The Chicks
- Music Artist
- Actress
- Producer
The Dixie Chicks are a popular trio of women country-and-western
musicians who hail from Texas. Their public comments have increasingly
made them controversial, even among their own fans.
The group began in 1989 singing on a Dallas street corner. Their music
initially stayed largely within the bounds of traditional bluegrass.
Their major success occurred after 1995 when they changed their
line-up, hired Natalie Maines as their lead singer and broadened their musical
focus. The group's sound still bears the mark of bluegrass, since they
often play songs that are up-tempo and that emphasize the fiddle and
the banjo.
The other members of the trio are sisters Martie Maguire, known as a virtuoso
on the fiddle and the mandolin, and Emily Strayer, who is a master of the
banjo, the Dobro, the guitar and the accordion. They are recognized as
being among the best musicians in country music. The group's songs are
often about freedom from a woman's point of view.
In 1998 the Dixie Chicks sold more CDs than all other country music
groups combined. In the years that followed they won numerous awards,
including five Grammys and the Country Music Association's Album of the
Year in 2000 and their Vocal Group of the Year award in 2002. The
Chicks' various albums and concert tours have met with great commercial
success.
In 2001 the Dixie Chicks sued their record company, Sony, for
underpayment of royalties. In the following year the suit was settled
privately and a new arrangement was made which included the Dixie
Chicks creating their own label, with their albums would be distributed
by Sony. The Chicks later said that Sony should be praised for standing
by them during their political controversies.
The Dixie Chicks are no stranger to controversy. As they came to
express more of their progressive social and political views over time,
they found themselves increasingly out of step with many in their
country and western fan base, most of whom are culturally and
politically conservative. Their 1999 song "Goodbye Earl" was a
humorously rendered story about dealing with an abusive husband by
literally eliminating him. That, and their lusty song "Sin Wagon", were
banned from a number of country radio stations. In turn, the group's
2002 song "Long Time Gone" criticized many country stations for failing
to play country classics.
In March 2003 Maines made a fateful remark in public that made news
around the world. On the eve of the invasion of Iraq, many Americans
were gearing up to support the impending war while many others were
opposed to it. In contrast, most Europeans thought the war was
ill-conceived, and assumed that all Americans were united in supporting
their President's war policy. While in London, Maines commented on the
approaching war and the man who was leading it: "Just so you know,
we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
Many country music fans were upset, and considered this remark, its
timing and its venue, to be virtually treasonous. Natalie tried
apologizing for her comment but to no avail. Many country music
stations banned all Dixie Chick music. Fans joined together to
ceremoniously burn or crush their CDs. One conservative radio station
sponsored an event where Dixie Chick CDs were by a bulldozer. Other
country musicians stepped up to criticize the Chicks, notably Toby Keith
and Reba McEntire. The Chicks received numerous death threats, and the front
gate of Emily Robison's home was smashed in. Although the Chicks'
ongoing concert tour proceeded without trouble, some music critics
predicted the end of the Dixie Chicks' career.
In 2006 the Chicks began promoting their new album. By this time most
Americans now had doubts about the wisdom of the Iraq War. Maines
withdrew her previous public apology. The album's first single included
the defiant lyrics "I'm not ready to make nice, I'm not ready to back
down". There were further public exchanges between the Chicks and their
critics. Despite very limited play on country radio, the new album
debuted at #1 on Billboard's Country and overall Top 200 charts. Their
concert was sold out in Europe, and in Toronto 20,000 tickets were sold
in eight minutes. However, large venues in the American South and in
the Chicks' native Texas had to be re-scheduled apparently due to
lagging ticket sales in the region that was once their home base. The
Dixie Chicks retain much popularity but it seems their underlying fan
base has shifted.
The group can be seen in performance in the concert movie An Evening with the Dixie Chicks (2002) which
is available on video.
musicians who hail from Texas. Their public comments have increasingly
made them controversial, even among their own fans.
The group began in 1989 singing on a Dallas street corner. Their music
initially stayed largely within the bounds of traditional bluegrass.
Their major success occurred after 1995 when they changed their
line-up, hired Natalie Maines as their lead singer and broadened their musical
focus. The group's sound still bears the mark of bluegrass, since they
often play songs that are up-tempo and that emphasize the fiddle and
the banjo.
The other members of the trio are sisters Martie Maguire, known as a virtuoso
on the fiddle and the mandolin, and Emily Strayer, who is a master of the
banjo, the Dobro, the guitar and the accordion. They are recognized as
being among the best musicians in country music. The group's songs are
often about freedom from a woman's point of view.
In 1998 the Dixie Chicks sold more CDs than all other country music
groups combined. In the years that followed they won numerous awards,
including five Grammys and the Country Music Association's Album of the
Year in 2000 and their Vocal Group of the Year award in 2002. The
Chicks' various albums and concert tours have met with great commercial
success.
In 2001 the Dixie Chicks sued their record company, Sony, for
underpayment of royalties. In the following year the suit was settled
privately and a new arrangement was made which included the Dixie
Chicks creating their own label, with their albums would be distributed
by Sony. The Chicks later said that Sony should be praised for standing
by them during their political controversies.
The Dixie Chicks are no stranger to controversy. As they came to
express more of their progressive social and political views over time,
they found themselves increasingly out of step with many in their
country and western fan base, most of whom are culturally and
politically conservative. Their 1999 song "Goodbye Earl" was a
humorously rendered story about dealing with an abusive husband by
literally eliminating him. That, and their lusty song "Sin Wagon", were
banned from a number of country radio stations. In turn, the group's
2002 song "Long Time Gone" criticized many country stations for failing
to play country classics.
In March 2003 Maines made a fateful remark in public that made news
around the world. On the eve of the invasion of Iraq, many Americans
were gearing up to support the impending war while many others were
opposed to it. In contrast, most Europeans thought the war was
ill-conceived, and assumed that all Americans were united in supporting
their President's war policy. While in London, Maines commented on the
approaching war and the man who was leading it: "Just so you know,
we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
Many country music fans were upset, and considered this remark, its
timing and its venue, to be virtually treasonous. Natalie tried
apologizing for her comment but to no avail. Many country music
stations banned all Dixie Chick music. Fans joined together to
ceremoniously burn or crush their CDs. One conservative radio station
sponsored an event where Dixie Chick CDs were by a bulldozer. Other
country musicians stepped up to criticize the Chicks, notably Toby Keith
and Reba McEntire. The Chicks received numerous death threats, and the front
gate of Emily Robison's home was smashed in. Although the Chicks'
ongoing concert tour proceeded without trouble, some music critics
predicted the end of the Dixie Chicks' career.
In 2006 the Chicks began promoting their new album. By this time most
Americans now had doubts about the wisdom of the Iraq War. Maines
withdrew her previous public apology. The album's first single included
the defiant lyrics "I'm not ready to make nice, I'm not ready to back
down". There were further public exchanges between the Chicks and their
critics. Despite very limited play on country radio, the new album
debuted at #1 on Billboard's Country and overall Top 200 charts. Their
concert was sold out in Europe, and in Toronto 20,000 tickets were sold
in eight minutes. However, large venues in the American South and in
the Chicks' native Texas had to be re-scheduled apparently due to
lagging ticket sales in the region that was once their home base. The
Dixie Chicks retain much popularity but it seems their underlying fan
base has shifted.
The group can be seen in performance in the concert movie An Evening with the Dixie Chicks (2002) which
is available on video.