Jennifer Nettles

Jennifer Nettles

Jennifer Nettles in November 2008.
Background information
Birth name Jennifer Odessa Nettles
Born (1974-09-12) September 12, 1974
Origin Douglas, Georgia, United States
Genres Country
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, actress
Instruments Vocals, piano, tambourine, bass guitar, guitar, harmonica, flute, mandolin
Years active 1996–present
Labels Mercury Nashville, Big Machine
Associated acts Sugarland, Bon Jovi, Lionel Richie, John Legend
Website Official website

Jennifer Odessa Nettles (born September 12, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter and actress. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Before Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band. She also charted as a duet partner on the country version of rock band Bon Jovi's 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", a Number One hit on the Billboard country charts.[1]

Personal life

Nettles was born and raised in the small town of Douglas, Georgia, graduating from Coffee High School.[2] Nettles married Todd Van Sickle in 1998, but the couple divorced in 2007.[3] On Saturday, November 26, 2011, Jennifer married her boyfriend of two years, Justin Miller, in a sunset ceremony at Blackberry Farms in East Tennessee.[4] On June 18, 2012, Nettles and her husband announced they were expecting their first child in November.[5] Their son, Magnus Hamilton Miller, was born in December 2012.[6] "We are so thankful for all the prayers and support and are excited to take some time together as a new family," the couple said in a statement.[6]

Musical beginnings

Nettles began performing at school assemblies, her Southern Baptist church, and in community theater. She was also a member of Georgia 4-H's Clovers & Company performing arts group from 1986 to 1993.[7]

Nettles studied Sociology and Anthropology at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, and graduated in 1997.[8] While a student there, Nettles and Cory Jones (who at the time was studying classical guitar at the University of Georgia) formed the group Soul Miner’s Daughter. Performing as both an acoustic duo and with a band, they released two albums: The Sacred and Profane in 1996 and Hallelujah in 1998, both of which were composed of songs written collaboratively by Jones and Nettles.[9] Soul Miner's Daughter was invited to perform at the Atlanta installment of Lilith Fair in 1999.[10]

In 1999, she formed the Jennifer Nettles Band, with which she released three studio albums and two live albums. The band, which in addition to Nettles included Brad Sikes (drums), Scott Nicholson (piano), Wesley Lupold (bass), and Mike Cebulski (percussion), was selected the grand prize winner from more than 2000 bands in "The Big Deal $100,000 Music Search" presented by Mars Music.[11]

Sugarland

Main article: Sugarland

In 2003, Nettles teamed up with Kristen Hall and Kristian Bush to form Sugarland. Regarding the trio's collaboration, she said:

"We really wanted to get out of where we had all been as artists and move beyond that to something bigger. Consequently all the songs reflect that; 'Fly Away,' 'Baby Girl,' all of those songs - you speak to the human condition and write what you know in your life."[12]

Sugarland was nominated for a Grammy award in the Best New Artist category in 2006.[13] Although they did not win the award, Nettles and Bush performed for the awards show and Nettles presented both a Lifetime Achievement Award to Merle Haggard and the award for Best Country Group.[14]

A duet performance with rock band Bon Jovi, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", reached No. 7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The video for the song won a CMT Music Award in 2006 for Collaborative Video Of The Year. In February 2007, Nettles and Bon Jovi won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.[15] In 2006, Kristen Hall left the group[16] and Nettles and Bush continued on as a duo releasing Enjoy the Ride in November 2006. Their third album, titled Love on the Inside, was released on July 22, 2008.

In an interview on Fox News with Martha MacCullum, Nettles expressed interest in appearing in a Broadway play, stating in particular that she would like to play the role of Elphaba in Wicked.[17]

In early December 2008, Sugarland received three Grammy Award nominations and performed on the 51st Annual Grammy Awards show on February 8, 2009. They won awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group.[18]

On Sunday, January 18, 2009, Nettles performed at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, singing James Taylor's "Shower the People" with James Taylor and John Legend.[19]

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".[20] During the broadcast of the April 5, 2009 awards show, Sugarland was presented with the Vocal Duo of the Year award, ending Brooks & Dunn's nine-year run.[21] Nettles also received a Milestone award, presented to her by Reba McEntire.[22]

ABC broadcast the first CMA Country Christmas, hosted by Nettles, on November 29, 2010. Nettles and Sugarland partner Kristian Bush kicked off the evening with their rendition of "Winter Wonderland," backed by Little Big Town. The pair returned to the stage later in the program to perform the hymn "Come, O Come Emmanuel," just before the "Jingle Bell Rock" group grande finale of the 90-minute special.[23]

Duets and solo career

In 2012, Nettles appeared as a judge on the ABC singing competition series Duets alongside Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Robin Thicke. The show was cancelled after one season.

Nettles announced in May 2013 that she would begin working on a solo album.[24] Her first solo single, "That Girl", was released in August. Nettles co-wrote the song with Butch Walker, and Rick Rubin produced it. The album, also titled That Girl, was released on January 14, 2014.

On June 4, 2014, Nettles performed "All of Me" with John Legend and Hunter Hayes at the CMT Music Awards.

In July 2015, Nettles parted ways with Mercury Nashville. Nettles then signed with Big Machine Label Group. Nettles announced that she would be going on the "Playing With Fire Tour" with Ryan Kindler and Brandy Clark as her opening acts. The tour was then extended by CMT and promoted as "CMT Presents Jennifer Nettles with 2016 Next Women of Country Tour" with Brandy Clark and special guest Lindsay Ell and Tara Thompson for over 30 dates across the country starting in January 2016. Jennifer then released a music video for her song "Sugar," she would be performing this song, which is off her upcoming album, at the 89th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the Domino Sugar float. Nettles then released the first official single, off her upcoming album with Big Machine, "Unlove You" which she debuted on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on November 24. For six years in a row she has hosted the CMA Country Christmas on ABC.

Acting

Nettles made her acting debut in the NBC television movie, Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors portraying Dolly Parton's mother. It premiered on December 10, 2015.

On April 20, 2016 she had a role on the WGN hit series Underground. Her role as a wife and mother who became a mental patient.

Activism

Nettles has lent her time and talent to support various non-profit organizations. Nettles has been a longtime supporter of the Shalom foundation.[25] She raised more than $120,000 for the foundation in 2007.[26]

In 2008 she launched Common Thread, a series of musical events enabling artists to come together to share music and raise money for their favorite charities. The first three Common Thread concerts included performances by Nettles, Sugarland partner Kristian Bush, Emily Saliers, and Amos Lee and raised funds for the American Cancer Society, American Liver Foundation, Honor the Earth, and Intercultural Family Services.[27]

Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Nettles and Sugarland partner Bush sang on the remake of We Are the World as part of Artists for Haiti.

In February 2012, she was one of a group of celebrities who walked down a catwalk in red dresses for the 'Heart Truth Red Dress Collection' show, part of New York Fashion Week.She wore a David Meister dress.[28]

Discography

Main article: Sugarland discography

Studio demos

As Jennifer Nettles
Year Album
1991 For Your Love / You're The One
  • 2-song Demo Cassette on Timme Records label.

Studio albums

As Soul Miner's Daughter
Year Album
1996 The Sacred And Profane
1998 Hallelujah
As Jennifer Nettles Band
Year Album
2000 Story Of Your Bones
2002 Gravity: Drag Me Down
2002 Rewind
As Jennifer Nettles
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
US Country US CAN
That Girl 1 5 22
Playing with Fire To be released

Live albums

As Jennifer Nettles
Year Album
2003 An Acoustic Evening with Jennifer Nettles
2004 An Acoustic Evening with Jennifer Nettles II

Solo singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions[1]		 Album
US Country US Country Airplay
2013 "That Girl" 37 37 That Girl
2014 "Me Without You" — 50
2016 "Unlove You"A 31 32 Playing with Fire
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Guest singles

Year Single Artist Peak chart positions[1] Album
US Country US US AC CAN NOR IRE NZ SWE SPA
2006 "Who Says You Can't Go Home" Bon Jovi 1 — — — — — — — — Have a Nice Day
2010 "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" USA for Haiti — 2 — 7 1 9 8 5 15 N/A
2014 "Christmas Day" Michael W. Smith — — — — — — — — — The Spirit of Christmas
2015 "Here It Is Christmas/Baby, It's Cold Outside" Kenny Rogers — — 18 — — — — — — Once Again It's Christmas
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year Title Director
2006 "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (with Bon Jovi) Anthony M. Bongiovi
2010 "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" (as USA for Haiti) Paul Haggis
2013 "That Girl"[32] Philip Andelman
2014 "His Hands" (with Brandy Clark)[33] Shaun Silva/Valarie Allyn Bienas
2015 "Sugar"[34] Declan Whitebloom
2016 "Unlove You"[35] Trey Fanjoy

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 Billboard website. Billboard Music Charts - Jennifer Nettles; retrieved February 24, 2009.
  2. ↑ Jennifer Nettles website. Website bio; retrieved February 24, 2009.
  3. ↑ Corneau, Allison (2012-06-18). "Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles Pregnant With First Child". Usmagazine.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  4. ↑ Finan, Eileen (2011-11-28). "Jennifer Nettles Weds Justin Miller". People.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  5. ↑ "Duets, Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles Pregnant". Celebritybabies.people.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  6. 1 2 "Jennifer Nettles Welcomes Son Magnus Hamilton". Celebritybabies.people.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  7. ↑ Clovers and Company History, CAST MEMBERS AND SHOW PROGRAMS THROUGH THE YEARS!. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  8. ↑ Agnes Scott College. Alumnae Spotlight: Jennifer Nettles '97. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  9. ↑ Back, Alan. Soul Miner's Daughter takes top honors at Lillith competition. The Technique, May 14, 1999. Retrieved April 4, 2007.
  10. 1 2 3 Ask Men website. Jennifer Nettles. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  11. ↑ Entertainment Wire. Atlanta's The Jennifer Nettles Band Wins Grand Prize In Nationwide Music Search Competition. November 28, 2000. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  12. ↑ Cronin, Peter. The Road To Sugarland. Great American Country TV website. September 5, 2006. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  13. ↑ Gardner, Elysa. Meet the best new artist nominees. USA Today, February 2, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  14. ↑ Lee, Lisa. Urban, Hill and Sugarland Prepare for Grammy Show. CMT website. February 6, 2006. Retrieved February 26, 2009.
  15. 1 2 Grammy Awards website. 49th Grammy Awards Winners List. (See Category 39.) Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  16. ↑ Dugger, Brian. Kristen Hall leaves Sugarland. Toledo Blade, January 20, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  17. ↑ YouTube. Jennifer Nettles on FoxNews. August 13, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2009
  18. 1 2 3 Grammy Awards website. 51st Annual Grammy Awards Winners List. (See Category 38 and Category 41.) Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  19. ↑ USA Today. Live-blog: 'We Are One' concert at the Lincoln Memorial. January 18, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  20. ↑ Academy of Country Music. 2009 Nominees. February 11, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  21. ↑ DeDekker, Jeff. Following the ACMs, part four. Leader-Post, April 5, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
  22. ↑ McDonnell, Brandy (BAM's Blog). ACM Awards Continues. The Oklahoman, April 5, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
  23. ↑ Hollabaugh, Lorie. Stars Celebrate First 'CMA Country Christmas'. The Boot, November 29, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Jennifer Nettles finally doing solo album". Usatoday.com. 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  25. ↑ "The Shalom Foundation with Jennifer Nettles". Theshalomfoundation.org. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  26. ↑ Dining Stars website. Sugarland's Tour Benefits The Shalom Foundation. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  27. ↑ CMT website. Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles Launches Common Thread Charity Events. November 6, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  28. ↑ "Stars Hit the Runway for Heart Health". Shape.com. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  29. ↑ Roland, Tom (July 2, 2014). "Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Eric Church Lead SoundScan Mid-Year Country Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  30. ↑ McClellan, Laura (March 10, 2016). "Jennifer Nettles Sets Release Date for ‘Playing With Fire’ Album". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 12, 2016. The artist has set a May 13 release date for Playing With Fire, an album she takes great pride in and can’t wait for people to hear.
  31. ↑ "Single Releases". MusicRow. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  32. ↑ "CMT : Videos : Jennifer Nettles : That Girl". Country Music Television. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  33. ↑ "CMT : Videos : Jennifer Nettles : His Hands (Live)". Country Music Television. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Sugar – Jennifer Nettles". Vevo. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  35. ↑ "CMT : Videos : Jennifer Nettles : Unlove You". Country Music Television. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  36. ↑ Clover Country website. Songs From Famous 4-H Alumni: Sugarland. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  37. ↑ CMT website. 2006 CMT Music Awards -- Winners. Retrieved February 24, 2009
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 CMA website. Artist Detail: Sugarland. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  39. ↑ CMA website. Artist Detail: Jennifer Nettles. Retrieved February 24, 2009.

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