Atlanta, Georgia, USA-based country band formed by three established singer-songwriters, Jennifer Nettles (b. 12 September 1974, Douglas, Georgia, USA), Kristen Hall and Kristian Bush (b. 14 March 1970, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA). Hall had already recorded several folk-based solo albums by the time she joined up with Nettles and Bush, who had in turn enjoyed modest success on their own with Soul Miner’s Daughter and Billy Pilgrim respectively. The trio put their other work on hold to collaborate as Sugarland, beginning rehearsals in 2002. They recorded their debut album with additional members Bret Hartley (guitar), Simone Simonton (drums), Clay Cook (bass) and Mark van Allen (pedal steel guitar). Premium Quality Tunes was only made available for sale at Sugarland’s live shows and online, but by this point their soaring local reputation had begun to attract the attention of major labels. A contract was agreed with Mercury Records and Bush, Hall and Nettles entered the studio with producer Garth Fundis to rework tracks from their debut album and record new material. The first single to be released from the sessions, ‘Baby Girl’, appeared at the start of 2004. The slick, contemporary material on the attendant Twice The Speed Of Life enjoyed steady airplay on country radio, and a reissued ‘Baby Girl’ finally broke Sugarland into the upper regions of the charts in spring 2005. The album eventually went double platinum in the USA.
Hall announced she was leaving Sugarland in January 2006. The same April, Nettles guested with Bon Jovi on the rock band’s country chart-topper ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home’. Nettles and Bush returned later in the year with Enjoy The Ride, which debuted in the mainstream Top 5.
