Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group from Homewood, Alabama. Founded in 1998, the group has had the same four members since its founding: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman (née Roads), Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook. Fairchild and Westbrook have been married to each other since 2006. Little Big Town's musical style relies heavily on four-part vocal harmonies, with all four members alternating as lead vocalists.
Fairchild and Schlapman met at Samford University in 1987, where they both sang in the school's vocal ensembles.[1] In the mid-1990s, Fairchild sang with the Christian vocal group Truth and was featured as a lead singer in a few of their songs. She formed a duo called KarenLeigh with Leigh Cappillino, a member of Truth who joined the group Point of Grace. KarenLeigh produced the singles, "Save It for a Rainy Day" and "This Love Has". Fairchild and Schlapman moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where they reunited and began singing together.[2] Westbrook joined Schlapman and Fairchild in 1998, followed by Sweet.[3]
In 2002, the band signed with Monument Records Nashville. The band released its first album, Little Big Town, in 2002. The album produced the singles "Don't Waste My Time" and "Everything Changes", which peaked at 33 and 42, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Little Big Town was left without a label when Monument Records dissolved its Nashville branch. After Westbrook's father died, and Fairchild and Sweet got divorces, the band members got outside jobs while they continued to tour.[2]
2005-2009: The Road to Here and A Place to Land
Little Big Town in 2009.
In 2005, Little Big Town was signed to Equity Music Group, a label started and partially owned by country music singer Clint Black.[2] Their third single, "Boondocks", was released in May, peaking at No. 9 on the country charts in January 2006. It served as the first of four singles from the group's second album, The Road to Here, which was released on October 4, 2005. "Bring It On Home", the second single from the album, became Little Big Town's first top 5 hit on Hot Country Songs. It was followed by "Good as Gone" and "A Little More You", both of which were top 20 hits. By the end of 2006, The Road to Here had been certified Platinum in the United States. Unlike their first album, the group's members co-wrote the majority of the songs on The Road to Here along with Wayne Kirkpatrick, who also produced it. In 2007, the group sang backing vocals on John Mellencamp's Freedom's Road album.[6]
Little Big Town released A Place to Land, their third studio album and second with Equity, on November 6, 2007. Its lead-off single, "I'm with the Band", peaked at number 32 on the country chart. On April 23, 2008, Little Big Town announced it was leaving Equity for Capitol Nashville.[7] Shortly afterward, they charted with Sugarland and Jake Owen on a live cover of The Dream Academy's "Life in a Northern Town". Taken from Sugarland's 2007 tour, it reached number 28 on the country chart based on unsolicited airplay. In October 2008, Capitol re-released A Place to Land, which added four new songs, and the label promoted two further singles from the album, "Fine Line" and "Good Lord Willing".
In the fall of 2008, Little Big Town opened up for Carrie Underwood on her Carnival Ride Tour. They began their first headlining tour in January 2009 in Jacksonville, Florida and continued through April.[8]
Fairchild recorded a duet with Mellencamp on his 2008 album, Life, Death, Love and Freedom. The song, "A Ride Back Home", was released as the album's third single and was accompanied by a music video. Fairchild also duetted with Mellencamp on "My Sweet Love" and appears in its music video.
Little Big Town was nominated for Vocal Group of the Year for the fourth year in a row at the 2009 CMA Awards.
2010–2013: The Reason Why, commercial success, and Tornado
In March 2010, the group released a new single titled "Little White Church", as the lead-off single to their fourth studio album and first completely new album on Capitol Nashville, The Reason Why, which was released on August 24, 2010. "Little White Church" peaked at No. 6 on the country chart. The album produced two additional singles in "Kiss Goodbye" and the title track, but both failed to reach the top 40 of Hot Country Songs.
The album's title track was released as a digital single on July 27, 2010, to begin an iTunes countdown to the album release on August 24, 2010. Three further digital singles – "Kiss Goodbye", "Why, Oh Why", and "All the Way Down" – were released weekly leading up until the album release. Also, in promotion of The Reason Why, Little Big Town went on tour as an opening act for Sugarland on The Incredible Machine Tour, as well their own The Reason Why Tour.
Little Big Town's fifth studio album, Tornado, was released on September 11, 2012. It was also their first album to be produced by Jay Joyce. "Pontoon" was released as the album's lead single on April 30, 2012, and became their first number one hit on Hot Country Songs in September 2012. It was their first single to receive a Platinum certification. The title track was released as the album's second single on October 1, 2012. It reached No. 2 on the Country Airplay chart in 2013. At the 55th Grammy Awards, "Pontoon" won the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.[9] The album was certified gold by the RIAA in December 2012.[10]
The band sang background vocals on Ashley Monroe's 2013 single, "You Got Me", featured on her 2013 release, Like a Rose. Fairchild co-wrote the song with Monroe.[12]
The album's fourth single, "Sober", was a No. 31 hit.
2014-2016: Pain Killer and Grand Ole Opry invitation
Little Big Town performed harmony vocals on David Nail's 2014 album, I'm a Fire, on the song "When They're Gone (Lyle County)", co-written by Brett Eldredge. They were featured on Miranda Lambert's 2014 album, Platinum, on "Smokin' and Drinkin'", a song which the band had considered recording.[13] It debuted on Billboard's Country Airplay chart at No. 38 after their performance at the CMA Awards in 2014 and was released as a single in 2015.
The band began recording their sixth studio album, Pain Killer, in early 2014. The lead single, "Day Drinking", was released digitally June 3, and was sent to country radio on June 9.[14][15] It debuted on the Country Airplay chart at No. 32, their highest-ever debut at the time, and went on to peak at No. 2 on Country Airplay. It hit No. 1 on the Canada Country chart, becoming their second No. 1 single and first as songwriters. Pain Killer's track listing was announced on July 14, and the album was released on October 21.[16]
The second single from the album, "Girl Crush", was released December 15, 2014. Some radio stations were reported to have pulled "Girl Crush" from their playlists, in response to concerns from listeners who interpreted the song's lyrics to be about lesbianism. The label created a commercial in which the band discussed the song and its meaning.[18]Billboard consulted radio program directors on its panel and found one who detailed a specific complaint from a listener.[19] The song became Little Big Town's second No. 1 on a Billboard chart in May 2015 and their highest showing on the Billboard Hot 100 after gaining exposure on "The Voice" and the 50th Annual ACM Awards. The album's third single and the title track, "Pain Killer", released to country radio on August 24, 2015.
On September 9, 2015, the group was nominated for five CMA Awards: Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year for Pain Killer, Single of the Year for "Girl Crush", Music Video of the Year for "Girl Crush" and Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration on the Miranda Lambert single "Smokin' and Drinkin'". They tied Eric Church for most nominations that year. The songwriters of "Girl Crush" were recognized with a Song of the Year win.
For the 58th Annual Grammy AwardsPain Killer was nominated for Best Country Album, "Girl Crush" was nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, Song of the Year and Best Country Song. Little Big Town received nominations for Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.[20]
On January 24, 2016, the band sang the National Anthem before the Arizona/CarolinaNFC Championship game. On July 4 of that year, they performed with the Boston Pops at their annual Independence Day concert.
2016–2017: Wanderlust, The Breaker, and Ryman residency
In March 2016, Little Big Town returned to the UK as part of the C2C: Country to Country tour, becoming one of four acts at the time (the others being Brantley Gilbert, Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood) to perform at the festival twice. They headlined the launch party in 2015 where they announced the full line-up, revealing they would be supporting Underwood along with Hunt and Maddie & Tae.
On May 24, 2016, the band announced their seventh studio album titled Wanderlust. The album contains eight tracks produced by Pharrell Williams and was released on June 10, 2016. Fairchild describes the album as, "It's not a country album and it's not like anything we've ever done. It's fun to be spontaneous and put it out there to the fans, because we want to, and not to overthink it, but just because it has brought us a lot of joy, and we think it will for them as well. So why not? We're going with our gut and putting it out there. It's just music, you know?"
Fairchild stated that they are also working on a country record with Jay Joyce.[21] In July, they appeared on the 2000–2005 episode of ABC's Greatest Hits where they performed covers by Alicia Keys, Oasis and Sheryl Crow. They were also selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again" and "I Will Always Love You", which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards.[22]
The band released "Better Man", which was written by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, on October 20, 2016, as the lead single to their upcoming seventh studio album, The Breaker, that was released on February 24, 2017. Initially masking the song's writer, the band revealed that Swift wrote the song. The song's music video, directed by Reid Long and Becky Fluke, was released November 1, 2016. The band would follow up with singles "Happy People", their worst-charting single to date, and "When Someone Stops Loving You", a minor top 40 hit.
The band announced they would be the first act in history to have a residency at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Little Big Town announced a six-date UK tour supported by Seth Ennis beginning on September 28 and concluding in London on October 5[23] before revealing that Kacey Musgraves and Midland would support them on the American leg of The Breakers Tour beginning in February 2018.[24] On October 5 during their show at the Royal Albert Hall, the band revealed that they would be headlining the 2018 C2C: Country to Country festival, making history as the first act to play the event three times.[25]
2018–2022: Nightfall and Mr. Sun
"Summer Fever" was released as a stand-alone single on June 6, 2018. It debuted (and peaked) at number 29 on Country Airplay, becoming the band's highest debut to date. The song also peaked within the top 40 of Hot Country Songs and Canada Country charts.
The group then released "The Daughters" on April 5, 2019 as the first single from their ninth album Nightfall, which the band produced themselves. It was released on January 17, 2020.[26][27] "The Daughters" debuted at number 29 on Hot Country Songs but was not promoted to radio and thus failed to chart on Country Airplay. On September 8, 2019, Little Big Town released "Over Drinking", the second single from Nightfall. The band embarked on a 30-date theatre tour of the same name with supporting act Caitlyn Smith, beginning with a show at New York City's Carnegie Hall the day before the album release.[26]
On April 11, 2022, the band released the song "Hell Yeah".[28] On July 19, the band announced their tenth studio album, Mr. Sun, which was released on September 16.[29]
2023–Present: Sugarland collaboration and The Christmas Record
In 2023, the group toured lightly, headlining the 10-date Friends of Mine tour, and opening for George Strait on his 2023 tour.
In March 2024, the group announced the UK leg of the Friends of Mine tour. Also in March, the group announced on social media that they would be collaborating with "lifelong friends" Sugarland at the 2024 CMT Music Awards. They performed Phil Collins' "Take Me Home", which was released as single the same day. The two groups will be co-headlining the Take Me Home Tour from October 24 to December 13, 2024.[30]
They announced on CMT Hot 20 Countdown on March 30, that they were in the process of recording a Christmas album, with an expected 2024 release. The Christmas Record was released on October 4, 2024.[31]
Schlapman was married to Steven Roads, the band's lawyer, who died from a heart attack in 2005. On November 28, 2006, Roads married Stephen Schlapman, and gave birth to a daughter in July 2007.[32][33] The couple adopted a daughter on December 31, 2016.[34]
Sweet married Rebecca Arthur on March 30, 2007. They welcomed a daughter in December 2007.[35]
Fairchild and Westbrook married on May 31, 2006. They have a son who was born in 2010.[36]
Musical stylings
Little Big Town's musical stylings are defined by four-part vocal harmonies. Unlike most vocal groups, Little Big Town does not feature a definitive lead vocalist.[3] Instead, their songs are either led by any one of the four members, or by all four in varying combinations (such as on "Boondocks" and "Life in a Northern Town").
Awards and nominations
Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM)
Year
Nominated work / recipient
Category
Result
2006
Little Big Town
Top New Vocal Duo/Group
Nominated
Top Vocal Group
Nominated
2007
Top New Vocal Duo/Group
Won
Top Vocal Group
Nominated
2008
Nominated
2009
"Life in a Northern Town"(with Sugarland and Jake Owen)
Note: "Girl Crush" was also nominated for Song of the Year and Best Country Song in 2016 (winning the latter), but in this category the award goes to the composer(s) of the song, not to the performing artist(s). The song was written and composed by Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, and Liz Rose
Note: "Better Man" was also nominated for Best Country Song in 2018, but in this category the award goes to the composer(s) of the song, not to the performing artist(s). The song was written and composed by Taylor Swift
Note: "When Someone Stops Loving You" was also nominated for Best Country Song in 2019, but in this category the award goes to the composer(s) of the song, not to the performing artist(s). The song was written and composed by Hillary Lindsey, Chase McGill, and Lori McKenna
