Green Celebrities!
Sugarland band waived humanitarian LOVE flag on CMT?
[Jun. 9]
Sugarland band members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Busch were honored by their loyal fans when they were named the recipients of this year’s Duo Video of the Year at the 2011 CMT Music Awards show last night in Nashville. But they really brought the crowd to their feet as they offered one of the most inspiring perfromances of the evening singing their anthem Stand Up. Nettles and Busch walked onto the stage carrying a large white flag and began their song as the crowd went wild. The harmonious duo continued to sing as they welcomed Tiffani and Lexi Gilbert, two young sisters from Joplin, Mo., whose home was destroyed during a recent tornado. Graphic photographs showing the devastation left behind loomed in the background as the sisters took center stage and Jennifer Nettles handed them the simple, hand-made, white flag with the single word “LOVE” written on it. The sisters waved the flag along with a smaller version while the audience waved similar flags in unison. It was an emotional and uplifting scene to say the least. And the message was loud and clear, “won’t you stand up and use your voice”.
Why was Sugarland waiving the white flag on stage at the 2011 CMT Awards?
“I like the simple idea that anybody can take a bed sheet, tie it to a stick and paint something on it and wave it,” Bush explained. “And I think that matters. That’s the metaphor of what it means to say something.”
Nettles thinks having the Gilberts be part of their perfromance not only raises awareness about the devastation so many have faced, but that it helps the victims themselves.
“As with any tragedy,” she said, “a lot of the healing comes from people being able to share their stories.”
As the nation continues to reach out to the tornado victims in Tuscaloosa, AL and Joplin, MO, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have collaborated with Little Big Town and release a live version of their song titled “Stand Up for Tornado Relief” as a fundraiser for those affected by the horrific storms of this spring. Proceeds go to the Red Cross to help families just like the Gilberts recover.
Sugarland’s perfromance not only called attention to the American Red Cross Tornado Relief Efforts but helped reunite the sisters with their parents, Amy and Eric Gilbert, during the awards show airing live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. They’ve been living apart since their family’s home was declared a total loss following a May 22 tornado that tore through Joplin.
GREEN CELEBRITY STATS: SUGARLAND
“Stand Up For Tornado Relief” now serves to support those affected by similar tragedies and is available exclusively on iTunes as both an audio track and a high-definition perfromance video. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross for tornado relief in Alabama, as well as to aid the more recently affected residents of Joplin, MO. Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts.
Video of the perfromance at the CMT Music Awards:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/662100/2011-cmt-music-awards-stand-up.jhtml
Story of the LOVE Flag:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtdO0cl-fI4&feature=player_embedded
Sources:
http://www.sugarlandmusic.com/