Todd Van Sickle is known in the country and folk music world for two things. He was the first husband of singer Jennifer Nettles, and he once owned Eddie’s Attic, a famous live-music venue in Decatur, Georgia. His name does not appear in the news often, but his part in the Atlanta music scene was real and helpful for many artists. This article gives a clear, simple look at his life around music, his marriage to Nettles, and the legacy of Eddie’s Attic.
Personal Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Todd Van Sickle |
| Known for | Former owner of Eddie’s Attic; ex-husband of Jennifer Nettles |
| Profession | Music venue owner / operator |
| Major venue | Eddie’s Attic, Decatur, Georgia |
| Bought Eddie’s Attic | 2002 (from founder Eddie Owen) |
| Sold Eddie’s Attic | 2005 (to Bob Ephlin) |
| Spouse (former) | Jennifer Nettles (m. 1998; div. 2007) |
| Children | Not publicly confirmed |
| Public presence | Low-profile; rarely gives interviews |
| Notable link to music scene | Helped keep a key listening room active during early Sugarland years |
| Current work/home | Not publicly known |
Early connection to the Atlanta music scene
Decatur and Atlanta have long been friendly places for singer-songwriters. Eddie’s Attic, in particular, is a “listening room” where the audience comes to hear lyrics and stories. Many artists played there early in their careers, and the club became a small but important home for folk and country voices.
Todd Van Sickle entered this world not as a performer, but as an owner and operator. In 2002, founder Eddie Owen sold Eddie’s Attic to him. This transfer kept the venue open and active at a time when the local scene needed stable, careful hands. Different sources confirm the 2002 sale to Van Sickle.
The Eddie’s Attic years (2002–2005)
Running a small music venue is hard work. It means booking acts, handling staff and sound, and making sure the room stays a “listening room,” not just a loud bar. During Van Sickle’s ownership, Eddie’s Attic continued to host emerging and touring artists. In 2005, he sold the club to Bob Ephlin, a former Wolf Camera executive. This change is recorded both in features and in the venue’s historical record.
Why does this matter? Eddie’s Attic is more than a stage. It is a gateway where newcomers can test songs and where seasoned writers can play intimate shows. Keeping such a place running helps the wider music community. Van Sickle’s three-year window as owner sits right in the period when Jennifer Nettles and Sugarland were moving from regional success to national fame.
Marriage to Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles is the lead singer of Sugarland and a well-known solo artist. She married Todd Van Sickle in 1998; they divorced in 2007. Nettles has said she tried to keep both the marriage and the divorce private and respectful.
Their relationship overlapped with key years in Nettles’ career. Before Sugarland, she fronted bands in the Atlanta area; Sugarland’s rise in the mid-2000s brought major attention. While Van Sickle was not part of the band, his role as a venue owner put him close to the day-to-day life of working musicians in the same city and scene.
Life after the Attic
After selling Eddie’s Attic in 2005, Van Sickle largely stepped away from public view. The club later changed hands again first to Bob Ephlin and, years later, to promoter Alex Cooley and his partner while founder Eddie Owen moved on to launch Red Clay Theatre in Duluth. These changes show how the room kept evolving long after Van Sickle’s tenure.
There is little verified information about Van Sickle’s later work or personal projects. This is common with people who do behind-the-scenes jobs in music. Owners, bookers, and managers often prefer quiet lives. What is clear is that his time at Eddie’s Attic sits on a public record, and his marriage to Jennifer Nettles is part of her published biography.
How Eddie’s Attic shaped artists
To understand Van Sickle’s place in music, it helps to look at the room he ran. Eddie’s Attic is famous for open-mic nights, songwriter rounds, and intimate ticketed shows. Many artists who later became widely known passed through its stage. It has been called a haven for up-and-coming songwriters and veteran musicians alike. In short, it is a place where small shows can change lives.
By keeping the doors open during his ownership years, Van Sickle helped carry that mission forward. This kind of work is not flashy, but it matters. A venue owner protects sound quality, audience etiquette, and artist pay. Those small decisions shape a city’s music culture.
Public image and privacy
Unlike performing artists, Van Sickle has no public social-media persona tied to the music scene today, and he rarely appears in interviews. Most verified facts about him come from venue histories and from Nettles’ public biography. That is why this article focuses on facts we can confirm the 2002 purchase, the 2005 sale, and the 1998–2007 marriage timeline.
Timeline (key dates)
- 1998: Marries Jennifer Nettles.
- 2002: Buys Eddie’s Attic from founder Eddie Owen.
- 2005: Sells Eddie’s Attic to Bob Ephlin.
- 2007: Divorce from Jennifer Nettles.
Why Todd Van Sickle’s story matters
Some people help build music scenes without standing in the spotlight. Van Sickle fits this group. His short but important role as an owner of Eddie’s Attic supported a room that gave space to countless writers and bands. At the same time, his personal story is linked to a major country star. Together, these two facts explain why his name still appears when people talk about Atlanta’s songwriter culture and Jennifer Nettles’ early life and career.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Who is Todd Van Sickle?
He is an American music-venue owner best known for owning Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia, and for being the first husband of country singer Jennifer Nettles.
2) When did he buy Eddie’s Attic?
He bought Eddie’s Attic in 2002, taking over from the founder, Eddie Owen.
3) When did he sell the venue?
He sold the club in 2005 to Bob Ephlin.
4) Why is Eddie’s Attic important?
It is one of the Southeast’s best known listening rooms, a place where many singer-songwriters grow and where famous artists still play intimate shows.
5) When did Todd Van Sickle and Jennifer Nettles marry and divorce?
They married in 1998 and divorced in 2007.
6) Did he work as a musician?
Public records link him mainly to venue ownership and operations, not to performing.
7) Is he still active in the music business?
There is no verified recent public information about his current work. After 2005, the club changed owners again, and founder Eddie Owen moved on to Red Clay Theatre.
8) Did his role affect Jennifer Nettles’ career?
He did not perform with her, but owning a key local venue placed him near the center of Atlanta’s songwriter scene during Sugarland’s early success.
9) Where is Todd Van Sickle now?
His current location and work are not publicly confirmed by reliable sources.
10) Why is there limited information about him?
He keeps a low public profile and has not sought media attention. Most confirmed details come from venue histories and Nettles’ biography.
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