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Todd Van Sickle is a music industry entrepreneur best known as Jennifer Nettles’ ex-husband and former owner of Eddie’s Attic, the Atlanta-area venue where artists like John Mayer, Shawn Mullins, and Sugarland launched their careers. He owned the venue from 2002 to approximately 2005, supporting emerging talent during a critical period in country and acoustic music history.
Todd Van Sickle emerged in the public eye through two significant connections to the music world. First, his marriage to Jennifer Nettles, the powerhouse vocalist who would later form the Grammy-winning duo Sugarland. Second, his ownership of Eddie’s Attic, one of Georgia’s most respected acoustic music venues.
Eddie’s Attic was founded in 1992 by Eddie Owen, establishing itself as a listening room where audiences actually paid attention to the music. In March 2002, Owen sold the business to Todd Van Sickle, who was then married to Sugarland member Jennifer Nettles.
Van Sickle maintained the venue’s reputation as a launchpad for talent. The intimate 180-person space became known for its strict “no talking during performances” policy and weekly open mic competitions. Past winners of Eddie’s Attic competitions include John Mayer, Shawn Mullins, Clay Cook, Jennifer Nettles, and Tyler Childers.
His role wasn’t just as a business owner. Van Sickle positioned himself as a talent supporter who understood what artists needed—a respectful audience, quality acoustics, and a stage where original material could shine. During his ownership, Eddie’s Attic continued its tradition of bi-annual Open Mic Shootouts with $1,000 prizes, giving unknown songwriters a platform that could change their careers.
The venue operated under Van Sickle’s management during a critical period when Sugarland was forming and gaining traction in the Atlanta music scene. Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush, and Kristen Hall were regulars in Atlanta’s folk-rock scene, playing frequently at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia.
Van Sickle acquired Eddie’s Attic when it was already a respected venue, but his stewardship came during a golden era for acoustic music in Atlanta. The venue had built its reputation on one simple principle: music matters most.
Eddie’s Attic is a listening room with superior acoustics where customers are asked to silence their cell phones and actually listen to the songs. This approach attracted serious musicians and dedicated fans.
The business model was straightforward but effective. Seven nights a week of live music. Every other Monday featured the famous open mic competitions. The venue maintained a restaurant and bar, but the music room remained a sacred space.
Under Van Sickle’s ownership, the venue maintained several key features:
Van Sickle later sold the business to Bob Ephl, though exact timing isn’t publicly documented. Based on available records, his ownership likely lasted from 2002 to around 2005.
The venue continues operating today with the same mission: supporting performing songwriters and original music. It remains one of the premier acoustic music venues in the Southeast.
Jennifer Nettles married Todd Van Sickle in 1998, and the couple divorced in 2007. Their relationship spanned a transformative period in Nettles’ career—from regional performer to Grammy-winning country star.
When they met, Nettles was performing with her band Soul Miner’s Daughter and later the Jennifer Nettles Band. The couple married two years into their relationship, and Van Sickle purchased Eddie’s Attic in 2002, four years into their marriage.
This timeline matters because it shows Van Sickle’s ownership of Eddie’s Attic coincided with the formation and early success of Sugarland. Sugarland formed in 2002 with Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush, and Kristen Hall. Their debut album “Twice the Speed of Life” was released in October 2004.
The marriage ended in 2007, the same year Sugarland was experiencing massive success. Nettles married Justin Miller on November 26, 2011, and they remain together today with one son.
Van Sickle and Nettles maintained privacy throughout their relationship and divorce. No public statements explained the split, and neither party discussed personal details with media. This discretion has continued—Van Sickle has never given interviews about his ex-wife or their time together.
The relationship connected Van Sickle to country music’s upper echelon, but he never leveraged that connection for personal publicity. His focus remained on the business side of music rather than celebrity.
Van Sickle has maintained complete privacy since selling Eddie’s Attic. No verified information exists about his current work, location, or personal life.
Several facts remain consistent:
This level of privacy is unusual but not unprecedented. Many people connected to celebrities choose to step back from public life entirely. Van Sickle’s decision to avoid the spotlight suggests he values anonymity over any potential benefits of his connection to Nettles’ fame.
His legacy lives primarily through Eddie’s Attic’s continued operation and the artists who performed there during his ownership. The venue still runs its open mic competitions, still caps attendance at 180, and still enforces its listening room standards.
Todd Van Sickle is a music industry entrepreneur who owned Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia from 2002 to approximately 2005. He’s also known as the ex-husband of country star Jennifer Nettles.
They were together for nine years total—dating from 1998, married in 2000, and divorced in 2007.
Eddie’s Attic is an intimate acoustic music venue in Decatur, Georgia that launched the careers of artists including John Mayer, Shawn Mullins, and Jennifer Nettles herself. It was founded in 1992 and continues operating today.
There’s no public record of Todd Van Sickle having children.
Van Sickle’s current location and activities are unknown. He maintains complete privacy and has no public social media presence.
After Todd Van Sickle, Bob Ephl purchased Eddie’s Attic. The venue continues operating with the same mission of supporting original songwriters.
Van Sickle’s net worth isn’t publicly documented. While ownership of Eddie’s Attic likely provided financial stability, specific figures aren’t available.
