The main concert stage collapses during a storm at the Indiana State Fair on August 13, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The stage fell just before country duo Sugarland were scheduled to perform, killing at least four people and injuring as many as 40 more. (Photo by Joey Foley/Getty Images)

Moments before Sugarland was scheduled to take the stage at the Indiana State Fair on August 13, a deadly storm with wind gusts of 60-70 mph rolled in, causing the main stage to collapse.  Seven people were killed and dozens more were injured.

This raw video clip posted by a concert-goer on YouTube shows the stage collapsing as the storm hit. (WARNING – this video contains disturbing images):

Indianapolis Star music reporter David Lindquist was in the fifth row of the Grandstand when the storm hit. According to him, opening act Sara Bareilles finished her set by commenting what a beautiful night it was. Less than 30 minutes later the stage was on the ground. “The gust of wind came, there was no rain yet and the production fell from left to right,” he said. “And you could see, you could clearly see people were under the footprint of the rigging.”

Pollstar reported that a last-second decision by Sugarland’s tour manager, Hellen Rollens, likely saved the lives of Sugarland and their band. She made the decision to hold everyone backstage just minutes before they were scheduled to go on and moments later, the stage collapsed. As the stage fell, Sugarland and their crew hit the ground and took cover against a wall, thinking the structure was going to collapse on top of them. ­­

View photos of the stage collapse »

Sugarland released an emotional letter to their fans, friends and family following the tragedy. Read it HERE. The duo returned to the stage for the first time on August 19 in Albuquerque, NM. At the beginning of the show, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, along with their entire band and crew, took the stage and asked the crowd to join them in a moment of silence honoring all the victims and their families.  Jennifer and Kristian went on to play a stirring acoustic version of “Love.”

Watch the performance:

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Shania Twain and her husband, Frédéric Thiébaud, on their January 1, 2011 wedding day. Photo credit: Robert Evans, RobertEvans.com.

Several country stars tied the knot in 2011. Two of them even kicked off the year with New Year’s Day nuptials in tropical places! Shania Twain married husband Frédéric Thiébaud in Puerto Rico on New Year’s Day in front of 40 close friends and family. Shania announced their engagement on her website on December 21, 2010.

Kellie Pickler and husband Kyle Jacobs also tied the knot on New Year’s Day. The pair scraped their plans for a big Nashville wedding and eloped to Antigua where they were married at sunset. “We didn’t have anything but us and God and our minister,” Kellie told People, “and I can’t think of a word that can quite describe how perfect it was.”

LeAnn Rimes married actor Eddie Cibrian on April 22 at a private home in California. The 40 guests invited believed they were attending an engagement party but were surprised with a wedding ceremony. The couple exchanged personalized vows and Eddie’s sons Mason and Jake, from his previous marriage, were in attendance. “I’m looking forward to settling down,” LeAnn told People before her wedding. “Settling into our life.”

Chely Wright, who made headlines in 2010 when she came out, married her partner, Lauren Blitzer, during a ceremony at Lauren’s aunt’s home in Connecticut on August 20. Since Lauren is Jewish and Chely is Christian, both a rabbi and a reverend presided over the wedding. “The freedom of being out and open about who I am allowed me to find and fall in love with Lauren – the most amazing woman I’ve ever known,” Chely told People. Continue Reading

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Jennifer Nettles and Justin Miller at ACM Presents: Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women of Country concert on April 4, 2011

Congratulations to Jennifer Nettles who got married this past Saturday, Nov. 26 to long-time boyfriend Justin Miller.  In an article posted at People.com, the website is reporting that the couple quietly got married this past weekend during a  “small, sunset ceremony in Tennessee.”

The story went on to report that Jennifer wore an Alexander McQueen gown during the ceremony held at a chapel in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in front of an intimate group of close family and friends, including Sugarland bandmate Kristian Bush. Continue Reading

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Sugarland returned to the stage tonight in Albuquerque, NM for their first concert since the devastating Indiana State Fair stage collapse that occurred this past Saturday.  In a moving, emotional tribute prior to the show, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, along with their entire band and crew, took the stage and asked the crowd to join them in a moment of silence honoring all the victims and their families.  Jennifer and Kristian went on to play a stirring acoustic performance of “Love.”

You can watch this powerful tribute and performance here:

Video courtesy of FOX 59 WXIN in Indiana, IN.

Read the letter Sugarland posted on their
website earlier this week addressing the tragedy »

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Sugarland photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Pollstar reports that a last second decision by Sugarland’s tour manager, Hellen Rollens, likely saved the lives of Sugarland and their band Saturday night. Taking in the ominous sky over the Indiana State fair, she made the decision to hold everyone backstage moments before they were scheduled to go on. A minute later, a 60 to 70 mph gust of wind collapsed the stage, killing five and injuring dozens more.

As the stage fell, Sugarland and their crew hit the ground and took cover against a wall, thinking the structure was going to collapse on top of them. They eventually reconvened on their tour bus, trying to digest what had just happened.

­­“There was no running out anywhere,” Sugarland manager Gail Gellman told The Associated Press on Monday. “No one knew what happened. It was just the moment when your eyes get big.” Continue Reading

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Sugarland photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

In response to Saturday night’s tragedy at the Indiana State Fair, Sugarland released this statement on their website:

Dear Fans, Family and Friends,

We have taken a couple of days to try and even begin to emotionally process the magnitude and gravity of the tragedy in Indiana on Saturday. While the path to healing from this type of trauma and loss is long and winding, we wanted to reach out and update you on where we are and how we are. 

We are in the process of planning a private memorial in Indiana, to honor those fans who died. We would first like to hold space so that their families can have time to go through their own services and memorials. Until that time we are holding vigil for them. We join them on their mourning benches. And we stand in the gap asking God to offer them peace and healing. For those suffering from injury we hold you up with prayers for complete healing of your own. 

We are also addressing our own specific healing. Our road family experienced its traumas together. While we all scattered to our given families for their comfort, the trauma we experienced together binds us in a unique way that we share only with each other and those who were there. There is healing in our being together. There is healing in our working together. For this reason we are planning Continue Reading

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Suzanne Alexander and Carrie Underwood at the ACM Presents: Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women of Country concert held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 4, 2011 in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of GAC Staff.

Just two weeks ago, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander was packing her bags to fly to Las Vegas for the 46th Annual ACM Awards. We asked her to share with you what it’s like to be in the thick of things out in Vegas — so here’s Part 3 of her ACM Awards Diary! Don’t forget to watch Suzanne, Nan Kelley, Storme Warren and all your favorite stars in our exclusive GACTV.com ACM backstage video interviews and browse our ACM Awards gallery, packed with hundreds of photos!

Monday April 4, 2011: Night of the Girls’ Night Out taping
I like the day after the ACMs. The pressure and stress are behind us. It’s more relaxed and I can actually go down to the Studio Café and order pancakes, sit and have coffee and then head to one of their many pools. I prefer the River pool. It’s pretty neat. I sat out with some friends and after only one hour, my skin was-a-burning! That Vegas sun is strong. I had to get back to my room to get into hair and makeup.

We had two crews that night. One went to the Girls’ Night Out show and the other went to shoot an episode of Top 20 Country Countdown. Getting to see the Girls’ Night Out show was major: Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Sugarland‘s Jennifer Nettles, Little Big Town, Ronnie Dunn – the list goes on.

We spoke to several of the women and men there, from Carrie Underwood to Vince Gill. Continue Reading

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Jennifer Nettles, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood and The Judds perform during the Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women Of Country concert. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

If you were in Las Vegas last Monday night and were lucky enough to attend the Academy of Country Music’s Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women Of Country taping, you saw many once-in-a-lifetime performances. Each part of the show – which spotlighted honorees Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, The Judds, Sugarland‘s Jennifer Nettles and Martina McBride – featured a musical collaboration as well as a video tribute and performance salute. Click HERE to see photos from the taping!

Country Aircheck reports that Miranda’s fiancé Blake Shelton sang “Famous In A Small Town” for her. Miranda also debuted her new group Pistol Annie with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley to perform “Hell On Heels.” Vince Gill sang “Jesus Take The Wheel” for Carrie, who then joined Vince on “How Great Thou Art.” Rascal Flatts performed “Why Haven’t I Heard From You” for Reba, who sang “The Heart Won’t Lie” with the Flatts. John Fogerty performed “Rockin’ With The Rhythm Of The Rain” for the Judds. Wynonna and Fogerty then performed “Proud Mary,” while Naomi Judd observed. Sugarland partner Kristian Bush hosted a video tribute for Nettles, who joined Ronnie Dunn on “Let Him Fly.” Dunn also performed Sugarland’s “Stay.” Little Big Town and McBride sang Linda Ronstadt’s “When Will I Be Loved.” Honoree Loretta Lynn couldn’t attend the taping because of recent knee surgery, but she spoke via a satellite video feed. Continue Reading

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Sugarland photo by Jennifer Tzar, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Sugarland hit the scene with “Baby Girl” and have been making their own rules ever since.  Their shows are electric and their tunes have a way of getting stuck in your head … “whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue…” Whether they bring you to your feet or your knees, Sugarland knows how to make fans feel something different.

Have you seen this dynamic duo live? If you haven’t, you don’t want to miss the premiere of Sugarland: The Incredible Machine TONIGHT – Monday, March 14 at 10/9c! Get your sneak peek HERE!

In this week’s GAC Trivia Time*, we thought we’d give you some fun facts about Jennifer Nettles & Kristian Bush:

Jul 26, 2002 – Singer-songwriter Kristian Bush asks his wife for one more year to pursue music as a career. Some 362 days later, his band Sugarland does a showcase that nets a recording deal, preventing him from settling for life as a website designer

Aug 8, 2002 – Sugarland makes its first public appearance onstage, singing the only four numbers that the band knows

Sep 16, 2003 – Sugarland signs a recording deal with Mercury Records

Nov 12, 2004 – Sugarland performs “Baby Girl” during its Grand Ole Opry debut Continue Reading

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Sugarland performs “Stuck Like Glue” at “The 44th Annual CMA Awards,” live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010, on the ABC Television Network. Photographer: Donn Jones / CMA.

The stereotypical images associated with country music include cowboy hats, rhinestones and steel guitars, and with that in mind, Sugarland’s appearance on last week’s Country Music Association Awards shook up the standards.

The duo’s “Stuck Like Glue” has a reggae-influenced bridge, and lead singer Jennifer Nettles took to the stage as a wind-up, music-box ballerina to perform it. The fact that the song and the album, The Incredible Machine, both went to No. 1 suggests that country fans are open to music that tests the outer limits of the genre. Which doesn’t surprise Jennifer in the least.

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