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):

Click here to view the embedded video.

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:

Sugarland returned to Indiana on October 28 for a free concert at Indianapolis’ Conesco Fieldhouse. The concert was a celebration of healing, life and music as well as a tribute to the victims. They returned to the Indiana State Fairgrounds before the show and shared with the audience, which included some of those who were injured at the fair, that they were in for an emotional night.

“Obviously we are here in October — we were supposed to do this show in August,” Jennifer said at the beginning of the show, according to the News-Sun. “Obviously, the stage is different, you are different and we are different. We are all changed by what happened then. But we are going to try to give you the best show that we can and to celebrate healing with you and to celebrate life and music with you here tonight.”

While the concert was free, Sugarland asked fans to donate to a victim relief fund that has already raised nearly $1 million.

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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.

Another country music wedding took place in the tropics this year when Randy Houser married Jessa Lee Yantz in an intimate ceremony which included 20 close family members on September 2 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The couple exchanged self-penned vows in a ceremony presided over by close friend Rob Hatch.

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland quietly married longtime boyfriend Justin Miller at a chapel in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains on November 26. The intimate group of close family and friends at the wedding included Jennifer’s bandmate, Kristian Bush. While few details are known about the wedding, Jennifer is said to have worn an Alexander McQueen gown during the small, sunset wedding.

There are already plenty of country music weddings on tap for 2012. Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott became engaged to Chris Tyrell over the Fourth of July weekend. Becky Robertson of Carter’s Chord will marry Jeremiah Scott, who proposed to her on her 30th birthday, and Hannah Blaylock of Edens Edge also received a diamond from her boyfriend, Justin. Steel Magnolia’s Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones are also engaged and have been for more than four years.

If you think a couple of names are missing from this story — you are correct! Stay tuned for another wedding-themed story — and it’s a big one –  in our 2011 Rewind!

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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.

Justin Miller is an entrepreneur and former model who has been dating Jennifer for over two years. He appeared in the video for the band’s 2006 single, “Want To.”

You can catch Jennifer performing at the Grammy Nomination Concert Live this week, and she is also the featured host on the annual CMA Country Christmas  special airing this Thursday at 9/8c on ABC.

Check out photos from the CMA Country Christmas Special »

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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.”

Several people had deemed it safe to go onstage, according to Gail. Hellen, however, made the ultimate call to stay back, relying on her instincts to make the final decision.

“As a tour manager, it’s super important to understand what the weather conditions are when you play outside,” said Gail, who was in Las Vegas with another client that night. “We’ve always talked about not putting the band on during wind, lightning or heavy rain. Everybody was standing in a prayer circle getting ready to go onstage, and Hellen, as she was walking down the ramp, the stage fell. So her decision to hold them for literally a minute saved every band member and crew’s life.”

The tragedy has affected Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush deeply. Kristian went home to Georgia to spend time with his children. Gail met up with Jennifer on Sunday to see how she was coping.

“There are moments I can see great clarity in her eyes, and there are moments I can see her tears well up so much that I just don’t know what to do,” Gail said. “She’s just processing and wants to encourage people to be together, to support each other.”

Sugarland’s instruments and elaborate set for their Incredible Machine tour were destroyed in the collapse. They canceled their Sunday show at the Iowa State Fair, but are planning to return to the stage in Albuquerque on Thursday. The duo is also planning a memorial service for the victims to take place once families have had time to grieve their lost loved ones.

Sugarland released an emotional letter to their fans, friends and family, reflecting on the tragedy and how they are coping. Read it HERE.

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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 to get back on the road this weekend, beginning with our scheduled show in Albuquerque this Thursday, August 18th.  The emotions have us yearning to be close to each other immediately. The logistics have us needing to replace all of our instruments and equipment. (The set is a loss that is insignificant in light of the tragedy). 

This Incredible Machine is more than a tour and more than a set. We have always celebrated music as a Healer. While music cannot change the events and losses at the Indiana State Fair, it can hopefully serve as a ritual and a balm to provide comfort and facilitate healing in this time of great sorrow. We hope to see you all soon. 

Love,
Sugarland

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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. Like an idiot, I forgot my sandals and was in my dress heels the whole night. I thought I’d need new feet by the end of the night! Once that taping wrapped, I ended my two-night Vegas stay with strong drink and some reflection. Vegas, until next time…

–Suzanne
And P.S. I didn’t drop a dime on gambling! After hearing Sugarland’s Kristian Bush talk about winning $600 on a penny slot machine, I thought, ‘I just don’t have that kind of luck.’ So no go for me. That is, until the next day in the Vegas airport waiting on the plane. I thought, ‘Why not? I could win right here!’ I took a five – and spun. I was done. Later Vegas…later.

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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.

Additional performers included Sara Evans (for the late Tammy Wynette), the JaneDear girls (for Kitty Wells), The Band Perry (for Patsy Cline) and Jason Aldean (“She’s Country”).

Girls’ Night Out airs April 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

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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

Jul 11, 2005 – Twice The Speed Of Life becomes Sugarland’s first platinum album

Jan 17, 2006 – Sugarland posts a message on its website announcing Kristen Hall is leaving the trio to concentrate on songwriting

Feb 11, 2006 – Sugarland performs its first official concert as a duo at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, just weeks after the departure of Kristen Hall

May 10, 2007 – ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” launches a promo campaign built around a revamped version of the Sugarland song “Everyday America”

Feb 8, 2009 – “Stay” wins Best Country Song for Jennifer Nettles and Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for Sugarland during the 51st annual Grammy Awards at Los Angeles’ Staples Center

Apr 17, 2009 – Sugarland performs at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The duo’s cover of Kings Of Leon’s “Sex On Fire” makes the concert album “Live On The Inside”

Aug 27, 2009 – The lead character in the “Nancy” comic strip gets through the night with a teddy bear, a lumpy pillow and a “Sugarland” pajama top

Dec 5, 2010 – Sugarland performs “Stuck Like Glue” with rapper MC Lyte on “VH1 Divas Salute To The Troops,” also featuring Katy Perry, Heart, Keri Hilson and Paramore

The Incredible Machine tour is on the road now with Little Big Town. Are you going?

*Sugarland trivia courtesy of RolandNote.com, the ultimate country music database!

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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.

“I think country music is very elastic,” she told reporters backstage at the CMAs. “And I think it’s interesting that people have asked certain questions about that elasticity — for example, ‘Do you think you can push too far?’ And I say, ‘Why do you ask this of country music? Is country music supposed to be less tolerant? Is it supposed to be less innovative?’ For example, when the Rolling Stones brought in gospel singers in their backup singers, did people look at them and say, ‘Oh, have you gone too far? Are you about to make a gospel record?’”

The answer to that is, of course, no. Jennifer figures “Stuck Like Glue” and Sugarland’s ‘80s-influenced album show how much her genre can stretch.

“I think country music is elastic,” she said, “and I think it’s definitely showing that it’s young and fresh and hip and new and not stodgy.”

In addition to singing “Stuck Like Glue,” Sugarland also took home trophies from the CMA Awards. Jennifer and Kristian Bush won the organization’s Vocal Duo of the Year honor for the fourth straight year.

See all the Sugarland photo moments from this the CMA Awards show here »

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