Sugarland, Mercury Nashville’s super duo, has multiple CMT Awards and Grammy Awards to their credit, but more than that, they have heart. It is entirely fitting then, that their third studio album, Love on the Inside, a raw-but-graceful collection of 12 brand new songs, should be so full of love.

Singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush wanted to express deep feelings with simplicity rather than complexity, so instead of layers and overdubs, they just had one capture of each song. But while the resulting tracks were simple in their making, the range of tunes Sugarland has brought to the surface is anything but.

Nettles and Bush feel blessed to be able to bring some fresher notes to country radio. You may find a ballad that has Nettles playing the part of a mature widow or a teenager who’s tragically lost her first love. This music literally builds characters around Bush’s landscapes and Nettles’ powerful vocals.

Songwriting, as it turns out, is one of Sugarland’s callings. At the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards, the duo was honored with the Song and Single of the Year for the touching and tender acoustic sensation “Stay.” Nettles made history that night by being the only female artist to have solo-written the ACM song of The Year.

In the time since they huddled over cups of coffee in an Atlanta Starbucks and scratched out career goals, their shelves have filled with countless awards. It has been a joyful four years for Nettles and Bush, not just because of the recognition they’ve received, but also because they’ve been able to grow successfully as artists, partners and performers.

Credit: AT&T “Wide Open” Video Information Page