How Little Big Town Members Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook Went From Friends to Forever—Plus Album News
This country music couple proves that the best relationships start with friendship
Key Takeaways
- Little Big Town is releasing a new album, 'It's a Dying Art,' on August 28.
- Two members of the group, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook, are married.
- Here, read all about their new album news and Karen and Jimi's love story.
On August 28, country music legends Little Big Town will release their 12th studio album, It’s a Dying Art. The group behind hits like “Girl Crush” consists of Kimberley Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook and Philip Sweet, and this foursome has been making music together for decades. It’s a Dying Art will consist of 13 tracks, and the band’s album announcement pulled the curtain back a bit on what fans can expect from these songs. “This album was made in the middle of real life—grief, hope, and everything love costs and gives us. It’s a reminder to hold on. We can’t let love be a dying art,” read the caption of their Instagram post.
Fans have already gotten a glimpse at what’s to come on the album, for the group has released tracks such as “Over and Over,” “Hey There Sunshine,” “Sucker For a Sad Song” and “We Could Have It All,” and listeners are also looking ahead at the exciting collaborations the record promises. On “Sucker For a Sad Song,” Little Big Town teamed up with Ashley Monroe, and the album is also lined with tracks with famous folks like Jason Isbell and Kelsea Ballerini. While these musical crossovers are certainly exciting, the bond that this band has formed over time is unlike most—After all, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook are happily married! Here, take a look at this country music love story for the ages.
Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook started out as friends
Kimberly Schlapman first met Karen Fairchild in college, but they eventually went their separate ways by the time school wrapped up. Years later, the duo reconnected and by 1998, Little Big Town was ultimately formed with the addition of Philip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook. At the time of the group’s formation, Fairchild was married, but a few years later, she and her first husband split, ultimately prompting her and Jimi to explore their chemistry.
“We knew they were in love before they knew they were in love,” Kimberly Schlapman told People. “You should have seen the way they butted heads before they got together!” revealed Philip Sweet. “So it’s better, obviously.”
Karen and Jimi made the leap
Pursuing their connection was of course a risk, as both Karen and Jimi feared the way it might impact the band’s dynamic. “I think Jimi and I had a special friendship and connection that blossomed when we were both single,” Karen revealed to UsWeekly back in 2010. “Sometimes you just have to cross that line and take a chance and when we had that opportunity, we did. Of course we didn’t want to mess up the band, but we decided it was worth the risk.”
The duo tied the knot in 2006
A few years after getting together, the couple made things official and in 2010, they welcomed a son, Elijah. Back in 2010, Karen and Jimi’s bandmate Kimberly gushed over the two of them in conversation with The Boot, sharing, “They are great parents. I always knew they would be. They’ve wanted to be parents for a long time. My heart just explodes, literally, with joy. I get really emotional when I think about it. It was something that they desperately wanted, and they have a little angel baby now. He’s precious.”
Little Big Town is like a family
After decades of working alongside one another, Little Big Town has become something of a family affair, with Schlapman and Sweet also growing their own individual family units over the years.
“It’s challenging. We are together 24 hours a day, so that is a very good thing and a very bad thing,” Fairchild said back in 2010 to UsWeekly about working with her husband. “If you need a break, there is nowhere to go, but the great thing about it is we get to enjoy this incredible journey with the band together. The band is like one big marriage. You have to really be family and love each other to be in a band this long or you would have gone your separate ways. Kimberly and Philip both have their spouses out here with us a lot. They travel with us as much as they can. We keep the families on the road. Everyone has a child as well, so family is super important to the band.”
Listen to Little Big Town’s new album out on August 28.
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