Old Dominion may have made history at the 2024 CMA Awards by edging out Little Big Town for the vocal group’s seventh win of the year, but the two bands remain close — in unexpected ways.
After accepting their award, Old Dominion spoke to PEOPLE about their admiration for Little Big Town and revealed that they’re still using the wardrobe boxes the “Girl Crush” singers gave them years ago on tour.
“They gave us their old wardrobe boxes and they still had all their names on them,” singer Matt Ramsey explained. “One of our crew guys was about to scrub them and we said no, no, no, no, leave them there. So we kept them there for many, many years, until they deteriorated and fell apart.”
After the boxes were past the point of repair, Old Dominion replaced them — but restored the names. Ramsey says she is Karen Fairchild and Trevor Rosen is Kimberly Schlapman. Brad Tursi and Geoff Sprung, meanwhile, said they were sharing — and that Philip Sweet’s box ended up being turned into a bar cart.
The best moments from the 2024 CMA Awards
Old Dominion’s Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung, Matt Ramsey and Brad Tursi at the 2023 CMA Awards.
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“Maybe I’m Jimi [Westbrook]”, said Sprung. “We haven’t been on the road long enough for me to remember.”
Little Big Town has won Vocal Group of the Year at the CMAs six times, and last night they went up against Old Dominion, who ended up winning for the seventh time. Lady A, Zac Brown Band and The Red Clay Strays also won.
“We are all supportive. We love those guys, they love us,” Tursi said, while Rosen joked, “It just means they have to wash our car when we ask them to.”
Little Big Town previously explained to PEOPLE the lore behind the closet boxes and revealed that the move is actually a tradition started by Sugarland.
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Philip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook in New York 2023 Bruce Glikas/Getty Images 2024 CMA Awards: See the full list of winners!
“After the first tour we did with them, they gave us a wardrobe. They said, ‘When you’re done, just pass it on to someone else,'” Fairchild recalled. “When Old Dominion was brand new, we bought new cabinets and gave our old ones to the guys.”
The singer then relayed the same story as Ramsey, explaining that even though Old Dominion recently purchased new trunks, they kept the Little Big Town names on them.
“It’s their charm,” Sweet joked. “It meant so much to us when Sugarland did that.”
Added Schlapman: “Otherwise you’re lugging suitcases around, and when you can put all your show clothes, shoes and makeup in one place and not have to worry about lugging it around and carrying it around, it’s really useful. It makes a difference.” ”
Both bands have released new music in recent weeks; Old Dominion’s sixth album Oldies but goodies came out last month, as well as Little Big Town’s new Christmas record.
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Source: HIS Education