Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles Marries Longtime Boyfriend

C Flanigan

Artists in this Article

Sugarland

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles celebrated more than just Thanksgiving this past weekend: the country star tied the knot with longtime beau Justin Miller.

According to People, the 37-year-old singer married Miller in a Tennessee chapel on Saturday (Nov. 26). Kristian Bush, Nettles' Sugarland band mate, was reportedly in attendance at the intimate ceremony.

Nettles and Miller had been dating for over two years. The former model appeared in the music video for the band's 2006 single, "Want To."

Sugarland will perform at the "Grammy Nominations Concert Live!" ceremony on Wednesday (Nov. 30) and host the CMA Country Christmas special on Thursday. Sugarland was recently named in a lawsuit filed by survivors of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse in August, which seeks unspecified damages for breach of reasonable care to the victims of the tragedy.

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Producer: Justin Bieber's Next Album to Focus on 'Transition'

Justin Bieber's growing up, but vocal producer Kuk Harrell says he's not ready for "the adult game" just yet.

"The only conversation we've had about Justin's album that we're about to do is it's really important that it's the proper transition because we've seen him [with] 'Baby,' now we're watching him grow up," he told MTV News. "There's a record in between."

However, he said the 17-year-old star's current release -- the Christmas album "Under the Mistletoe," which bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 -- is an "important" preview of what fans can expect from the next album.

"It gave everybody the opportunity to hear him, see him and get used to his voice changing," Harrell said. "That was a huge thing going into this album. We were able to get a running start on where he's at vocally 'cause it's a natural thing. When his proper album comes out, everybody's going to really be looking at that."

Bieber's next album, dubbed "Believe," is expected next summer. His manager, Scooter Braun, told the Hollywood Reporter last month that the teen star would be taking a hands-on approach to his new material.

"He's pretty adamant about writing a lot of [the album]," Braun said. "And he played me some stuff that he's been doing on his own. He wrote this amazing song that sounds like a Jodeci record. I'm really excited for him. This kid can sing his ass off. He's coming into his own."

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Artists in this Article /artist/justin-bieber/1099520

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber's growing up, but vocal producer Kuk Harrell says he's not ready for "the adult game" just yet.

"The only conversation we've had about Justin's album that we're about to do is it's really important that it's the proper transition because we've seen him [with] 'Baby,' now we're watching him grow up," he told MTV News. "There's a record in between."

However, he said the 17-year-old star's current release -- the Christmas album "Under the Mistletoe," which bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 -- is an "important" preview of what fans can expect from the next album.

"It gave everybody the opportunity to hear him, see him and get used to his voice changing," Harrell said. "That was a huge thing going into this album. We were able to get a running start on where he's at vocally 'cause it's a natural thing. When his proper album comes out, everybody's going to really be looking at that."

Bieber's next album, dubbed "Believe," is expected next summer. His manager, Scooter Braun, told the Hollywood Reporter last month that the teen star would be taking a hands-on approach to his new material.

"He's pretty adamant about writing a lot of [the album]," Braun said. "And he played me some stuff that he's been doing on his own. He wrote this amazing song that sounds like a Jodeci record. I'm really excited for him. This kid can sing his ass off. He's coming into his own."

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Hot Chelle Rae Heats Up With Sophomore Set, T-Swift Tour

"One of the main reasons we were getting turned down [by labels] was because we didn't have enough Myspace friends," vocalist/guitarist Ryan Follese says of the band's early days. "It was like, 'Oh, you only have 30,000 Myspace friends. That's only 30,000 albums. I'm sorry.' We knew we needed to get the attention of a label that didn't care about that."

To say that Sony's now-defunct Jive Records didn't care about Internet buzz may be a stretch, but in 2008 the label did see something in the then-unknown act, and it wasn't its Myspace friends. Three years later, Hot Chelle Rae is far from an online nobody. With the band's sophomore set, "Whatever," set to arrive Nov. 29 on RCA, the Nashville pop act has more than 60,000 Twitter followers, 300,000-plus likes on Facebook, an American Music Award (AMA) for new artist of the year and, perhaps most important, a hit. Released in March, lead single "Tonight Tonight" peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August and has sold 2.3 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The video has racked up more than 21 million views on YouTube.



"'Tonight Tonight' was really all it took to change the trajectory into something more rapidly upwardly rising," says RCA VP of marketing Dan Mackta, who has worked with the band since its 2009 Jive debut, "Lovesick Electric" (20,000 units, according to SoundScan). "We had slowly and steadily been building for three years, and then we had a massive hit record over the summer. That changes the complexion of things considerably."

Formed in 2005, Hot Chelle Rae is no stranger to the industry. Follese and his brother Jamie (drums) are sons of songwriters Keith and Adrienne Follese ( Tim McGraw's "Something Like That," Faith Hill's "The Way You Love Me"); lead guitarist/vocalist Nash Overstreet is the son of singer/songwriter Paul Overstreet ("Daddy's Come Around," the Judds' "Love Can Build a Bridge"); and bassist Ian Keaggy's father, Phil, is a Grammy Award-nominated guitarist. "We're songwriters, not just a band," Ryan Follese says. "We grew up on the radio. We've always loved pop music. It's a genre we really love, and we wanted to touch that same audience."

In addition to "Tonight Tonight" and second single "I Like It Like That," which features New Boyz and is No. 25 on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart, the band fully explores its pop potential on the 11-track "Whatever"-tailor-made for a young demographic at radio. Producer Emanuel Kiriakou ( Clay Aiken, Backstreet Boys), songwriter Evan "Kidd" Bogart ( Beyoncé, Rihanna) and production/songwriting team S*A*M & Sluggo (Metro Station) contributed to the project.

With radio already onboard, Hot Chelle Rae is amping up its online presence: The video for "I Like it Like That" clocked more than 1 million views in the three days following its Oct. 7 Vevo debut, and the group has been active on Spotify, with ad placement targeting specific playlists.

The band performed Nov. 20 during the AMAs' preshow (the broadcast's only live performance) and picked up the Sprint new artist of the year award. TV appearances are also lined up for "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," "Today" and "Live! With Regis and Kelly" during release week. On Dec. 9, Hot Chelle Rae will share a bill at New York's Madison Square Garden with Lady Gaga, Pitbull, Kelly Clarkson, David Guetta and others, as part of WHTZ New York's Jingle Ball. The group will also open for Taylor Swift in March during her arena tour of Australia. "This is going to be massive for them, and it's going to have an echo effect around the world," Mackta says of the tour.

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Tab Benoit, a Plowboys reunion and more music for Saturday

Tab Benoit rolls into Rock 'n' Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Carrollton Station hosts an all-star ensemble of ex-Radiators guitarist Dave Malone, Papa Grows Funk keyboardist John “Papa” Gros, guitarist/vocalist Eric Lindell and gutiarist Jimmy Robinson.
Fondly remembered local honky-tonk band The Plowboys reunites at Le Bon Temps Roule.
Cyril Neville is at Irvin Mayfield’s I Club in the JW Marriott Hotel.
Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole visit Chickie Wah Wah.
Singer John Boutte is on early at d.b.a., followed by Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Roadshow.
Trumpeter Kermit Ruffins swings at Tipitina’s.
Pianist Michael Wolff and percussionist Mike Clark spend a second night at Snug Harbor.
The Treme Brass Band is featured at the Maple Leaf.
Dash Rip Rock hits the Rivershack Tavern.
Lil Red & Big Bad do blues at Big Al’s Deckbar on Jefferson Highway.
Clive Wilson explores the Legacy of Louis Armstrong at Preservation Hall.
Trumpeter Leroy Jones leads a quartet at Hermes Bar inside Antoine’s Restaurant.
Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone, Paula Rangell, Fingers Taylor, Ben Maygarden and others are featured for a big harmonica blowout during the free Blues Christmas at the Covington Trailhead show in Covington, starting at 5:30 p.m.
Later on Saturday, Rangell and her band, the Pontiacs, play at Landlubbers Pub in Slidell. The Soul Rebels Brass Band funks up the Blue Nile.
Trombonist Rick Trolsen fronts his Gringo do Choro ensemble at Dos Jefes. Billy Iuso hits the Oak Wine Bar & Bistro.

Related topics: hot picks

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George Michael tour cancelled as pneumonia-hit star recovers in Vienna

                                
News of the pulled shows comes just a month after Michael, 48, had to cancel an appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in London because of a viral infection and a high temperature.
The singer is currently 45 shows into a tour that got underway in Prague in August and was due to include dates in the UK in the run-up to Christmas, including two in Cardiff this weekend.
The ex-Wham star is in Vienna after pulling out of a show there earlier this week.
Dr Christoph Zielinski and Dr Thomas Staudinger, who are looking after the stricken vocalist in the Austrian capital, today issued an update on his state, describing his condition as 'slowly improving'.
'George Michael has severe community acquired pneumonia and is being treated as an inpatient. His condition has stabilised and he is responding to treatment,' they said in a statement.
A promoter for the tour said organisers are working hard to rearrange as many dates as possible at 'the earliest opportunity

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Young Jeezy Brings Hustlerz Ambition to 'RapFix Live'

The Snowman will join Sway on 'RapFix Live' Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com.

 

It's been almost three years in the making, but on December 20, Young Jeezy will finally be releasing his long-awaited TM: 103 Hustlerz Ambition. And on Wednesday, the Snowman will be coming to "RapFix Live" to chop it up with Sway about his upcoming release. Not only that, but Young has also given RapFix an exclusive clip from the album's accompanying film.

The album boasts appearances from Lil Wayne, T.I., Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg and Devin the Dude. Last week, "I Do," a tongue-in-cheek love song featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000, hit the Net to rave reviews. On it, Jeezy professes his love for hustling, while Jay cleverly raps about his marriage to the streets, though at times sounds like he is dedicating his bars to wifey Beyoncé.
Next week's edition of "RapFix Live" will also celebrate MTV2's upcoming Sucker Free Awards, as well the return of "Yo! MTV Raps," with a special episode dubbed "Classic Cuts." Both shows will premiere on MTV2 on December 4, and "RapFix Live" has exclusive behind-the-scenes looks.
Held at Miami's Club LIV, the Sucker Free Awards will celebrate the year in hip-hop, giving out statues for Best Crew of 2011, Rookie of the Year and the Must-Follow Person of 2011. Rick Ross, Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, Red Café and Ace Hood were all on hand as well as Birdman and his YMCMB family.
"Yo! MTV Raps: Classic Cuts" will profile three artists and their classic tracks: A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario," Geto Boys' "My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me," and Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day."
The special will feature discussions from former hosts Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover and Dr. Dre, as well as some of rap's generational heavyweights. The special will explore the way each song revolutionized the genre and impacted generations to come. In addition to the three classic cuts, the special will also feature a long list of current hip-hop artists from Common to Wiz Khalifa and Fat Joe.

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