Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Odessa Nettles (born September 12, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer.
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Odessa Nettles
September 12, 1974
Douglas, Georgia, U.S.
- Singer
- songwriter
- record producer
- actress
- Vocals
- guitar
1991–present
Nettles is the lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush, and prior to this she fronted the Atlanta-based bands Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band. She 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 chart.[1] Throughout her career, she has acquired numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, four Country Music Association Awards, and an American Music Award for her work both as a soloist and as one half of the duo Sugarland. Nettles was a judge on Go-Big Show (2021–22).[2]
Personal life[edit]
Nettles was born and raised in the small town of Douglas, Georgia, United States, graduating from Coffee High School and Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia.[3] Nettles married Todd Van Sickle in 1998; the couple divorced in 2007.[4] On November 26, 2011, Nettles married her boyfriend of two years, Justin Miller, in a sunset ceremony at Blackberry Farm in East Tennessee.[5] On June 18, 2012, Nettles and her husband announced they were expecting their first child in November 2012.[6] Their son was born in December 2012.[7]
Musical beginnings[edit]
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.[8]
Nettles studied Spanish and Anthropology at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, and graduated in 1997.[9] 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.[10] Soul Miner's Daughter was invited to perform at the Atlanta installment of Lilith Fair in 1999.[11]
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.[12]
Acting[edit]
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. She reprised her role in the sequel Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love which premiered on November 30, 2016.[33]
In February 2015, Nettles joined the Broadway cast of Chicago, where she played the role of Roxie Hart for a limited engagement.[34] In April 2016, she had a role on the WGN America hit series Underground. Her role was as a wife and mother who became a mental patient.
Since 2019, Nettles has portrayed Aimee-Leigh Gemstone, the deceased matriarch (featured in flashbacks) of a fictional Southern evangelical family in HBO’s dark comedy series The Righteous Gemstones. She also co-starred in the drama Harriet, about abolitionist Harriet Tubman, playing Eliza Brodess. The film was directed by Kasi Lemmons.[35]
She played the lead role of Jenna in the musical Waitress on Broadway from October 19 to November 25, 2021.[36]
Nettles plays Miranda, the mother of a young woman named Katherine, possessed by a demon, in the 2023 film The Exorcist: Believer.[37]
Activism[edit]
Nettles has lent her time and talent to support various non-profit organizations. Nettles has been a longtime supporter of the Shalom foundation.[38] She raised more than $120,000 for the foundation in 2007.[39]
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.[40]
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, Nettles 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.[41]
In November 2019, Nettles attended the CMA Awards wearing a Christian Siriano design with a hot-pink train. The train had a hand-painted graffiti painting by Alice Mizrahi and a message stating "play our [expletive] records; Please and Thank You", and the backside said "equal play". Nettles' outfit was in protest of country music radio stations not giving equal play time to female artists.[42]
At the 2020 CMT Music Awards, she was recognized for her activism in the fight for equal play with the first CMT Equal Play award.[43]