Shannon Clark & The Sugar at The Buttonwood Tree


Middletown, CT: The Buttonwood Tree presents the musical showcase of Ohio-based Americana group Shannon Clark & The Sugar. Admission is $20.

Shannon Clark and the Sugar made up of husband and wife, Shannon and Brittany Clark, their teenage daughter Navie, and cousin through marriage Joey Howard is a family-driven force of Midwest Americana soul from Greenville, Ohio. Combining honest country storytelling, blues-rock ferocity, and the sweet blend of blood harmonies, Shannon Clark and The Sugar’s newest record, This Old World, out spring 2023, spins silver linings from redefining their spirituality to form a new path and paints a sharp, heartfelt portrait of modern American life.

This Old World releases on the heels of Shannon Clark & The Sugar’s 2021 debut, Marks on the Wall, the musical culmination of the Clarks’ healing journey after the loss of a child, produced by Grammy winner Mark Howard (Bob Dylan, U2, Lucinda Williams). Just as emotionally rich and soulful, This Old World, recorded over three sessions at the Nashville studio Welcome to 1979 and produced by Justin Weaver (The Judds, The Chicks), grapples with themes of belonging and authenticity as it laces together striking vignettes of faith lost and found. Upbeat, pop-informed tracks like “Cool Waters,” and “Good Woman,” lean into the close-knit family’s warm musical chemistry and shared love of artists like Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac, while “The Way I Am” and “This Old World,” highlight their knack for nuanced, story-forward songcraft.

The seeds of Shannon Clark & The Sugar were first planted when Shannon and Brittany, native Ohioans, met and fell in love in a rock band while still in high school. With that early band, the Clarks played a variety of events including Warped Tour, until eventually setting out as a musical duo after marrying and having their first two children. When their second-born passed away suddenly in 2009, the Clarks went silent. It wasn’t until their eldest daughter Navie expressed interest in music that the family gradually found their way back to songwriting and performing together.

In 2020, Shannon Clark & The Sugar officially formed as a threesome. Their first single, “Carry Me,” was shown at film festivals all over the country, won best music video at Peak City International Film Festival, and was a finalist at Music Video Asheville. Since the release of their debut record in 2021, Shannon Clark & The Sugar have added a fourth member, their cousin, guitarist Joey Howard, opened for Tim McGraw, and toured festivals and venues nationally. Their sophomore record, This Old World, releases in spring 2023.

 See www.Buttonwood.org for show details or call (860) 347-4957  email: [email protected]