Benjamin Jones
Little Big Town is celebrating 25 years as a pioneering country music group, retaining all four original members. The band is set to embark on a tour in September alongside country duo Sugarland.
With their four-part harmonious vocals, Little Big Town has carved out a unique space in country music. They are a group where fame and vocals are equally shared between members Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook.
The band’s Kimberly Schlapman said she never reflected on their success, but realized they achieved something unique together.
“I think that’s probably the key for us to keep going, because we never, ever fully think we’re there. It’s like the hunger to see what’s next,” Fairchild said.
25 years and a “Greatest Hits” album
The band is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the release of its “Greatest Hits” album this summer.
“We want to do this for the fans,” Fairchild said.
With 32 chart-topping hits, they have a vast catalog to choose from, including favorites like “Pontoon” and “Wine, Beer, Whiskey.”
Little big city The journey began in the mid-90s when Schlapman and Fairchild met in college. Initially, Schlapman and Fairchild pursued solo careers in country music.
They started brainstorming and realized that there wasn’t a mixed group like The Mamas & the Papas or Fleetwood Mac. This led them to imagine what such a group would be like – which eventually led to the creation of the band.
Their unique concept took shape and led to their first record deal in 1999 with their debut performance on the Grand Ole Opry. Although they faced setbacks, including two failed recording contracts, their perseverance paid off with the release of “Boondocks” in 2005, a song that became their breakout hit.
“’Boondocks’ was like the little star that could, and we just couldn’t believe it,” Sweet said.
Tragedy and triumph
The same year as the discovery, tragedy occurred when Schlapman’s husband died of a heart attack. The band members, including Schlapman, were at a radio station in Indianapolis when they heard the news after Schlapman received a phone call from his pastor and a police officer.
“She was screaming and the four of us were lying together on the bathroom floor,” Fairchild said.
“I couldn’t even walk and they took me to the bathroom. I couldn’t walk on my own. So they carried me and kept carrying me for months and months and months until I could walk again,” Schlapman said. “And that’s why we’re still sitting here.”
After everything they’ve been through, Little Big Town is still as close as ever. Schlapman remarried, Sweet and Fairchild also found love, and Fairchild and Westbrook married. Now they all have children and often raise them on the road.
As they celebrate their silver anniversary, the band members are grateful for their journey and hope to spread the unity they have found among themselves to audiences this fall when they embark on tour.
“Our legacy is perseverance. Hopefully…kindness. You know, right now we need some kindness back,” Fairchild said.
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