Full "CMA Country Christmas" show details can be found at CMAChristmas.com. Fans can connect with CMA online at Facebook.com/CMA, Twitter.com/CountryMusic (#CMAChristmas), YouTube.com/CountryMusicAssoc, and Pinterest.com/CMAworld. October is Country Music Month. Learn more at CountryMusicMonth.com, and join the conversation on Twitter using official hashtag #CountryMusicMonth.

“CMA Country Christmas” is a production of the Country Music Association. Deaton is the executive producer, Paul Miller is the director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

About Generosity: Generosity was founded in 2012 by running partners Shaun Daugherty and Bethni Hemphill as a place to fundraise for charities close to their heart, and to volunteer in their community and around the world. Their principal mission is to ease the suffering of others by responding to crisis as well as serving the ongoing needs of the community. Generosity serves a wide variety of local, national, and international charities including Toys for Tots, The Bridge Ministry, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Special Olympics, and Habitat for Humanity. Generosity supports programs in American Samoa that work with children and teenagers to better their lives through sport camps, mentoring, and tutoring.

Chevrolet™ is the Official Ride of Country Music. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the CMA Awards. Pepsi is the Official Beverage Partner of the Country Music Association.

» CMAWorld.informz.net

Kristian Bush, one half of country music super-duo Sugarland, sold out his two solo Thanksgiving shows at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA so quickly that for the first time, he is adding an encore performance on Monday, Nov. 26, by popular demand.

"I've been a songwriter my entire life, and Eddie's is the club where I got my start, so I'm happy to keep on playing for as long as people want to listen," Bush says. "I'm thrilled so many fans want to ring in their holiday season with this show that means so much to me." 

He is also announcing his special guests: Frequent collaborator Ellis Paul and Mercury Records newcomer Canaan Smith join him Nov. 25, and Smith along with singer-songwriter Patrick Davis will sit in on Nov. 26

Tickets will go on sale for the encore performance of “Kristian Bush and Friends” this Friday, Oct. 12at 9am ET through the venue's website, http://www.eddiesattic.com

Bush, an award winning songwriter, is making his third appearance on the CMA Songwriter Series when it returns to Nashville on Wednesday, Oct 31 (9:00 PM/CT) at Marathon Music Works as part of Country Music Month’s promotions and events leading up the annual CMA Awards on Thursday, Nov 1 where Bush is nominated for CMA Vocal Duo of the Year with his partner Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland.

Bush has been leaving his mark on music for the past 22 years.  He is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who started his career with folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim in the early 90s. As one half of Country Music duo Sugarland, he has garnered five CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Awards, exceeded sales of more than 22 million units, and garnered eight No. 1 singles. An accomplished producer and songwriter, Bush is responsible for hits such as “Baby Girl,” “All I Want To Do,” and “Stuck Like Glue,” all recorded by Sugarland. In 2011, Bush founded the music publishing company and songwriting collective Songs of the Architect, and his recent producing/songwriting collaborations include Boys Like Girls frontman Martin Johnson and Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale, as well as up-and-comers including Canaan Smith, Lauren Alaina, Jaida Dreyer and Alana Springsteen.

» www.cmt.com

“SHE WON’T DRIVE IN THE RAIN ANYMORE,” CO-WRITTEN WITH dB’s FRONTMAN PETER HOLSAPPLE, APPEARS ON THE dB’s

FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 30 YEARS

BUSH JOINS CMA SONGWRITERS SERIES IN L.A. AND PHOENIX THIS MONTH

Nashville, TN – Kristian Bush of country music supergroup Sugarland seems to never stop working. When he’s not touring with bandmate Jennifer Nettles on the band’s popular “In Your Hands” tour or making surprise appearances with fellow label mate Canaan Smith at the Grand Ole Opry, he’s writing songs for rock bands such as legendary power-pop quartet the dB’s, whose early ‘80s output inspired a new generation of rock bands, including R.E.M.

Bush co-wrote “She Won’t Drive In The Rain Anymore” with dB’s front man Peter Holsapple, and the song marks his first release via Songs of the Architect, the Atlanta-based publishing company Bush recently created. “She Won’t Drive In The Rain Anymore” appears on The dB’s first new album in 30 years, Falling Off The Sky, which was released today via Bar/None Records.

About writing the song with Bush, Holsapple exclaims, “I was fortunate enough to get to hang out a little with Kristian Bush of Sugarland. I had a song idea that I wanted to run by him, so we sat together one afternoon on his tour bus and tossed ideas around. Kristian was able to channel his muse and encourage me to finish the song that became ‘She Won't Drive in the Rain Anymore.’ It's probably the most different composition on the entire Falling Off The Sky album, in terms of what people have come to expect from The dB's songwriting over the past 35-odd years. I'm incredibly grateful to call Kristian a friend, and I'm glad we got the chance to pull this song out of the hat.”

Bush replies, “Peter is by far one of America's most natural and unique songwriters. I studied his albums over and over. In a lot of ways, those songs taught me how to write a pop song that never gave up and never gave in.

“I remember writing it and trying not to freak out, because the voice singing on the sofa across from me as we were tossing melodies and lyrics back and forth was a voice I had known since I was 14,” Bush continues. “I am convinced that the 14-year-old me locked away some dB's melody and served it back to the man who gave it to me in the first place. I am grateful and humbled. And I am totally freaking out that there is a new dB's album and this time, my name is in the liner notes. Dreams do come true!”

Kristian is in good company with the North Carolina-via-New York foursome’s Falling Off the Sky.The album embodies the same combination of infectious melodic craft, playful sonic experimentalism and barbed lyrical insight that originally established the dB’s as key progenitors of the ’80s Southern indie-rock explosion, while incorporating the wealth of musical and personal experience that the four bandmates have accumulated individually in the years since.

The album is already being praised by Rolling Stone, NPR and the Chicago Tribune to name a few. “It is a thrill to say the least to be in the liner notes and a part of this great band and their return. There is an entire generation that needs to hear this new album, and who knows, they may even start a band...like I did,” says Bush. 

Along with his Sugarland tour dates this summer, Bush will also join the CMA Songwriters Series, bringing some of Nashville’s best tunesmiths to Los Angeles’ House of Blues on Tuesday, June 26, and Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum on Wednesday, June 27, where he will join Bill Anderson, Bobby Pinson and host Bob DiPiero for two nights of music and storytelling. Tickets for both shows are on sale now. For details, log on to www.CMAworld.com.

More information on Songs Of The Architect can be found at songsofthearchitect.com, or visit kristianbush.com.

 Reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Duo of the Year Sugarland will launch their sixth consecutive headlining tour entitled “In the Hands of the Fans” this April.  The tour will rely solely on fan interaction and requests to determine the set list played in each city.  Specific guidelines and instructions will be coming soon on www.sugarlandmusic.com.

The 25+ dates will feature openers Lauren Alaina and Canaan Smith (in select cities).

“This year's tour is based around the concept of putting the show into the hands of the fans,” said Nettles. “THEY will make the requests that will help form the set list and guide the show. Through texts, handwritten signs, the Internet (Twitter, Facebook, etc) phone calls made during the show and selections directly from the stage, the fans will become the conductors as well as the audience. If it's on one of our records or if we've played it on a stage it is fair game.”

“In The Hands of the Fans” Tour Dates/Markets:

4/5                  Toledo, OH               

4/6                  Youngstown, OH

4/10                Niagara, ON

4/11                Niagara, ON

4/13                Pikeville, KY

4/14                Louisville, KY

4/19                Thackerville, OK

4/20                Thackerville, OK

4/21                Mississippi State, MS

4/26                Virginia Beach, VA

4/27                Charlotte, NC

4/28                Raleigh, NC

5/25                Rancho Mirage, CA

5/31                Chula Vista, CA

6/1                  Mountain Valley, CA

6/21                Oshkosh, WI

6/22                Cadott, WI

6/23                Chicago, IL

7/21                Harrington, DE

7/22                Bristow, VA

7/27                Tampa, FL

7/28                Valdosta, GA

7/29                West Palm Beach, FL

8/3                  Cincinnati, OH

8/10                Sturgis, SD

8/17                Brownsville, OR

8/18                Stateline, NV

Sugarland has reached over 15 million in worldwide sales and achieved eight #1 singles since exploding onto the music scene in ‘04 with Twice The Speed Of Life. Enjoy the Ride quickly followed in ’06 and Love On The Inside in ’08, which skyrocketed them to superstardom. Sugarland has co-written all tracks from all three albums and co-produced the last two. Live On The Inside, a CD/DVD set, and Gold And Green, a holiday collection, both debuted in ’09. In 2010 The Incredible Machine was released (also co-written and co-produced by the duo) at #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart and to date has sold over 1.2 million copies. They’ve received trophies from the Grammys, AMA’s, ACM, CMT and CMA awards. Nettles has performed at the Kennedy Center Honors with musical tributes to Bruce Springsteen and Neil Diamond and the duo has collaborated live with heavy-hitters like Adele, Rihanna and Lady Gaga among others.  They have been seen all over the media spectrum with appearances on Oprah, Good Morning America, Ellen, CNN Heroes, Chelsea Lately and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Sugarland has performed in numerous European countries and have headlined multiple U.S. tours that continue to sell out venues across the country.

Singer/songwriter Canaan Smith will release his debut album via Mercury Records in 2012. His touching debut single “We Got Us” is at radio now. Canaan was one of the cast members of the 15^th season of the hit CBS series The Amazing Race and his elimination with then girlfriend, Mika, was one of the most dramatic moments in that show’s history. Also, the colonial Williamsburg, Virginian wrote the top 10 single “Runaway,” for the band Love and Theft as well as “Me Without You” on the band’s debut album, World Wide Open. He also wrote the Billy Ray Cyrus/Amy Grant duet “Stripes and Stars.” Craig Morgan recently recorded Canaan’s song “Up All Night Down In the South.” Furthermore, Canaan was recently named one of twelve artists to watch in 2012 by Country Weekly magazine.

Lauren Alaina, a Rossville, GA native, and the American Idol Season 10 runner up, released her debut album Wildflower in the fall of 2011 and it landed at No. 2 on the Billboard’s Top Country Album chart and an impressive No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200. She became the youngest female artist to debut this high on the Billboard charts since LeAnn Rimes' debut 15 years ago and is the best-selling country female debut since 1996.  Lauren is currently on the road with two other Georgia native’s Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan as part of the “My Kinda Party” tour.

The Tennessean updates fans with news about the stage and rigging collapse at the Indiana State Fair last summer.

Country duo Sugarland says it is devastated that people “want to point fingers and try to sensationalize” an Aug. 13 stage collapse that killed seven people and injured 58 before the band’s show at the Indiana State Fair.

The band issued a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday after its attorneys responded to a lawsuit by saying that injuries to fans were at least partly “their own fault.”

Sugarland manager Gail Gellman said fans are “the single most important thing” to the duo.

The collapse occurred when high winds toppled rigging holding lighting and other equipment. The band’s attorneys call the winds an “act of God” and say fair officials and Mid-America Sound Corp. were responsible for the stage setup.

Reported earlier

Country duo Sugarland said it is blameless in the stage and rigging collapse at the Indiana State Fair last summer that killed seven people, calling the accident “an act of God” caused by a surprisingly high gust of wind.

The band’s attorneys responded in a court filing to claims of negligence filed against the duo in a civil lawsuit tied to the tragic collapse on Aug. 13.

Several victims filed a lawsuit Nov. 22 in Marion Superior Court in Indiana, claiming that negligence on the part of Sugarland and others contributed to the tragedy.

Seven people were killed and more than 40 were injured when a gust of wind toppled equipment that hung over the stage before the group’s Aug. 13 concert at the fair.

In its response to the lawsuit, Sugarland claims the stage collapse was the result of a “gust of wind of unprecedented intensity” and as such was “a true accident, or act of God.”

They also added that “they had nothing to do with the construction of the venue” -- the state fair stage where their concert was to have been held.

Sugarland also said that the plaintiff’s claims were caused by “an open and obvious danger,” adding that some or all of the plaintiff’s injuries “resulted from their own fault.”

Sugarland also identified other parties that it said were in part responsible for the tragedy, including Indiana State Fair officials, Indiana State Police, members of the labor union who helped construct the stage and the state of Indiana.

In their response, Sugarland also denied allegations in the earlier lawsuit that said the band had supervisory authority over the setup of the State Fair stage.

“Lucky Star Inc. (the band’s ownership company) did not have any control over the size of the stage nor the public address system, as this was all provided for by the Indiana Fair Board,” Sugarland said in its response.

A report released Feb. 8 by the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the stage scaffolding was not properly erected and that Mid-America had not inspected the rigging during its construction or after it was erected.

The agency issued more than $80,000 in fines for violations that occurred before the stage was hit by a blast of wind as country duo Sugarland was about to perform.

Mid-America sharply criticized the report.

According to the civil lawsuit filed in November, the companies and the band failed to build a safe stage and should have paid more attention to the weather that evening. When the weather worsened, the lawsuit states, the concert should have been canceled and the crowd evacuated.

The families or estates of four people who died in the accident are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, as well as many other victims who were injured.

Defendants also include concert producer Live Nation, ESG Security, the stagehands’ union and other companies involved with Sugarland’s concert.

The lawsuit asks the court to award damages and attorneys’ fees.

"CMA Country Christmas," hosted for the second year by Jennifer Nettles, of reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Sugarland, re-airs Saturday, Dec. 17 (9:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Viewers now have a second opportunity to experience the music, memories, and stories of the season with some of our format's biggest stars and their families," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. "Fans have been calling since the original airing asking for more, and we are glad to give them a second helping."

Artists who perform in the special and share their favorite holiday traditions include Lauren Alaina, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Brian Setzer with special guest Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Keith Urban, and Vince Gill with Miss Piggy.

The performances are outstanding, but some of the most insightful and fun moments of the program are interviews with several of the artists and their children including Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts and his wife, Allison, and infant daughter, Madeline (11 months), talking about Madeline's first "interview" op; and McBride and her daughters Ava, 6, Emma, 13, and Delaney, 16, sharing their favorite family recipe.

Pulling heartstrings on the homefront, Pickler, who was joined by new hubby Kyle Jacobs for her fireside interview, talked about the sacrifice of American service men and women overseas and the personal impact of their selfless dedication to freedom and country. On a lighter note, during the special Pickler performed "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" with dancing elves.

Other highlights include Paisley adding blistering guitar grooves to Setzer's take on "Sleigh Ride" and "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus"; Hill's breathtaking a capella version of "Little Drummer Boy" surrounded by a choir; and several performances by Gill, who performed "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" with wife Grant, a solo rendition of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," and then cozied up to a bawdy Miss Piggy for a hilarious take on "Baby It's Cold Outside."

Outstanding vocal harmonies are a hallmark of the program with breathtaking performances from Little Big Town on "Santa Claus is Back in Town" (with Urban providing guitar licks) and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"; and Rascal Flatts, who performed "White Christmas" and "Mary Did You Know."

American Idol runner-up Alaina and reigning winner McCreery made their first appearances on the special with Alaina performing "Grown Up Christmas List" and McCreery lending his trademark baritone to "The First Noel." Urban also made his first appearance on the special in 2011 performing "The Christmas Song" (days before undergoing vocal cord surgery).

Returning in 2011 were two crowd favorites: Rucker, who performed "Winter Wonderland" and McBride, who added her soaring vocals on a jazz-influenced "Please Come Home for Christmas."

In addition to her hosting duties, Nettles opened the special with a rocking version of "All I Want for Christmas" and then, joined by Sugarland partner Kristian Bush, turned poignant for a stripped down and powerful performance of the holiday classic "Silent Night." Capping the special is a full cast performance of "Jingle Bells."

"CMA Country Christmas" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Paul Miller is the director and David Wild is the writer. The special was shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. The special has a PG-TV audience rating.

For the second consecutive year, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland hosted the "CMA Country Christmas," which aired Thursday, Dec. 1 (9:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The two-hour television special, which is produced by CMA, featured many of today's top Country artists performing traditional holiday favorites and sharing their personal holiday traditions. "CMA Country Christmas" was taped in front of a live audience on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

"The recurring themes you find in Country Music are the foundation of what makes the holidays so meaningful - the comfort of home, family, and friends," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. "'CMA Country Christmas' wraps in those traditions."

 In 2010, the first "CMA Country Christmas" drew an average audience of 7.3 million viewers in its first airing on Nov. 30, topping original competition on NBC and FOX by wide margins. It improved its time period for ABC over the same night in 2009 by a million viewers (7.3 million vs. 6.3 million). The special re-aired a second time on Dec. 22, 2010, reaching 4.25 million viewers. With its combined airings, "CMA Country Christmas" was seen by more than 11.5 million viewers in 2010.    

"CMA Country Christmas" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Paul Miller is the director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

Sugaralnd has been nominated for two American Country Awards.  They are up for Artist of the Year- Duo or Group and Single of the Year- Duo or Group for "Stuck Like Glue."  Vote now, and once each day, for Sugarland at www.theacas.com. Voting is open until Friday, Nov. 11.  Tune in and see if they win, Dec 5th on Fox.

Exclusive: Sugarland Discusses Life On The Road

Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty

If for some strange reason Sugarland can't make albums or hit singles anymore, they can always rest on their incredible live shows. The country duo has been rocking stadiums for years, but they've just mounted perhaps their biggest tour yet, The Incredible Machine Tour (get dates at http://www.sugarlandmusic.com/events). Us' Debbie Appel caught up with the Grammy-winning pair (singer Jennifer Nettles and axeman Kristian Bush) to get an update about life on the road.

US: How do you keep up the energy and chemistry performance after performance?

JN: One, we love the music

KB: Two, we love each other!

JN: And three, even though we play a similar set every night, the audience is different and they’re hearing it for the first time. Our experience with them is unique.

US: What's different about the tour you're doing now?

KB: In the past, we toured a record before it was released. Now we're playing it after fans know it! We are watching the Machine come alive.

US: How personal is this album for you?

JN: The stories aren't necessarily ours but the emotions within them are personal. This is the album we were destined to write. It feels authentic. It allows us to celebrate our heritage and history. There is a lot of courage and bravery from an artistic standpoint.

US: Because of the personal nature of the songs, is there ever one that gets you choked up or one that makes you laugh and smile every time you sing it?

JN: Incredible Machine is a beautiful mystery, and I love performing it every night. It didn't have to be massaged or beaten or crafted in a certain way. We weren't thinking, 'What is going to work for the listener?' It was just, 'What are we feeling?' We were in a place musically that I hope to be able to visit again. This song makes me feel so much more than I think of myself as an artist and as a writer.

KB: It told us what it wanted to sound like. In a weird way, it teaches me every day. There are just parts of it I don't understand.

US: Do you have a song that you feel has become an anthem for a lot of single women?

JN: I would say the song we did with Matt Nathanson called "Run." I loved writing with him and we respect him as an artist. The song was fun and I felt connected to it. I don't really listen to our own stuff but when I hear that I think 'Oh yeah - that's really good!'

KB: When we first started playing "Little Miss," I was like, 'Man, I love playing the song'.' I can imagine it moves the fans.

US: What is your favorite part of your concert?

JN: I love when the crowd screams along. We knew these songs were going to be played live in large venues. We wanted something that became a communal experience and something that the audience could have fun participating in, rather than just sing along to. There are parts where the audience plays their part too.

KB: I like the tension at the beginning of the show and the encore. As a fan, I am aware of the 'I don't know what is going to happen next' moments.

US: What was the last concert you both went to?

JN: U2 in Nashville. I look at concerts differently now. Before I would go to concerts and dream about being in them. Now I understand the logistics of it. I also ask myself, 'how do I measure up, and how does this person measure up?'

KB: Mine was Bonnaroo. It was a long day and I was tired enough to be beaten into submission of being just a fan instead of constantly having on the 'I'm watching you to learn from you' eyes.' I also took a pile of notes!

US: Who are some of your more interesting celebrity fans that have come to your shows?

KB: I flipped out last night because Katee Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica tweeted, 'I can't wait to go to the Sugarland show.' I wrote back asking her if she needed a parking space for her space ship! When we spoke she said 'I jumped off the couch I was so excited.' People don't like to admit that they are country fans because traditionally people will say, 'I love all kinds of music, except country music.' Once a celebrity has disclosed that they are a country music fan and they show up to a concert, they are really coming out of the closet! We are the gateway drug in country music.

JN: When we were in Canada, Vince Vaughn came with his wife and a number of friends. We are the quirky, cool band nerds of country music. We are accessible and welcoming in a different way.

US: Is it hard to be away from your family?

KB: It is hard and I miss them. I talk to them once a day, which is not often enough. My kids are six and nine so now we have real conversations. I don't have a lot of complaints. My wife and I have just decided that Aunt Jennifer is going to have to teach her how to not smoke!

JN: I will hand her back with clean lungs and a full sleeve!

US: How many tattoos do you have?

JN: I have one my arm, one on my wrist and a flower on my hip that I got when I was 18. I look at each tattoo as a chosen scar. They are a way to celebrate different things and remember where you were at that point in your life when you got that tattoo. My most recent tattoo is the one on my arm – the red heart with the blue wings. I got it five years ago. It is an iconic tattoo, at least in the world of American tattoos.

US: How hard is it for you to have a social life while on the road?

JN: I have a wonderful community and a tribe of friends and family. I like to entertain and have people over for dinner. I have a pretty comfortable and free life that I lead outside of this. I am lucky in that I able to have all of this and yet still have anonymity and privacy. I live a pretty normal life.

US: What is something that you absolutely have to have with you on your tour bus?

JN: I have a green tea that I call 'the end of the world' tea that I get at the Pearl River Market in New York in Soho. It has a rich, beautiful nuttiness and it is THE way to start my day, because I can't really do coffee. It's not good for your voice, and it is very acidic in your tummy.

KB: I buy two of every pillow and two of every comforter so everything is the same, besides the bouncing or the bed being on wheels.

US: How do you both stay in shape when you're on the road?

JN: We bring yoga teachers and a trainer.

US: How would you describe your personal style?

JN: I tend to play the edges. I like playing around with something masculine like a blazer over something really feminine like a silk top. I like the extremes. I also love animal prints and a nice little bootie sandal.

US: Would ever consider doing reality television?

KB: There is a rule in my house that my kids are not allowed to be on reality TV until they are 18 no matter what!

JN: No but I like that people are celebrating music. I love that most watched television shows all deal with music.

US: What do you think of country singer Blake Shelton starring on 'The Voice?'

JN: He is so smart. He is so quick and funny and he is perfect for that show. He represents country music in a wonderful way. Blake and Miranda are the iconic country couple royalty, which there hasn't been since Tim and Faith.

Sugarland Reunites Tornado-Affected Joplin Family for CMT Awards: Video
by Vernell Hackett, Nashville | June 08, 2011 6:00 EDT

Sugarland will sing an emotional version of its song "Stand Up" tonight (June 8) at the CMT Awards (airing at 8 p.m. ET), and the performance will have a special meaning for the Gilberts, a family from Joplin, Mo., whose home was devastated by a tornado last month.

During a rehearsal for the show on Tuesday, Tiffani and Lexi were reunited with their parents, Amy and Eric, for the first time since May 22, apart from a few hours they'd spent together viewing the wreckage of their home. Tiffani and Lexi Gilbert will will wave flags and sing along during the country duo's performance, during which producers will call upon viewers to make donations to the American Red Cross. Sugarland recently released a live version of the song recorded with Little Big Town -- entitled "Stand Up For Tornado Relief," the performance is available for download on iTunes, with proceeds also going to the Red Cross for tornado relief in Alabama and Joplin.

"The great thing about making this download available is that it...will continue to give," Sugarland's Kristian Bush told Billboard on Tuesday. "There is no limit as to how much it can raise for relief efforts."

When Bush and Jennifer Nettles wrote "Stand Up," they had no idea the impact it would have on people whose lives were uprooted by last month's storms in the Midwest and Southeast. The idea for the song was Bush's, and he had part of it written when he arrived at Nettles' door one morning for a writing session.

"Really, all we had to do was finish the second verse and we had a song," Nettles said.

The Gilberts were brought to the CMT Awards attention by a personal friend who works for MTV. CMT producers approached Sugarland about incorporating the family into their performance of "Stand Up" on the awards. The family, who are big fans of Sugarland, met the group during rehearsals. Lexi was especially excited that Justin Bieber is scheduled to be at the awards, and during Tuesday's rehearsal, she asked to sit in the seat that he'll reportedly be occupying in the audience.

Since the last time they were together -- the day after the tornado, when the girls went to stay with family while their parents made sense of the wreckage that was their home -- the Gilberts have purchased a new home, where all four will be living together again by the end of June.

"It has been very hard to be away from Tiffani and Lexi, but Joplin is no place for children to be right now," a tearful Amy Gilbert said. "When we were driving to Nashville, Lexi just started crying and I asked her what was wrong, and she said she had just missed us so much. It is so good for us to be together, if just for a little while. But since we were able to buy a house so quickly, we know it won't be long until we'll all be back together again permanently."

Eric Gilbert described the day of the storm as a regular day, with the possibility of rain later in the evening. "We even measured Lexi's height on a wall where we had been charting her growth progress," he said. "It was significant later that we had done that, because people going through our house found that board and cut it out and brought it to us. We'll always have that as a piece of our history from that day."

When a huge oak tree fell in their backyard, the family took shelter first in the kitchen, then in a bathroom. Lexi recounted how their two dogs, Prince and Tinkerbell, were in the house with them and how brave they were throughout the storm. Two days later, a neighbor who was helping with clean-up found their cat, Tigger, crouching under a piece of furniture.

Sugarland is just one of many country music acts who have offered help and support for the recent storm victims, and Nettles was quick to praise her peers. "Our friends in country music have big hearts and are among the first to step up to give back when there is a need to help people who have suffered loss."

CLICK HERE to watch Sugarland Q&A at CMT Awards rehearsal

Sugarland will help reunite the sisters with their parents, Amy and Eric Gilbert, during the awards show airing live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena at 8 p.m. ET/PT. They've been living apart since their family's home was declared a total loss following a May 22 tornado that tore through Joplin.

Sugarland recently released "Stand Up" on iTunes with download proceeds going to the American Red Cross. Viewers can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts.

Sugarland's Kristian Bush told CMT.com he had started writing "Stand Up" when he discovered a chant-y feel he wanted to put in the chorus. He took the song to musical partner Jennifer Nettles' house, where they finished it that day.

"It's a really common experience in humanity," Bush said. "You go to school and you spend your time trying not to stick out in classroom. As a child, your parents tell you to behave yourself. I think a lot of times, what happens for those of us -- and I'm one of these kinds of people -- who take in a lot, you can stay quiet for too long. Who you are deserves to be expressed. And when you put that to music, you kind of let it out of the box."

Even Nettles thinks the line about "won't you stand up and use your voice" can evolve, depending on the situation. So on the awards show, when it becomes a song about the Gilberts and other families who've lost so much with the recent tornadoes and floods in the U.S., it will evolve even more.

"In that case, 'voice' can be a metaphor in saying, 'Use your talents, use your gifts, use what you've been given -- whatever that is -- to make a difference in the world,'" she said. "Just do something."

On May 22, Amy and Eric Gilbert and their daughters were just like any other family doing their thing -- chores, yard work, cooking out.

"We were ready to relax and watch it rain and have a family night," father Eric Gilbert told CMT.com. "Then we were watching TV, and I looked over at my wife and said, 'Is that a siren?'"

Once they realized yes, it was a siren, they went into their kitchen because that was their safe spot -- a center room with no windows.

"There was a helluva storm comin'," he said. "So I put my arms around everybody, and the house was just shaking. When it was finally still, I looked up, and the roof was gone. I saw sky."

When the family felt safe enough to walk outside, Gilbert said "horrific" was not a strong enough word for it.

"The roof was gone," he recalled. "All our oak trees were blown over. There was debris from our house all over the yard. Even debris from other people's homes. The house shook so bad that the mortar came loose. You can walk right up and take a brick right off my house. Right now, it is classified as totally uninhabitable."

The morning after the tornado, Gilbert's mom came and took Lexi and Tiffani to stay with family in Kansas. And the only time they came back to Joplin to see the house, Lexi tried to go back in to see the damage for herself.

"She could barely stand the stench," Gilbert said. "The wet fiberglass, the mold, it was just terrible. So a young man from the National Guard saw how upset she was and said, 'Baby, is there something in there that you need?' Lexi told him, 'I want my Justin Bieber blanket.' And he went and got it."

You will see the Gilbert girls walking up onstage with Sugarland tonight, carrying a substantial white flag spray painted with the word "Love" on it. Why the flag?

"I like the simple idea that anybody can take a bed sheet, tie it to a stick and paint something on it and wave it," Bush explained. "And I think that matters. That's the metaphor of what it means to say something."

Nettles thinks having the Gilberts be part of their performance not only raises awareness about the devastation so many have faced, but that it helps the victims themselves.

"As with any tragedy," she said, "a lot of the healing comes from people being able to share their stories."

The Gilberts know how much the American Red Cross does for families like theirs who need help.

"My dad raised me to be self-sufficient," Eric Gilbert said. "But you can't be self-sufficient in times like this. You just can't. You need help. So when we got this call to have the girls be part of Sugarland's performance, we knew this was where we needed to be. We watch these shows on TV all the time.

"The girls might get a little nervous tonight," he added. "But I told them, 'You are waving that flag for Joplin'."

Sugarland hits all the right notes

By Sarah Rodman

Globe Staff / May 23, 2011

With Little Big Town and Matt Nathanson At: the Comcast Center, Friday

MANSFIELD— For the second year in a row, the concert season at the Comcast Center was kick-started by Sugarland in grand style.

Friday night the irrepressible country pop duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush and their top-flight five-piece band took to a whimsical, steampunk-inspired stage set — festooned with giant clock gears and industrial doodads in homage to their album “The Incredible Machine’’ — with a refreshing zeal for performance.

The 90-minute set was by turns rocking, comic, and poignant. But regardless of mood, the music was always spot on. Whether they were bounding their way through optimistic country pop jaunts like “Settlin’ ’’ and “Everyday America,’’ the slinky love jam “All I Wanna Do,’’ a cheeky medley of pop hits like Cee Lo’s “Forget You’’ and Britney Spears’s “ . . . Baby One More Time,’’ the stark, emotional ballad “Stay’’ or a gather-round-the-microphone acoustic take on “Baby Girl,’’ Nettles and Bush were in the zone of musicality and showmanship.

Nettles in particular is a natural born star, firing off jokes with perfect timing and a sense of freshness no matter how many times she has told them, busting out sassy dance moves, and then turning on a dime to let her voice soar with power and feeling on anthems like “Tonight’’ and “Stand Up.’’

Vocal group Little Big Town joined the fun, closing out the night by adding a heavenly backing choir to a rousing version of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.’’

That exuberant collaboration was a continuation of Little Big Town’s own spirited middle set in which intertwined harmonies were the order of the night, whether on their own hits like the stomping “Boondocks’’ or an acoustic, countrified workup of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.’’

In addition to his short opening set, Matt Nathanson joined Sugarland to perform a new song they penned together for his forthcoming album. Judging by the response, the sexy duet “Run,’’ a slice of hooky pop hotness, should further enhance the Lexington-bred singer-songwriter’s profile.

With the global release of Loud in November 2010, Rihanna continues to dominate popular music. Her multiple grammys and multi-platinum sales have earned her the coveted title of international superstar. Recently, Rihanna wrapped up filming Universal's Battleship directed by Peter Berg. She will make her feature film debut alongside Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard. The film is set to be released May 2012.

As previously announced, country superduo Sugarland headlined the inaugural ACM Fan Jam which gives country music fans the ultimate opportunity to be part of the LIVE telecast. Additional performers include Eric Church, The Band Perry, Randy Houser, Little Big Town, Steel Magnolia, Laura Bell Bundy, Sarah Darling, Bradley Gaskin and Casey James. Throughout the three-hour live Awards show from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, performances by top-tier music acts took place from the Mandalay Bay Events Center, some of which were remotely broadcasted into the live telecast.

For more information on the ACM Awards, visit ACMcountry.com or follow us on Twitter at @ACMawards for more immediate updates!

Country Singers, YouTube stars doubling up

ACM promoting its awards show
By Brian Mansfield

    The video of Savannah Berry singing Sugarland's Stuck Like Glue looks like any of the doxens of other cover videos the young singer has posted to YouTube over the past four years. At least, that is, until the country duo walks in and starts singing with her. The clip is part of a series of duets between country stars and popular YouTube acts that the Academy of Country Music is using to promote its April 3 awards (CBS, 8 p.m. ET/PT).

"Sugarland's my favorite band, so I was ecstatic about it," says Berry, 16, a high school sophomore in Houston whose SavannahSings YouTube channel has more that 7,000 subscribers. "When you're singing along with them on the radio, they can't really hear you. But when you're standing right next to them, they can."

Sugarland is on of four acts participating in the online series, which launches over the next few days. Also taking part are Luke Bryan, who won last year as top new artist, and they Band Perry and Eric Church, who compete for the title this year.

The Band Perry sang its recent No.1 hit If I Die Young with Colorado singer Tyler Ward. "He had worked himself up like he was nervous," says Kimberly Perry, "but he did a great job. It never ceases to amaze me how independent artists like Tyler can have as many followers as a professional act."

The trio recently received the first major award of its career-top new vocal group, given out by the ACM ahead of the show. If I Die Young is up for song and single of the year. "We're game to promote the awards as much as we can," she says.

The webisodes are the first part of a slate of digital programming leading up to the Las Vegas awards show.

Other components will include a CBS.com webisode series featuring Church and the Band Perry, rehearsal interviews with the show's performers, behind-the-scenes videos and a live stream from the red carpet.

"Our mandate is always to get the fans involved wherever we can," says Lisa Lee, ACM senior vice president of creative and media productions.

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown hit the road to Charleston, South Carolina this week and we’ve got a backstage pass to Sugarland’s Incredible Machine Tour. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush sat down with host Suzanne Alexander to talk about their tour, why they invited Little Big Town to join them on the road again, and they also showed Suzanne around their set. Ever heard of steampunk? Well, if you haven’t, Sugarland explains it and how the concept inspired their stage show.

Little Big Town also stops by to chat about being on tour with Sugarland and the mutual respect the two groups share for another. Turns out, there’s a whole lot of love on Sugarland’s incredible Machine Tour, which also features special guest Casey James.

To get a VIP look backstage and hear Sugarland explain steampunk, tune in to GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdowntonight at 8/7 CT! The Top 20 is chosen by your votes every week and you can place your vote once a day for your favorite videos, so don’t forget to head over to our voting page and make your picks!

International super duo Sugarland will continue their highly-successful 2010 The Incredible Machine Tour into 2011 and return to the road this spring with guests Sara Bareilles, Little Big Town and Matt Nathanson (each guest performing in selected cities).

The Incredible Machine Tour was one of Pollstar’s Top 50 North American Tours of 2010 and has been described as “stunning,” “fantastically fun” and “not one to be missed.”

The tour will kick off in Houston, TX on March 3^rd and travel to over 59 cities nationwide.

Tour Dates and Markets:

3/3 Houston, TX

3/4 North Little Rock, AR

3/5 Tulsa, OK

3/10 Greenville, SC

3/11 North Charleston, SC

3/12 Jacksonville, FL

3/17 Grand Rapids, MI

3/18 Bloomington, IL

3/19 Sioux City, IA

4/14 Pensacola, FL

4/15 Tuscaloosa, AL

4/16 Nashville, TN

5/5 Evansville, IN

5/6 Chicago, IL

5/7 Minneapolis, MN

5/13 Cleveland, OH

5/14 Camden, NJ

5/15 Pittsburgh, PA

5/20 Boston, MA

5/21 Holmdel, NJ

5/22 Columbia, MD

5/26 Lubbock, TX

5/27 San Antonio, TX

5/28 Baton Rouge, LA

6/16 Charleston, WV

6/17 Roanoke Rapids, NC

6/18 Scranton, PA

6/23 Augusta, GA

6/24 Choctaw, MS

6/25 Thackerville, OK

7/8 Darien Lake, NY

7/9 Detroit, MI

7/15 Calgary, AB

7/16 Craven, SK

7/18 Everett, WA

7/22 Paso Robles, CA

7/23 San Diego, CA

7/25 Los Angeles, CA

7/26 Los Angeles, CA

8/5 Detroit Lakes, MN

8/6 Omaha, NE

8/7 Kansas City, MO

8/12 Rockford, IL

8/13 Indianapolis, IN

8/14 Des Moines, IA

8/18 Albuquerque, NM

8/19 Denver, CO

8/20 Salt Lake City, UT

8/25 Sacramento, CA

8/27 Las Vegas, NV

9/2 Allentown, PA

9/3 Syracuse, NY

9/4 Essex Junction, VT

10/6 Knoxville, TN

10/7 St. Louis, MO

10/8 Wichita, KS

10/14 Uncasville, CT

10/15 Uncasville, CT

10/20 Orlando, FL

10/21 Tallahassee, FL

10/22 Atlanta, GA

SUGARLAND
The country duo turns over another new leaf with its new album's arena-rocking sound

IF SUGARLAND’S NEW ALBUM, The Incredible Machine, sounds grand and full of ambition, that’s because its inspiration was, too. “We had gotten a call about writing a song for a 2010 Winter Olympics soundtrack,” says guitarist Kristian Bush. “So we started thinking, ‘If I were writing a song for a skier or snowboarder to play on their iPod before they competed, what would it be?’”

The result, “Wide Open,” appeared on AT&T’s digitally released Team USA Soundtrack, and served as a jumping-off point for Bush and bandmate Jennifer Nettles to write much of the rest of The Incredible Machine. “We have always been really good at writing for a specific emotion,” Bush says. “We did ‘Wide Open,’ it felt good, and we said ‘Let’s do that again.’” They also drew on some deeper-rooted inspiration: iconic ‘80s pop culture like John Hughes’ films and U2’s cinematic sound during that era. “We were teenagers then, and a lot of the pop culture was about archetypes of what it was like to be that age,” Bush says. “And that’s what really inspired us to become musicians. A lot of the songs came from conversations about that.”

White the powerful, anthemic sound of The Incredible Machine won’t surprise anyone who knows its origins, it might shock country fans used to more down-home sounds. But reinvention is almost as much part of Sugarland’s identity as any one genre. The group grew out of the Atlanta singer-songwriter scene but found immediate success in mainstream country music with its 2004 multiplatinum debut, twice the Speed of Life. “We’ve turned over a whole lot of new leaves since starting this band,” says Bush.

The trio became a duo when founding member Kristen Hall abruptly quit while Sugarland was still riding high on the first album’s success, and some wondered if the shift would upset the group’s unique chemistry. But Nettles and Bush made the transition seamlessly, and subsequent albums have proved so successful that they’re now heading arena tours—which comes with its own challenges.

“Out touring and writing cycles have to happen at the same time, and that changes the process a little,” Bush says. “But you realize you can be just as creative 30 minutes before you go on stage as you can holed up in some mesa in the Southwest. Once you take that superstition away and realize you have the confidence to create anywhere, you will.”

Jennifer Nettles unwrapped her first guitar on Christmas Day when she was 17. Years later, she helped launch the multi Grammy Award-winning duo Sugarland, which actually began as a side project. It was 2002, and Nettles and Kristian Bush were involved in musical ventures of their own. But after spending some time writing together, they combined their endeavors to form the new group Sugarland.

“We all had our other projects going on,” Nettles remembers. “Kristian had a day job. I had another band, and we thought, ‘Hey, let’s get together and see what happens here.’” Bush adds that Sugarland began as a writing-based project. “That quickly became more and more fun as we started performing,” he says. After writing what Nettles describes as “valid and worthy” songs, the group set out to reveal their work to the public. In 2004, Sugarland signed with Mercury Records and released their multi-platinum debut album Twice the Speed of Life, which went on to sell more than 3 million records.

Nettles describes the band’s approach to songwriting as a collective voice with hopes of amplification. “I’m not out to make a statement, but I do think we send a message. I think we have a view of life and of the world that we try to put into our music,” she says. Nettles and Bush invite their audiences to look within themselves and remember the stories of their lives and the pieces of themselves that may be long forgotten.

“I think a lot of times nowadays people try to put on shows so that we can forget,” Nettles says. “There is validity in that, but at the same time we try to get you to remember and say that these are your stories, and these are our stories. Let’s have a collective time together to sing and remember.”

Bush says his favorite part of the gig is the awareness that his music can have a positive impact on people’s lives. “Not only do I get to wake up and play music,” he says, “the music I get to make could actually have a chance to help someone out there feel less alone, the way music helped me feel throughout my life.”

“I’m happy that we were able to have the lives we did and have the college experiences and have all of those rich life experiences, which we are now able to draw from as writers,” Nettles adds. “I wouldn’t want to be 20 years old doing this job with the pressures.”

In fact, she says she wouldn’t wish it upon anyone to grow up in the eye of the media. “It is great and wonderful to have dreams and ambitions and definitely get out there and seek them. But at the same time, it is important to have—especially if you are a writer—a life from which to draw inspiration.” Nettles advises new artists to keep doing what they are doing and not get discouraged or think they deserve something right away. “Don’t try to rush it too soon,” she says. “Get out there and get some life behind you.”

Sugarland’s goal has always been to do whatever is necessary in order to continue to be musicians. And, they point out, this is a starkly different mentality from doing whatever it takes to be famous. Nettles says Sugarland is about the music and the art rather than the fame.
“There is really no book that says, ‘This is how you go about being a successful, popular musician.’ Everybody has a different path,” she says.

Having sold more than 8 million records and won multiple Grammy awards, as well as CMA and ACM awards, Sugarland just stepped onto the brink of a broader audience with the release of their fourth album, The Incredible Machine, which hit stores October 19.

Nettles and Bush prove that creating life experiences is what gives bands something worth writing and singing about. Stories seldom write themselves and, as with any pursuit, the way to success is through a strong resolve and relentless spirit. “Keep doing it because you need to develop your craft,” Nettles advises. “So get out there in the clubs and open mics and all that because that is what makes you a good performer. I think you really have to get out there and cut your teeth and develop your chops that way.”

Rarely do bands tread the stages and bask in the lights that Sugarland enjoy. Nettles describes their live shows as the best part of the job, saying, “It is living art the way that music is suppose to be experienced … and you also get to share a moment musically with a group of people. I feel like I’m living the dream.”

Written By: Scott Hill

Playing to the Crowd: Sugarland Discusses the Importance of Hitting the Road to Grow a Career

On Nov.4, Billboard editorial director Bill Werde moderated a keynote study about growing a band’s fan base through touring with Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush—as well as manager Gail Gellman of Gellman Management and agent John Huie of Creative Artists Agency—at the Billboard Touring Conference & Awards in New York. The following is an excerpt from their onstage conversation.

How important were your early career club shows in getting Sugarland started?
Jennifer Nettles: Hyper important. There are a lot of times that bands don’t go through those ranks and you can see it in their live performances. For us, all those years of performing in smoky bars trying to get the guy in the back who only cares about getting laid to listen to your heartfelt emotional song was crucial. If you can do that, then you can definitely talk to the person who bought the ticket to see you.
Kristian Bush: I wish there was some sort of boot camp you could attend before you get a deal, where you have to learn how many drum cases you can carry up a staircase at one time. Or how to back a trailer in on a 12-passenger van.

You’ve had some amazing opening slots in your career. I think Kenny Chesney was your first stadium show. What did you learn from those gigs?
Nettles: Those were crucial because we discovered that each kind of show has a different energy. Opening in front of a stadium crowd where you don’t have your own production is different than headlining a theater. It’s important to know how to play all those different types of venues.
Bush: I remember Kenny coming to us after the first stadium show and asking, “How did you do?” and I said, “Well, I’m really tired.” And he said, “Yeah, it’s like playing five shows right on top of each other.” Because playing to 80,000 people versus playing to 20,000 take exponentially more effort. He told me, “Go to the very last seat in the house during the day and look around you.” There’s so many things that I learned just doing that. The stuff that he puts on the stage is gigantic but from back there it’s perfectly sized. I get it. He’s thinking about the guy in that seat, and that’s why he’s successful at playing stadiums. I hope we get to do it one day because of the things we learned from Kenny. I want to do that and pass it on to the next act.

Country music is generally outperforming other genres in terms of album sales and box office. Why do you think country has remained relatively stronger?
Nettles: I would love to say, “Because the music is good and it’s evolving and reaching more people.” I think music fans are becoming more open, and so is country: Suddenly you don’t have to wear a cowboy hat and Wranglers, though you can. You might be able to wear a Jim James beard.
Bush: I think a lot more people are coming out of the closest as country fans. We played on the Lilith Fair tour this year for a number of dates and the guys in Erykah Badu’s band came up to the side of our stage at the last show. These guys are doing amazing stuff onstage, and you wouldn’t think that band would be fans of what we’re doing. Also country is a lot like NASCAR, in that you’re encouraged to interact with the fans. It is possible that you can meet us if you join a fan club or interact with the band across the Internet. It’s really facilitated a lot for us. I know at our leabel we were one of the early ones to do that.

What kind of things has it facilitated for you?
Bush: It’s empowered our fans to spread the word about what we do, because a lot of times there’s a prejudice about us that we’re not really country. But the Internet facilitates you turning other people on to what you like.

The last 15 months have been an amazing time for country duo Sugarland. They've watched their 2009 live album, "Live On the Inside," catapult to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and this month they landed on the cover of Billboard. Just weeks ago their new studio album, "The Incredible Machine," repeated the chart feat of "Inside" by swooping in atop the Billboard 200. As the pair brought their musical prowess to Billboard's Touring Awards on Nov. 4, they also sat down with Billboard.com for a Live Q&A just so all of you fans could ask them burning questions.

When Sugarland sat down with Billboard's Editorial Director Bill Werde (@bwerde on Twitter), they answered your tweets about everything from the success of "The Incredible Machine," to being role models, to the raw emotions in the "Stay" video, and more. Watch archived video of the whole conversation below

http://www.billboard.com/events/5-must-see-moments-at-the-2010-cma-awards-1004126124.story?tag=hpfeed#/events/sugarland-live-q-a-archived-video-1004124882.story?tag=rrailad

Sugarland Aim for the Heart on New Album, The Incredible Machine
Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush Discuss Songs, Emotions on Latest Project
Written by Craig Shelburne

The first full minute of Sugarland's new album, The Incredible Machine, replicates that moment familiar to any concertgoer when house lights dim, guitars swell and anticipation builds to a frenzy just before the big curtain drops. Jennifer Nettles wails with electric imagery -- fire and lightning, burning nights, rising smoke. Moments later, the high-octane engine of The Incredible Machine is in overdrive.

Asked how that suspenseful introduction sets the tone for the project, Kristian Bush replies matter-of-factly, "Well, it sets every tone for the project." Although he and Nettles admit they debated about whether that track should open The Incredible Machine, Bush now calls it a "completely obvious" selection to kick off the record.

"It reintroduces Jennifer's vocal in a way where people go, 'Uh, oh! Mama's coming!' It's long, it's out of time, it's pure emotion and energy," he says. "There's this pause right between the end of the intro bit and before the drums kick in. I still don't know how long that pause is, but it's just long enough to make you really nervous and to make you so excited when you hear that drum go 'crack, crack.'"

"It's big," Nettles notes. "It definitely sets a tone and says, 'Something is different here.' At first, when the drums come in, it may be a bit like, 'Whoa! What the heck is happening?' The next thing you know, there's so much energy with it, you're like, 'I'm in. I'm totally in.'"

The Incredible Machine feels like "an artistic rebirth," Nettles says.

"It feels like a jumping point, a new place, a new bar has been set for us with this record," she explains. "I think people are excited about it. They're curious about it. I think it's inspired a lot of conversation about 'what is country music today?' That makes me feel very proud to be a part of that kind of cultural moment."

So, what exactly is this incredible machine? Specifically, it's the human heart.

"That's the theme that stitches it all together," Bush says.

To back up this notion, Nettles rattles off about a half-dozen lyrics from the album that explicitly mention the heart.

"There's a lot that talks about the human heart and its very diverse and exquisite capacity to love and to process and to feel," she says.

And hey, don't underestimate lust.

"I love that lust is a big part of this record," Bush says with a smile. Indeed, the propulsive title track describes the heart as "made of blood and love and hope and lust and steam."

"That is keeping it real!" Nettles exclaims. "I love that we've mixed all of these different elements -- the actual physical elements with the emotional elements with the ephemeral element of steam coming in there. I love that."

The boisterous duo launched the project with the bouncing, flirtatious "Stuck Like Glue," which surprised many country fans with its reggae breakdown. (Nettles' bright green leotard and lively dance routine in the music video surely raised some eyebrows, too.) Meanwhile, another fun and fast-moving track called "Every Girl Like Me" draws on reggae-inspired genres like dancehall and dub to illustrate a young woman with an awful lot of quirks.

"I love the picture of what this girl is like because I do believe, much like the narrator believes, that there is a person for every person," Bush says. "There might even be more than one, but I do believe in it. I'm a hopeless and helpless romantic. When that song started to unfold, we got to the bridge of it, and I was referencing dancehall, like hyip-dibi-dibi-dibi, hyip-dibi-dibi-dibi."

Nettles admits it's hard to tell the difference between singing and rapping in dub music, but she embraced the chance to write lyrics based on the rhythm of the actual words. Thus, if you're reading along in the liner notes, you'll confirm the girl's fondness for hot French fries, red balloon ties, hoodies hangin' down and so on.

"The lyrics themselves can just be fun words that sound really 'riki-tiki' to say," Nettles notes. "It doesn't have to always have to make narrative sense but just have fun with having fun words. If you remember the Sugar Hill Gang [a pioneering hip hop group in the '70s], when everybody wanted to learn 'hip-hop-hippa-to-the-hippity-hip-hop.' Everybody wants to learn that. It's fun to say."

"We were saying, 'Oh, you remember as a kid we used to rewind that on the cassette and try to learn it?'" Bush adds. "For some reason, I think we still do that with Eminem songs, and it's a sense of pride when you get them all."

Nettles says she wrote the album's closing song, "Shine the Light," for Bush, whom she knew when they were both aspiring singer-songwriters in the Atlanta club scene. She first played him the sweet piano ballad, drawing upon her loyalty and enduring friendship, backstage at a show.

Bush says, "I couldn't make it through the whole thing without crying, as a listener. It's a very emotional song. Still, to this day, I'm not sure that I can make it all the way through."

Speaking about producing that session, he turns to Nettles during the interview and says, "I heard you hone in on it. I know what it's like to be on the other side of that glass and to be playing very well. It's a state of mind that I'm familiar with. I heard you turn and move to where you wanted to land emotionally and settle on each of those lines. It's like watching art. It's humbling. You can't believe you're watching it. You can't believe you're hearing it. You're really good at that."

Just like at the beginning of The Incredible Machine, Bush pauses for effect. Still looking at Nettles, he concludes, "You're now officially the piano player from here on out."

The very thought causes Nettles to burst into laughter.

"Oh, please!" she protests. "No way! Don't you dare! I'd be a nervous wreck every night. Plus, it's hard to dance behind that thing, man!"