carnival Tour.

The third single from Love on the Inside, "It Happens", released in February 2009, became their fifth number-one hit by May. The fourth single, "Joey," which tackles the issue of drunk driving, reached number 17 on the US country charts.

On May 19, 2009, Sugarland received five nominations at the CMT Awards including Video of the Year; they won Video Duo of the Year during the June broadcast. Their performance included "Love Shack" featuring a surprise guest appearance by the B-52s.

Their Soundstage performance premiered on PBS stations on July 2, 2009. Subsequently, Sugarland released their first live DVD/CD package titled Live on the Inside, available exclusively through Walmart starting August 4.

The duo’s inaugural holiday album, Gold and Green, which contains five original compositions alongside five classic carols, was released on October 13, 2009.

Country Universe ranked four Sugarland albums among the top-selling country albums of that year: Love on the Inside at number 10; Gold and Green at number 149; Live on the Inside at number 168; and Enjoy the Ride at number 180.

2010–2011: The Incredible Machine

At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Sugarland’s single "It Happens" was nominated for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals but lost to Lady Antebellum’s "I Run To You". Jennifer Nettles also performed alongside Jon Bon Jovi during the ceremony on "Who Says You Can't Go Home".

On February 1, 2010, Sugarland participated in "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti," a charity single created to aid relief efforts following the Haiti earthquake.

Their album The Incredible Machine was released on October 19, 2010, featuring "Stuck Like Glue" as its lead single. The album saw its UK release on February 7, 2011. Musical influences for this project included English electronic band OMD and progressive rock artist Peter Gabriel. Collaborating with director Kenny Ortega, Sugarland presented an American Express Unstaged live-streamed concert from New York City on October 18, 2010.

In November 2010, Jennifer Nettles hosted the inaugural CMA Country Christmas special where Sugarland performed selections from their holiday album Gold and Green. That December saw them perform "Stuck Like Glue" on VH1's "Divas Salute The Troops."

By January 2011, The Incredible Machine ranked as the fifth best-selling country album of the previous year while "Stuck Like Glue" stood as the third highest-selling digital country track. In March, Sugarland appeared on American Idol to promote their single.

In April 2011, they hosted and performed at the first-ever ACM Fan Jam during the Academy of Country Music Awards. They also won Vocal Duo of the Year and earned a nomination for Video of the Year for "Stuck Like Glue." At this event Nettles performed alongside Rihanna. The song "Tonight" was released as both the third country radio single and second UK single from this album.

That same month marked Sugarland’s launch of a dedicated radio station through A.P.E. Radio to provide fans with behind-the-scenes access to their lives and music endeavors. At the 2011 CMT Music Awards they won Duo Video of the Year and performed their charitable anthem "Stand Up."

Moreover, Nettles and Bush received individual credits for their contributions to Matt Nathanson’s song "Run" from his album Modern Love.

Indiana State Fair stage failure

On August 13, 2011, a structural failure occurred at an outdoor stage during Sugarland's The Incredible Machine Tour concert at the Indiana State Fair, causing the deaths of seven individuals and injuring more than 45 others. Immediately following the incident, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush took to Twitter to reassure fans: "We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis." The band subsequently canceled their scheduled performance the next day at the Iowa State Fair and released a statement expressing their sorrow and extending condolences to the families affected. On October 28, 2011, Sugarland organized a complimentary benefit concert dedicated to honoring those impacted by the tragedy. By November 23, a total of forty-four legal claims had been initiated against Sugarland and affiliated parties seeking compensation.

Late 2011

Toward the end of 2011, Sugarland maintained a high profile: securing the Vocal Duo award at the 2011 Country Music Association Awards, delivering a rendition of "Run" alongside Matt Nathanson during the CMA ceremony, collaborating with Lady Gaga at the Grammy Nominations Concert, hosting and performing in the CMA Country Christmas Special, earning two American Country Awards nominations for Artist of the Year-Duo or Group and Single of the Year-Duo or Group for "Stuck Like Glue," and appearing at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo on December 11.

Jennifer Nettles married Justin Miller on November 26, 2011, in East Tennessee. Miller, who previously worked as a model, had appeared in Sugarland's 2006 single "Want To."

Sugarland entered 2012 by taking a hiatus to recuperate and strategize future endeavors.

2012–2016: Break and individual pursuits

During Sugarland’s break, Jennifer Nettles collaborated with Pepsi Max on a commercial aired during Super Bowl XLVI, featuring her cover of Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart". Additionally, Sugarland contributed the track "Guide You Home" to the soundtrack of the 2012 film Act of Valor.

Kristian Bush announced a spring 2012 solo tour that incorporated fan input for selecting songs. Their fourth headline tour, In Your Hands 2012, commenced on April 5. In June, Nettles revealed her pregnancy and welcomed her son in December of that year.

While Nettles was on maternity leave, Bush performed solo for the first time at the inaugural C2C: Country to Country Festival in London in March 2013 and released his debut solo single "Love or Money" specifically for the European market. He also took part in the Country Music Association’s Songwriters Series and various international showcases.

Nettles embarked on her solo path with the release of "That Girl" in August 2013, which preceded her album of the same name launched on January 14, 2014, produced by Rick Rubin. Her subsequent album, Playing with Fire, was released in 2016. She also appeared at the C2C Festival in 2017.

In 2014, Bush signed with producer Byron Gallimore’s Streamsound Records label and issued his first solo single "Trailer Hitch" in July that year. His album Southern Gravity followed on April 7, 2015. For this mainstream country radio project, he composed over three hundred songs. In 2016, Nettles released two solo albums: Playing with Fire in May and To Celebrate Christmas in October.

2017–2023: Reunion and Bigger

At the 51st Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2017, Bush and Nettles reunited to present the Vocal Duo of the Year award, simultaneously announcing new Sugarland material. Their single "Still the Same," which debuted on December 21, 2017, reached number one on the country iTunes charts and climbed to number nine on the overall iTunes rankings. Marking their first live appearance together in over five years, they performed on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018, followed by appearances at the C2C: Country to Country festival held in the UK and Ireland. On March 30, 2018, Sugarland revealed their album Bigger, which was released on June 8, 2018, and included "Babe," a track featuring Taylor Swift—the first Sugarland song not penned by Bush and Nettles themselves. In March 2019, Sugarland parted ways with UMG Nashville after a 15-year partnership to sign exclusively with Big Machine Records. By December that year, they had fully committed to Big Machine, with Nettles also embarking on solo endeavors under the label. Following the release of Bigger and its supporting tour, both Bush and Nettles returned their focus to individual projects.

2024–present: Little Big Town collaboration and tour

In April 2024, Sugarland joined forces with Little Big Town for a rendition of Phil Collins' "Take Me Home" at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, with the performance simultaneously issued as a single. The duo is slated to co-headline the Take Me Home Tour alongside Little Big Town from October 24 through December 13, 2024.

Additionally, Sugarland launched the EP There Goes the Neighborhood on August 9.

Hall lawsuit

Kristen Hall unexpectedly exited the group in December 2005. Both Bush and Nettles explained that Hall chose to leave in order to "stay home and write songs," a decision they respected. However, in July 2008—less than three years after her departure—Hall initiated a $14 million lawsuit against Bush and Nettles, alleging she was denied her rightful share of profits as previously agreed upon. Hall asserted that she originated the band's name and granted Bush and Nettles equal co-ownership of the trademark; her name still appears on the "Sugarland" trademark registration. Conversely, Nettles and Bush maintained that no profit-sharing agreement was in place prior to Hall’s departure. The dispute was resolved privately in November 2010, with terms kept confidential and both parties given until December 13, 2010, to finalize the settlement.

Members

Current members

Jennifer Nettles – lead vocals, acoustic guitar (2002–present)
Kristian Bush – rhythm guitar, mandolin, backing vocals (2002–present)

Former members

Kristen Hall – acoustic guitar, backing vocals (2002–2005)

Timeline

Discography

Headlining

CMT Change for Change Tour (2007)
Love on the Inside Tour (2008–2009)
The Incredible Machine Tour (2010–2011)
In Your Hands Tour (2012)
Still the Same Tour (2018)

Co-headlining

Take Me Home Tour (2024)

Supporting Acts

Time Well Wasted Tour (2005)
Troubadour Tour (2009)
Flip Flop Summer Tour (2006–2007)
Sun City Carnival Tour (2009)
Escape Together Tour (2009)

External links