Beyonce Uses AMAs to Rope In Country Fans

Country music took center stage at last night's American Music Awards, which was not a big surprise — country fans still actually buy CDs. Somewhat more surprising, however, was the country-R&B crossover that took place about an hour into the show: Platinum-selling duo Sugarland took the stage to perform a hoedown-style version of Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable," a.k.a. "the song that spawned a million Samsung commercials." The Atlanta band had played the chart topper on their summer tour, so it was no great shock that they would attempt the R&B hit for a large TV audience. But then, in one of the night's few truly interesting moments, Beyoncé emerged out of a revolving stage prop and joined in for the second verse. The band didn't waiver from the line-dance stylistics of the performance, however, forcing Beyoncé to do her best Carrie Underwood impression while keeping up with the song's slower-than-usual beat. We don't know what was more awkward; Beyoncé attempting to lasso in some country fans (after angering them with that whole billboard incident), or B and Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles pointing in the wrong direction whenever they sang "To the left, to the left." We'll go with the latter, as the video above proves.

To see photos of Kid Rock, Carrie Underwood, Beyonce, Maroon 5, Daughtry and more shots from the American Music Awards, click here.

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

More Song Stories entries »

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