What's The Deal With Sugarland

Some folks could wreck a one car funeral! The hottest group in Country has suffered a meltdown. It might be a bump in the road, but it might be something more serious.

Time and time again in Country music, we have seen members of successful groups have creative (and sometime personal) differences and subsequently blow up. Exile, Little Texas, and Restless Heart come to mind. Randy Owen always resisted any urging to go solo. Keith Urban and The Ranch blew up, and that worked out pretty good eventually Mr. Urban. So it's a mixed bag.

It's just a shame Sugarland couldn't stay on the fast track without this distraction for the public and their creative process. The leaving member was not just a background singer. She was a major creative force. Jennifer is the face, and that is indisputable, but without all the elements in place, who knows what's going to happen.

Will they hire a major replacement? Or is Jennifer, in fact, Sugarland? The message boards are hot with comments. Both bad and good. The whole thing is unfortunate, to say the very least. They have a great sound. I'm just not sure the keepers of this flame are doing their best job. Don't screw this up, folks!

Carrie Underwood, on the other hand, has been a flawless project. Solo acts are easier to deal with than groups, but Carrie and her people (from the management to the label to the PR folks) have done the best job I've seen in a long time. Carrie is smart, attractive and talented. I hope she keeps her head with all the upcoming success. 2 million CD's and #1 hits? That's heady stuff.

"Walk the Line" is at $100 million at the box office, and in February it opens in the rest of the world. Fox folks say it will be marketed as a woman's film. It is most of all a love story. Reese is going to win some more awards in the upcoming weeks. Screen Actor's Guild, British Academy, Oscar. She better get a new dress that's not a "vintage" one the Chanel people sent her this week.

Love stories are making more news so far this year than the music. Nicole and Renee are still getting big buzz. It's a new year and tours are cranking up. We need some excitement in the format and soon. We need a "Redneck Woman" song or something to get the fans worked up. Anyone??????????