Surprising Sugarland CD/DVD Coming
Want proof that country music can’t be genaralized, piegonholed or stereotyped? Look no further than Sugarland, the hitmaking duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. Bush has rock cred – he used to play with the alt-Americana Billy Pilgrim, one of many great mid-90’s bands lost in a sea of grunge-y plaid. Nettles, of course, famously dueted with Jon Bon Jovi for “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” a few years back.
Their upcoming CD/DVD set, (the Wal-Mark exclusive “Live On The Inside”) will be released August 4. It features covers of the B-52’s, REM and Pearl Jam, among others.
The pair return to the region a sold-out show at Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion on August 14.
The fact is that country music is more ubiquitous and inclusive than any other genre. A few weeks back a saxophone player with a Verve complex flamed me on Facebook when I made this observation, implying that anyone with a cowboy hat and guitar was trailer trash and nothing more.
Guess he never heard of Kid Rock – or for that matter, Ray Charles and Van Morrison, both of whom have released some very twangy albums.
More importantly, country music is one niche that still welcomes new talent, while rock is so mired in the past it may never recover. At one end, rock and roll is full of pre-millenial greybeards charging inflated ticket prices. On the other, there’s a million wannabes paying to be their opening act.
For more info: www.sugarlandmusic.com
