With public televisionâs Front and Center now in itâs seventh season, the live music series has teamed up with the CMA to feature countryâs consummate performer, Jennifer Nettles, as part of their CMA Songwriterâs Series for a new episode.
Jennifer is no stranger to performing. The Georgia native performed as one half of the super group Sugarland, enjoys her own country solo career, performed as Roxy Hart in the Broadway production of Chicago and most recently starred as Dolly Partonâs mother in NBCâs Coat of Many Colors and Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.
âMy love of performance actually comes from a love of live performance,â Jennifer says in the show. âSo if it happens to translate through a camera or a recording, I love that. I love that we have the technology to record performances and repeat them as many times as we want toâin our cars or in our headphones or on our televisions, whatever it may be. But really for me in how I grew upâI started out singing in church and as I started to write original music and played out in clubs and I really cut my teeth in the club sceneâfor me the live performance is what itâs all about. I love that connection. It is a moment in time that you share from the stage with the audience. For me, that is thrilling.â
Filmed at the Iridium in New York City, Jennifer takes the stage to perform songs from her current album, Playing With Fire, including âDrunk In Heelsâ and âStupid Girl.â Jennifer is also joined by Brandy Clark to perform Brandyâs single, âLove Can Go To Hell,â off of her 12 Stories album and Amos Lee, singing on Sugarlandâs âA Very Last Country Song.â
Additional performers that have appeared on Front and Center include Cheap Trick, Dawes, Shawn Mendes, Southside Johnny, Kaleo, Southside Johnny, The Cadillac Three, and Rob Thomas.
Jenniferâs episode will air nationally on public television. Check local listings for air dates and times.
Check out a clip of Jennifer on Front and Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63HVlaOeVAg
Photos by Jim Belmont / CMA