If you go
› What: Jennifer Nettles in concert, with Zach Seabaugh opening.› When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9; doors open at 6:30 p.m.› Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.› Admission: $39, $49, $65 and $85 plus fees.› Phone: 423-757-5580.› Website: www.tivolichattanooga.com.
No mention of Jennifer Nettles would be complete without a nod to the Grammy-winning, award-grabbing act that made her a household name, but this country music star has found plenty of ways to stay in the spotlight since Sugarland went on hiatus in 2012.
Sugarland exploded onto the music scene in 2004, originally as a trio, with Nettles providing the powerhouse lead vocals that propelled the band’s debut album, “Twice the Speed of Life,” to multiplatinum status.
After Kristen Hall left the band in 2005, Nettles and Kristian Bush continued on as a duo with “Enjoy the Ride” (2006), “Love on the Inside” (2008), holiday album “Gold and Green” (2009) and “The Incredible Machine” (2010).
Both have released solo projects since the band hit pause. But there has been little pause for Nettles, even after getting married and having a baby in 2012.
On Sunday, Oct. 9, she’ll bring her Playing With Fire tour to the Tivoli Theatre, with 2015 “Voice” semifinalist Zach Seabaugh opening the show.
Let’s catch up.
* Solo once: For her first solo album, “That Girl,” released in January 2014, Nettles explained to fans on her website:
“In Sugarland I have learned much of both who I am and who I am not. Even with all of our success, I have had the deep desire to share other parts of myself. To prove some things to myself. And to just simply shake it up and do something different, perhaps scary, and certainly fresh and new.”
* Solo twice: In May, she released her second solo album, “Playing With Fire,” which includes a vocal collaboration with pop star Jennifer Lopez. Nettles wrote or co-wrote 10 of the album’s 12 tracks.
Songwriting isn’t new to Nettles. She has won five American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awards for her songwriting abilities as well as two Grammy Awards and Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards for the emotionally charged, No. 1 platinum hit “Stay,” the first Sugarland song written solely by Nettles.
* Stage and screen: In February 2015, she made her Broadway debut as Roxy Hart in the Tony Award-winning musical “Chicago” and joined the cast of NBC’s Dolly Parton television biopic, “Coat of Many Colors,” which aired in December 2015. She’ll reprise her role as family matriarch Avie Lee Parton (young Dolly’s mother) in the upcoming sequel, “Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.”
* Speaking of Christmas: Nettles will release her first solo holiday album, “To Celebrate Christmas,” on Oct. 28. Parton penned “Circle of Love” for the album. Its 10 tracks feature Tony Award winner Idina Menzel on “Little Drummer Boy” and soul singer Andra Day on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” Nettles will tour for that album in December.
* An artist’s artist: The Lopez collaboration hasn’t been Nettles’ only musical alliance this year. She also has appeared with legendary rockers Cheap Trick on “CMT Crossroads” and joined the star-studded lineup for “The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson.”
Over the years, she has performed with iconic figures across multiple genres, including Beyonce, Bon Jovi, John Legend, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.