Jennifer Nettles (lead vocalist of Sugarland) is going solo for sure

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by BradOlson, Jul 23, 2012.

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  1. soundboy

    soundboy Senior Member

    I'm thinking Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott will be next to go solo.
     
    zen likes this.
  2. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    From what I've heard, Kristen Hall left because she didn't like the touring grind. I know there was a lawsuit that was settled, but I suspect only the three people in the band know what went down. If looks were all that mattered to them, why did they ever allow the "ugly chick" in the band in the first place? But I never thought Jennifer Nettles was a stereotypical "looker" frontwoman, either.
     
  3. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    Given that they're called The Band Perry because they're two brothers and a sister, I'd be surprised if Kimberly Perry went solo, but who knows?
     
  4. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    Hillary has become the recognizable member of Lady Antebellum
     
  5. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Uh, the "ugly chick" founded the band. According to Wikipedia:

    Sugarland was founded in 2002 by Kristen Hall with Bush and ultimately became a trio after hiring Jennifer Nettles as lead singer.
     
  6. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    This is true although Jennifer became the star.
     
  7. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    I only called her "ugly chick" because you raised the issue of her looks in the first place, but you seem convinced that the various members' looks were the sole determinant of everything that happened to their band. If that was the case, I'm surprised they let Kristian Bush in:

    [​IMG]
     
  8. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Did you simply not read the Wikipedia quote? Bush was also a "founding member."

    I "raised the issue" because it would take a stunning degree of naiveté to believe that such matters are NOT an issue in the world of entertainment, and particularly the world of contemporary country music.

    I never said anything about "sole determinant" or "everything that happened." I said "from the moment I first saw them as a trio, I knew this was in the cards before long." And I was correct in that prediction.

    I merely commented on something that seems fairly inevitable in show business...and I was hardly alone in expressing this view in the context of this thread.
     
  9. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    I'm not sure why country would be any more guilty of lookism than any other genre of contemporary popular music, but you appear to believe this is so, and it's pointless to argue about it. I still think the main reason Jennifer Nettles became popular and remains popular is her unique voice, not her appearance, but that can't be proven one way or the other.
     
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  10. Thermionic Dude

    Thermionic Dude Forum Resident

    Yeah, that bugs me a bit too. Like you said, she is immensely talented, but the twang in her voice just doesn't sound natural to me either. It seems to go far beyond simply being a regional accent, and often appears that she is purposefully exaggerating it in order to sound more "country" or something; it's superfluous to the music and comes across as somewhat gimmicky to me.
     
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  11. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    I made no judgment about Sugarland's overall popularity or the quality of their music — in fact, I said I don't believe I've ever even heard it.

    My implication, which I stand by, was that Kristen Hall's presence in the band was seen to be an impediment to its wider popularity. Only those closest to the band know the full story, but it's not exactly a leap to believe that her departure was tied to this.
     
  12. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    So you've never heard their music, but you're an authority on their internal politics? OK.
     
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  13. zen

    zen Senior Member


    :D
     
  14. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    The problem, if you call it a problem, is that she had a substantial gay following before joining Sugarland. That gave the original lineup a mix of personalities that you never saw in a mainstream country band-- too bad they didn't have the nerve to stick with it.
     
  15. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    I remember watching the Sugarland/Bon Jovi Crossroads thing back in '05 or so, and thinking that girl's days in the band were numbered, because there are no unattractive women allowed in (popular) country music. Sure enough, a couple months later, they were suddenly a duo.

    The only other thing I know about Nettles is that I've randomly seen videos of her in her pre-Sugarland band, and she barely has a trace of that ridiculous nasally accent. It's too bad they make her sing that way, she has a decent voice if she ditches the schtick-y bit.
     
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  16. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Sugarland's music has absolutely nothing to do with this particular discussion. And I'm not an authority on anything...but I do have a certain amount of experience with the role of image in show business generally, and country music in particular.

    It's true that only the principals involved know with absolute certainty what the full story is behind Kristen Hall's departure. But if you want to take the position that the "official" story is true, then you should adduce some evidence that makes it at least somewhat likely that it is.

    There is certainly ample precedent in the world of country music that one could cite in support of my scenario being the more likely one. As the post just before this one shows, I'm not alone in my view.
     
  17. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    That's just ridiculous, but not really worth debating further, in large part because this mindset relies on an inverse form of "lookism," where being unattractive is a signifier of superior authenticity or talent, and also singles out Kristen Hall as unattractive, which is as sexist in its own way as any purported "beauty conspiracy" that exists in country music.
     
  18. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    That wasn't really my point at all. I'm just pointing out that since that broadcast in 2005, I don't think I've ever seen an unattractive (in the media's very conventional sense of 'attractiveness') female artist in mainstream country. She may have very well left the band completely under her own power, but I distinctly remember having that thought right before she left. It's really not a genre for women who don't fit a certain visual mold, at least in the uber-mainstream, CMT way. Just my two cents, I know you'll disagree.
     
  19. Bob_in_OKC

    Bob_in_OKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    There are women who have had success in popular country music without being what the average Joe considers to be attractive. However, if Kristen had a substantial Gay/Lesbian following I could see that causing considerable stress in the group. I don't mean to insult Jennifer and Kristian or their audience, but I wouldn't see that genre as being a good fit for that fan base.
     
  20. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Just curious if you can give some examples...and also time frames for each, as this would be significant.

    Off the top of my head, I can think of only one female artist over the last several decades who had success in country music while being, shall we say, on the heavy side: K.T. Oslin. And she was 46 when she first hit the charts, so wasn't expected to conform to the standards younger stars were.

    Her run of Top 10 country hits lasted from 1987 to 1990...then she was done.
     
  21. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Why is it ridiculous? Just saying it is doesn't make it so. If it's ridiculous, give some rational counterarguments to the statement.


    Oh, I see! Bailing, are you?


    No, it relies on a simple acquaintance with the realities of show business, and country music in particular.


    At what juncture in this discussion has this point ever been raised in any way? When? By whom?


    Attractiveness is in the eyes of the beholder. But you won't even go so far as to admit that Kristen Hall looks "different" from virtually every other female country music star?

    You're really trying way too hard here.
     
  22. Bob_in_OKC

    Bob_in_OKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    Yes...KT Oslin is the first who came to my mind. I'm hesitant to assert that any woman is unattractive. After all, who am I to say? But if you look at the faces of Gretchen Wilson, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood as examples, when they're not positioned just so, and perfectly made up, they're not classic beauties.
     
  23. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio

    I wouldn't say that any of those three would be considered unattractive. It's also notable that all but Reba haven't had any significant country hits in several years now (Reba's last was in 2010, and she was no doubt helped by her high visibility as an actress). Though I guess the hits stopping could be attributed to simple aging, too.

    And I suppose I should have considered Wynonna Judd in the K.T. Oslin category...though she kind of "grew" into it! And again, Wynonna hasn't hit the Country Top 20 since 2003.
     
  24. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    If we're judging women "on the heavy side" as unattractive and not allowed to have success in country music, it's interesting that two of the bigger female stars in country right now, Miranda Lambert and Hillary Scott, don't conform to that ideal of beauty.
     
  25. Driver 8

    Driver 8 Senior Member

    It's you and guys like the guy who posted "I was watching Kristen Hall on CMT Crossroads, and she was so unattractive I couldn't believe she was allowed to be in the band or on TV" who are singling her out as unattractive.

    Interesting that "the industry" didn't have a problem with featuring the trio version of Sugarland on Crossroads, and the self-proclaimed open-minded people are the ones commenting on how unattractive Hall looked on TV.
     
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