Little Big Town is an American country music group founded in 1998. The original four members were Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet. They achieved mainstream success with their 2010 album The Reason Why and its lead single “Little White Church”. With their 2012 album Tornado, they rose to new heights of commercial success and critical acclaim with the singles “Pontoon” and “Tornado”, which helped them win the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
The Original Four Members
Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman met in college at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet, who were both in other bands at the time, joined them to form Little Big Town in 1998. The foursome auditioned for record labels in Nashville, finally getting signed to Monument Records (a sister label of Sony Music). They released their self-titled debut album in 2002, though it did not produce any major hits.
In 2005, Little Big Town was signed to Equity Music Group, releasing two studio albums: The Road to Here (2005) and A Place to Land (2007). Their breakthrough single “Boondocks” became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard country music charts. However, Equity Music Group went bankrupt in 2008, so the band signed to Capitol Records Nashville.
Mainstream Success with New Label
After signing with Capitol, Little Big Town saw their first major success with 2010’s The Reason Why. The title track and lead single from the album peaked at #46 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. But it was the single “Little White Church” that became their first Top 10 country hit, reaching #6 on the charts.
The band’s commercial breakthrough came with their 2012 album Tornado. The first single “Pontoon” became their first #1 country hit and also crossed over onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA. The title track “Tornado” also reached #2 on the country charts. At the 2013 Grammy Awards, “Pontoon” won them the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Phillip Sweet’s Departure
In September 2013, shortly after winning their Grammy Award, the group announced that longtime member Phillip Sweet would be leaving Little Big Town. No specific reason was given at the time for Sweet’s departure. The band said it was an amicable split and they supported Sweet’s decision.
In an interview years later, Karen Fairchild shed some light on what led to Sweet’s exit from the group. She said there were some “business complications” and disagreements on the direction of the band that led to some tension among the members. Ultimately Sweet decided to step away to pursue other opportunities.
The remaining three members – Fairchild, Schlapman, and Westbrook – vowed to continue on as a trio. And they did just that, releasing their album Pain Killer in late 2014 led by the single “Day Drinking”, their first major release as a threesome.
Little Big Town Carries On as a Trio
Despite losing a key founding member, Little Big Town soldiered on successfully as a three-piece band after Sweet’s amicable departure. Their first album as a trio, Pain Killer, continued their upward trajectory, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. The lead single “Day Drinking” became their sixth Top 5 country hit.
Their next album, 2016’s Wanderlust, incorporated more pop influences into their country sound. Standout tracks included the single “Better Man” co-written by Taylor Swift. Two years later, they released The Breaker which contained the chart-topping single “Better Man” as well as the Top 10 hits “Happy People” and “When Someone Stops Loving You”.
In 2020, Little Big Town released their 9th studio album Nightfall to further acclaim. Its lead single “Over Drinking” topped the country airplay chart for two weeks. Most recently in 2022, the band released Mr. Sun, which they self-produced. It includes the popular single “Hell Yeah”.
Throughout all these releases over the past decade, Little Big Town has maintained their status as one of country music’s top acts. They have continued to tour successfully and make televised appearances at major events like the CMA Awards and ACM Awards as an acclaimed trio.
Phillip Sweet’s Activities Since Leaving
Since departing Little Big Town in 2013, Phillip Sweet opted to step back from the spotlight for a time. Details on his personal life have been scarce in the years since his exit from the band.
Professionally, it appears Sweet has worked primarily behind-the-scenes in music. His credits since 2013 include producing albums for up-and-coming country/Americana acts. He co-produced Lilly Hiatt’s 2015 album Royal Blue and Dylan LeBlanc’s 2016 album Cautionary Tale.
Sweet has also done songwriting work, including co-writing a track on LeAnn Rimes’ 2018 album Re-Imagined. But he has not released any major solo music projects or toured as a musical act on his own.
On a personal note, Sweet married longtime girlfriend Rebecca Arthur in 2017. The two had reportedly been together since before his departure from Little Big Town. Sweet seems to have valued his privacy in the years since leaving the band that made him famous.
Occasional Reunions
Though no longer an official member, Sweet has reunited with Little Big Town a handful of times over the past decade. Most notably, he joined them on stage to perform during a 2016 show in Nashville and a 2018 performance in Los Angeles.
Band members have stated that they remain on good terms with Sweet and left the door open to potential collaborations in the future. His occasional reunions indicate he is still on good terms personally and professionally with his former bandmates.
In 2021, Sweet also participated in Little Big Town’s induction into the Grand Ole Opry. While not an official member, he was able to partake in the honor as one of the group’s original founding members.
Looking Ahead
Little Big Town has shown no signs of slowing down, continuing to record new music and tour successfully as a trio for nearly a decade since Sweet’s departure. With hit albums like Pain Killer, Wanderlust, and The Breaker, their commercial success has matched their critical acclaim.
As for Sweet, details on his current activities are scarce. But his occasional reunions with LBT indicate he is still involved in music behind the scenes. Perhaps as time passes, more details will emerge on Sweet’s post-LBT life and potential future collaborations with his former bandmates.
For now, Little Big Town continues forward in the spotlight as a powerhouse country trio, while Sweet seems content with a quieter career out of the public eye. But the influence of all four original members still echoes through the group’s ongoing success.
Highlights
- Little Big Town was founded in 1998 with 4 members: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet
- They found mainstream success in 2010 with the album The Reason Why
- Their 2012 album Tornado with hits like “Pontoon” and “Tornado” made them country stars
- In 2013, Phillip Sweet announced he was leaving Little Big Town on good terms
- The remaining 3 members carried on successfully, releasing albums like Pain Killer, Wanderlust, and The Breaker
- Sweet focused on behind-the-scenes music work and has reunited occasionally with LBT
- Little Big Town continues as a trio, while Sweet has valued his privacy post-LBT
Conclusion
Little Big Town began as a foursome with Phillip Sweet as a key member. His departure in 2013 could have spelled trouble, but the trio of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook carried on with great success. Sweet appears to have intentionally stepped back from the spotlight but maintains a good relationship with his former bandmates. Little Big Town’s ongoing acclaim as a three-piece act is a testament to the strength of their songs and musical talents.