The members of Little Big Town—Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook—discuss their lives and careers during a 2018 interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, held around the opening of the exhibition “Little Big Town: The Power of Four.”
Each member of the band shares memories from childhood and gives insight into family photos shown during the program. None of the band members grew up together, but all say that singing in church sparked an interest in music.
Choir-mates in college, Fairchild and Schlapman talk about starting Little Big Town, and Westbrook and Sweet share memories of joining. All four recall the moment they realized they had created what they considered the perfect blend of voices.
The bandmates talk about landing their first record deal and performing on the Grand Ole Opry that same night, and with the audience, watch a rare backstage home video, shot right after they were signed in 1999.
The four members also offer candid commentary about low points in the band’s career—including being dropped from multiple labels—and express gratitude to friend and producer Wayne Kirkpatrick, who worked with Little Big Town on what became their first Top Ten hit, “Boondocks.” That success bred confidence, and led to further hits with producer Jay Joyce, including “Pontoon,” “Girl Crush,” and “Better Man.”
Fairchild, Schlapman, Sweet, and Westbrook also share details about a few of the artifacts included in their Museum exhibition, including a high-school essay written by Taylor Swift about her favorite band, Little Big Town (which the fellow country star gifted to the group in 2006).
Presented in support of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition “Little Big Town: The Power of Four” (June 29, 2018, through June 9, 2019).
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