BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
It’s a troika of new things for Jennifer Nettles.
She's signed to a new record label – Big Machine, home to that little-known artist Taylor Swift – as well as releasing a new single in October and embarking on a 20-city tour that will launch in her former hometown of Atlanta on Oct. 23.
Nettles’ live outing – dubbed “Playing with Fire” -- will play Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and include Brandy Clark and Ryan Kinder on the bill. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 4.
In January 2014, Nettles released her solo debut, "That Girl," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and sold about 165,000 copies, despite never really sparking at radio.
Her solo tour to support the record swung through Atlanta twice last year, with shows at the Fox Theatre and Chastain Park Amphitheatre.
In addition to her upcoming single, Nettles plans to release another solo album in early 2016. But she's also continuing to stretch her acting muscles after a stint on Broadway earlier this year (co-starring in "Chicago"). She's part of the cast of the Dolly Parton TV biopic, "Coat of Many Colors," which will air on NBC Dec. 10.
Big Machine Records president and CEO Scott Borchetta said in a statement that the pairing of Nettles and his label is “somewhat full-circle as I was at UMG Nashville as SVP/Promo when then-President Luke Lewis presented a disc of ‘this new band we’ve signed - pick a single.’ I was floored with Sugarland then and I’m floored with all things Jennifer now. She’s simply one of the best female voices to ever grace Country Music and I can’t wait for the world to hear her new music. Get. Ready.”
Nettles' Sugarland partner Kristian Bush also released a solo album this year, "Southern Gravity," and scored a hit at country radio with "Trailer Hitch." He's currently on a lengthy, national tour to support the release.
Follow the AJC Music Scene on Facebook and Twitter.
Here are Nettles' tour dates:
About the Author
