The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

band from

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of

Natalie Maines Natalie Louise Maines (born October 14, 1974) is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist for the all-female country band The Chicks. In 1995, after leaving Berklee College of Music, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their ...

(lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and Emily Strayer (vocals, guitar, banjo, Dobro). Maguire and Strayer, both née Erwin, founded the band in 1989 in

, Texas, with bassist Laura Lynch and vocalist and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy. They performed bluegrass and

, busking and touring the bluegrass festival circuits and small venues for six years without attracting a major label. In 1992, Macy left and Lynch became the lead vocalist. Upon signing with Monument Records Nashville in 1997 and replacing Lynch with Maines, the Chicks achieved success with their albums '' Wide Open Spaces'' (1998) and '' Fly'' (1999). After Monument closed its Nashville branch, the Chicks moved to Columbia Records for '' Home'' (2002). These albums achieved multi-platinum sales in the United States, Canada, and Australia, along with several charting singles on the American '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts. "

There's Your Trouble "There's Your Trouble" is a song written by Mark Selby and Tia Sillers and recorded by American country music band Dixie Chicks (now known as the Chicks). It was released in March 1998 as the second single from the band's fourth studio album, '' W ...

", " Wide Open Spaces", "

You Were Mine "You Were Mine" is a song recorded by American country music group Dixie Chicks. Released in December 1998 as the fourth single from the album '' Wide Open Spaces'', the song spent two weeks atop the U.S. Country singles chart in March 1999; th ...

", "

Cowboy Take Me Away "Cowboy Take Me Away" is a song by recorded American country music group Dixie Chicks, written by Martie Maguire and Marcus Hummon. It was released in November 1999 as the second single from their album ''Fly''. The song's title is derived from ...

", " Without You", and a cover of

Bruce Robison Bruce Ben Robison (born June 11, 1966) is an American, Austin-based Texas country music singer-songwriter. Bruce and his brother, fellow singer-songwriter Charlie Robison, grew up in Bandera, Texas, near San Antonio, and he currently reside ...

's "

Travelin' Soldier "Travelin' Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again, in rewritten form, in 1999. It was later recorded by Ty England on his 1999 album, '' Highways & Dance Halls''. The fi ...

" reached number one. The Chicks also reached number one on the

Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...

chart with their 2002 cover of Fleetwood Mac's " Landslide". Days before the

2003 invasion of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...

, Maines told a London audience that the Chicks did not endorse the war and were ashamed of US President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

being from Texas. The remarks triggered boycotts in the US and a backlash from fans. After a hiatus, the Chicks released ''

Taking the Long Way ''Taking the Long Way'' is the seventh studio album by American country music group Dixie Chicks. Released on May 23, 2006, through Columbia Nashville, it was also the group's last album released under the “Dixie Chicks” name. The album debut ...

'' in 2006, an album informed by the backlash. " Not Ready to Make Nice" became their biggest crossover single, reaching number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. After another hiatus, Maguire and Strayer released an album in 2009 as the Court Yard Hounds. The Chicks reunited to tour in the 2010s. In 2020, they removed "

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...

" from their name, citing negative connotations, and released their first album in 14 years, '' Gaslighter.'' The Chicks have won 13

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s, including five in 2007 for ''Taking the Long Way,'' which received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and its single " Not Ready to Make Nice", which received the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the

Grammy Award for Song of the Year The Grammy Award for Song of the Year is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. The Song of the Year award is one of the four most prestigious categories at t ...

. By July 2020, with 33 million certified albums sold and sales of 27.9 million albums in the US, the Chicks had become the best-selling all-woman band and best-selling country group in the US during the Nielsen SoundScan era (1991–present).

History

1989–1995: Original bluegrass group

The Dixie Chicks were founded by Laura Lynch on

upright bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar ...

, Robin Lynn Macy on guitar and the multi-instrumentalist sisters Martie and Emily Erwin in 1989. The Erwin sisters later married and both changed their names twice (Martie to Martie Seidel, then Martie Maguire; Emily to Emily Robison, then Emily Strayer). The band's name was taken from the album ''

Dixie Chicken ''Dixie Chicken'' is the third studio album by the American rock band Little Feat, released in 1973. The artwork for the front cover was by illustrator Neon Park and is a reference to a line from the album's third song, "Roll Um Easy". The albu ...

'' by

Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...

of Little Feat.Tarnow, Noah, "Dixie Chicks", ''Rolling Stone''; 12/01/98 Issue 801, pg.37 They initially played predominantly bluegrass and a mix of country standards. All four women played and sang, though Maguire and Strayer provided most of the instrumental accompaniment for the band while Lynch and Macy shared lead vocals. Maguire primarily played fiddle, mandolin, and

viola ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...

, while Strayer's specialties included five-stringed banjo and dobro. In 1990, Penny Cook, daughter of then Senator

John Tower John Goodwin Tower (September 29, 1925 – April 5, 1991) was an American politician, serving as a Republican United States Senator from Texas from 1961 to 1985. He was the first Republican Senator elected from Texas since Reconstruction. Tower ...

, gave the group $10,000 to record an album. Their first studio album, ''

Thank Heavens for Dale Evans ''Thank Heavens for Dale Evans'' is the debut studio album by American country music band the Dixie Chicks. The group's original membership of Robin Lynn Macy, Laura Lynch, Martie Erwin, and Emily Erwin (whose names were changed to Martie M ...

'', was named after the pioneering performer

Dale Evans Dale Evans Rogers (born Frances Octavia Smith; October 31, 1912 – February 7, 2001) was an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers. Early life Evans was born Frances Octavia Smith on ...

. They paid $5,000 for the 14-track album.Brooks, Robert
"The All-Inclusive Dixie Chicks Timeline"
Last updated October 15, 1999. Retrieved March 25, 2008. The album included two instrumental tunes. In 1987, Maguire (still known then as Martie Erwin) had won second place, and in 1989, third place in the national fiddle championships held at the

Walnut Valley Festival The Walnut Valley Festival is an acoustic music festival held annually in Winfield, Kansas, United States. The main genre of music is bluegrass, but a wide variety of other acoustic styles are represented. The festival is held on the Wednesday ...

in Winfield, Kansas. A Christmas single was released at the end of the year – a 45 RPM

vinyl record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts nea ...

titled ''Home on the Radar Range'' with "Christmas Swing" on one side and the song on the flip side named "The Flip Side". The record titles were significant; during that period of time, the bandmates dressed up as "

cowgirls A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the ''vaquero'' ...

", and publicity photos reflected this image. However, even with an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, and Garrison Keillor's radio show '' A Prairie Home Companion'',Clark, Rene
"Can the Dixie Chicks make it in the big time? Local Heroes"
''Dallas Morning News'', March 1, 1992. Retrieved March 23, 2008 they did not get much national airplay. The Dixie Chicks began building a fan base, winning the prize for "best band" at the 1990

Telluride Bluegrass Festival Telluride Bluegrass Festival is an annual music festival in Telluride, Colorado hosted by Planet Bluegrass. Although traditionally the festival focuses on bluegrass music, it often features music from a variety of related genres. History The tow ...

and opening for established

artists, including such names as Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and George Strait. In 1992, a second independent album, ''

Little Ol' Cowgirl ''Little Ol' Cowgirl'' is the second studio album by American country band Dixie Chicks, released in 1992. As with their previous album, it produced no chart singles. It was also the last album to feature Robin Lynn Macy, who left in late 1992 o ...

'', moved towards a more contemporary country sound, as the band enlisted the help of more

session musicians Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a t ...

, and developed a richer sound with larger and more modern arrangements. Robin Lynn Macy was not pleased with the change in sound. She left in late 1992 to devote herself to a "purer" bluegrass sound, remaining active in the Dallas and Austin music scenes."Dixie Chicks Biography
8 Notes Online. Retrieved February 10, 2008. It was during this period that professional steel guitarist

Lloyd Maines Lloyd Wayne Maines (born June 28, 1951) is an American country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame as one of the first three members, the other two being Willie Nelson and Stev ...

(who had played on both albums) introduced them to his daughter, Natalie, an aspiring singer. Lloyd Maines thought his daughter would be a good match to replace the departed Macy, and had passed along Natalie's audition demo tape, which had won her a full scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, to both Maguire and Strayer."Dishing With The Dixie Chicks"
''Redbook'' March 1, 2002. Retrieved March 23, 2008. Her distinctive voice was a match for Maguire's soprano and Strayer's alto

harmonies In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...

. As Maguire and Strayer considered their options and the major record labels waffled over whether they should take a risk on an all-woman band, a few reviewers took note of their talents: Lynch, thrust into the role of sole lead singer on their third independent album, ''

Shouldn't a Told You That ''Shouldn't a Told You That'' is the third studio album by American country band Dixie Chicks, under the name the Dixie Chicks Cowgirl Band, released in 1993. It was their third and final album for the Crystal Clear Sound label, and last to feat ...

'' in 1993, was unable to attract support from a major record label, and the band struggled to expand their fan base beyond Texas and Nashville. New manager Simon Renshaw approached music executive Scott Siman and he signed them to a developmental deal with

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

's Nashville division. The deal was finalized with Sony over mid-1995. The Chicks then replaced Lynch with singer Maines.Dickerson, James L. (2000) Dixie Chicks: Down-Home and Backstage. Taylor Trade Publishing, Dallas, Texas. . Accounts of the departure have varied. At the time, the sisters stated that Lynch had been considering leaving the band for over a year, weary of touring, and hoping to spend more time with her daughter at home. She offered to stay for the first cuts on the new album for Sony, but the sisters thought it would send the wrong message to the label; they all agreed she would leave before the new album. In a later interview, Lynch said, "It can't really be characterized as a resignation. There are three Dixie Chicks, and I'm only one." By her own account Lynch noted that she had no regrets about leaving.

1995–2000: Commercial success with ''Wide Open Spaces'' and ''Fly''

With the addition of

, the new lineup had a more contemporary sound, as well as a new look, leaving their cowgirl dresses with their past, giving the band a broader appeal. Renshaw sent staff producer Blake Chancey to Austin to work with the band. After Maines joined the band, the instrumental lineup was essentially the same, though Maines was not an acoustic bassist. Instead, she played acoustic and electric guitar, and occasionally electric bass guitar or

papoose Papoose (from the Algonquian ''papoose'', meaning "child") is an American English word whose present meaning is "a Native American child" (regardless of tribe) or, even more generally, any child, usually used as a term of endearment, often in t ...

in concert. She sang lead vocals, with Maguire and Strayer singing backing vocals. Strayer was now contributing to the band's sound, adding guitar, accordion,

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form ...

, and papoose to her mastery of the five-string banjo and dobro, while Maguire began adding guitar,

, and mandolin chops more frequently to her expert fiddle. The sisters welcomed the change; Maguire said, "It's very rootsy, but then Natalie comes in with a rock and blues influence. That gave Emily and ea chance to branch out, because we loved those kinds of music but felt limited by our instruments." Within the next year,

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professiona ...

came to Austin to see the revamped Dixie Chicks and committed to sign them to a long-term deal and they were selected as the first new artist on the newly revived

Monument Records Monument Records is an American record label in Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958 by Fred Foster, Buddy Deane (a prominent Baltimore disc jockey at WTTG), and business manager Jack Kirby. Buddy Deane soon left ...

label. A single " I Can Love You Better" was released in October 1997, and reached the Top 10 on American

charts, while the new lineup recorded the rest of their debut album. '' Wide Open Spaces'' was released on January 23, 1998.Official Dixie Chicks Site
Over the space of a year, the next three singles from ''Wide Open Spaces'' reached first place on the Country charts: "

", "

", and the

title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may a ...

. The album added a widespread audience to their original following, entering the top five on both country and pop chartsSmith, Chris (January 19, 2008)
"100 Albums You Need To Own"
, ''

The Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published si ...

''. Retrieved May 12, 2011. with initial sales of 12 million copies in the country music arena alone, setting a record for the best-selling duo or group album in country music history.Ankeny, Jason Dixie Chicks Biography/ref> As of 2003, the 12 million copies sold in the United States of ''Wide Open Spaces'' made it a RIAA-certified diamond album.RIAA Official Assessment Site
. Retrieved May 9, 2008 In 1998, the Dixie Chicks sold more CDs than all other country music groups combined."Dixie Chicks Biography"
''

Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

''. Retrieved May 30, 2008 Big Country music took note of the Chicks, awarding them the Horizon Award for new artists in 1998, given to those who have "demonstrated the most significant creative growth and development in overall chart and sales activity, live performance professionalism and critical media recognition". By 1999, the album won the new lineup their first Grammy Awards as well as acclaim from the Country Music Association, the

Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...

, and other high-profile awards. On August 31, 1999, the Dixie Chicks released another album, '' Fly'', which debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200 charts, selling over 10 million copies and making the Dixie Chicks the only country band and the only female band of any genre to hold the distinction of having two back-to-back

RIAA certified In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets.

diamond albums. Nine singles were released from ''Fly'', including country No. 1s "

" and " Without You". Dixie Chicks albums continued to place in the list of the 50 best-selling albums in American history over a half-decade after they were released.Willman, Chris (2005), ''Rednecks & Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music'', New York:

The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin "Couples Shine At Country Awards"
, CBS News, May 2, 2000. Retrieved February 25, 2022 The band headlined their first tour, the Fly Tour, with guest artists including Joe Ely and

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...

appearing at each show, and also joined

Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan OC OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is '' Surfacing'', for which she won two Grammy Awards (ou ...

, Sheryl Crow, and other female artists on the all-woman touring

Lilith Fair Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 ...

.Willman, Chris (July 27, 1999)
"The Dixie Chicks bring country music to Lilith Fair"
, ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

''. Retrieved February 25, 2022. The source of the Dixie Chicks' commercial success during this time came from various factors: they wrote or co-wrote about half of the songs on ''Wide Open Spaces'' and ''Fly''; their mixture of bluegrass, mainstream

, blues, and pop songs appealed to a wide spectrum of record buyers, and where the women had once dressed as "cowgirls" with Lynch, their dress was now more contemporary. "Cowboy Take Me Away" from ''Fly'' became another signature song, written by Maguire to celebrate her sister's romance with

country singer Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

Charlie Robison Charles Fitzgerald Robison (born September 1, 1964) is a retired American country music singer-songwriter. His brother, Bruce Robison, and his sister, Robyn Ludwick, are also singer-songwriters. Career After a knee injury at ''Southwest Texas ...

, whom Emily subsequently married, exchanging her surname for Robison. However, a few of their songs brought controversy within their conservative country music fan base, and two songs caused some radio stations to remove the Chicks from their playlists: " Sin Wagon", from which the term "mattress dancing" takes on a new twist, and "

Goodbye Earl "Goodbye Earl", written by Dennis Linde, is a country music song. Initially recorded by the band Sons of the Desert for an unreleased album in the late 1990s, the song gained fame when it was recorded by Dixie Chicks on their fifth studio album, '' ...

", a song that uses

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discu ...

in telling the story of the unabashed murderer of an abusive husband. (The band later made a video portraying the nefarious deed, with actor

Dennis Franz Dennis Franz Schlachta (; born October 28, 1944), known professionally as Dennis Franz, is an American retired actor best known for his role as NYPD Detective Andy Sipowicz in the ABC television series ''NYPD Blue'' (1993–2005), a role that e ...

playing the murdered husband.) In an interview, Maines commented about Sony worrying about the reference to "mattress dancing" in "Sin Wagon", refusing to discuss it in interviews. She said, "Our manager jokes, 'You can't say mattress dancing, but they love the song about premeditated first degree murder'! She continues, " ... so it's funny to us that "mattress dancing" is out and murder is in!"Willman, Chris (September 23, 1999)
"The Dixie Chicks burn up the Billboard pop charts"
, ''

'' Retrieved February 25, 2022

2001–2002: Record label dispute and ''Home''

After the commercial success of their first two albums, the band became involved in a dispute with their record label,

, regarding accounting procedures, alleging that in at least 30 cases Sony had used fraudulent accounting practices, underpaying them at least $4 million (£2.7m) in royalties on their albums over the previous three years."Dixie Chicks sue Sony for $4m"
.

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

. August 29, 2001. Retrieved June 26, 2008. Sony held out, and the trio walked away, with Sony suing the group for failure to complete their contract."Sony sues Dixie Chicks for Breach of Contract"
. Retrieved February 25, 2022 The Chicks responded with their own $4.1-million lawsuit against

on August 27,"Dixie Chicks Sue Sony
. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

''. August 28, 2001. Retrieved February 25, 2022. which added clout to claims made by singers

Courtney Love Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as ...

Aimee Mann Aimee Elizabeth Mann (born September 8, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released more than a dozen albums as a solo artist and with other musicians. She is noted for her sardonic and literate lyr ...

, and LeAnn Rimes against the recording industry. After months of negotiation, the Chicks settled their suit privately, and were awarded their own record label imprint, Open Wide Records, which afforded them more control, a better contract, and an increase in royalty money, with Sony still responsible for marketing and distribution of albums.Leggett, Steve
"Martie Maguire: Biography."
MSN. Retrieved March 9, 2008. During the time that they worked with Sony to reconcile their differences, the Dixie Chicks debuted their quiet, unadorned song "I Believe in Love" on the '' America: A Tribute to Heroes''

telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause. Most telethons f ...

following the September 11, 2001 attacks. The three women found themselves home, in Texas, each happily married, planning families, and writing songs closer to their roots, without the usual pressures of the studio technicians from the major labels. The songs they didn't write were solicited from songwriters who wrote with a less commercial emphasis.Hermes, Wil
NPR Music All Things Considered
. NPR Music. August 28, 2002. Retrieved April 20, 2008. The result was that '' Home'', independently produced by

and the Chicks, was released August 27, 2002. Unlike the Chicks' two previous records, ''Home'' is dominated by up-tempo bluegrass and pensive ballads; and Emmylou Harris added her vocals to "Godspeed". In addition, the text of the opening track and first single, "

Long Time Gone "Long Time Gone" is a bluegrass song by American musician Darrell Scott, originally recorded by him on his 2000 album ''Real Time'' which Scott recorded together with Tim O'Brien. The song was later covered by the American band Dixie Chicks, an ...

", was a pointed criticism of contemporary country music radio, accusing it of ignoring the soul of the genre as exemplified by

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled a ...

, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams. "Long Time Gone" became the Chicks' first Top 10 hit on the U.S. pop singles chart and peaked at No. 2 on the country chart, becoming a major success. Approximately six million copies of ''Home'' were sold in the United States. ''Home'' also won Grammy awards, and other noteworthy accolades as before, though it fell short of reaching the diamond record status of the first two albums. Natalie Maines said afterward, "I want to check the record books and see how many fathers and daughters have won Grammys together." By 2002, the Dixie Chicks were featured on three television specials: '' An Evening with the Dixie Chicks'', which was an acoustic concert primarily composed of the material from ''Home''; '' VH1 Divas Las Vegas'' alongside Cher,

Céline Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...

Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is n ...

, Anastacia, Stevie Nicks,

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...

and host

Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She starred in the sitcom ''Ellen'' from 1994 to 1998, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for " The Puppy Episode". Sh ...

; and a CMT three-hour television special, the ''40 Greatest Women of Country Music''. Ranked No. 13 out of 40, they were "selected by hundreds of artists, music historians, music journalists and music industry professionals—looking at every aspect of what a great artist is".Retrieved June 13, 200
CMT">''Country Music Television, CMT
's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music''/ref>

2003–2005: Iraq War comments and backlash

On March 10, 2003, the Dixie Chicks performed at the Shepherd's Bush Empire theater in London, England''.'' Maines told the audience the band did not support the imminent 2003 Invasion of Iraq, Allied invasion of Iraq and were "ashamed" that President George W. Bush was from Texas.Campbell, Duncan (2003)
Dixie sluts' fight on with naked defiance"
''The Guardian''. Retrieved June 26, 2020. Maines's remark triggered a backlash in the United States. The Dixie Chicks were Blacklisting, blacklisted by thousands of country radio stations, and the band members received death threats. Maines issued an apology, saying her remark had been disrespectful; in 2006 she rescinded the apology, saying she felt Bush deserved no respect. Their single " Landslide", a Fleetwood Mac cover, fell from number 10 to 43 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in one week and left the chart a week later. The backlash also damaged sales of their next album and tour. DixieChicksMSG062003

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita battered the

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...

, with the group's home state of Texas directly in the wake of the disaster. In September, the Dixie Chicks debuted their song " I Hope" in the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast telethon. The song was one of only two performed at the concert that was not donated for the subsequent DVD. The Dixie Chicks made their new single available as a download with proceeds to benefit hurricane relief through Habitat For Humanity and the American Federation of Musicians Gulf Coast Relief Fund."Shelter From the Storm"
, MSNBC. Retrieved March 8, 2008
. Retrieved March 8, 2008 In October 2004, the Dixie Chicks joined the Vote for Change tour, performing in concerts organized by

MoveOn.org MoveOn (formerly known as MoveOn.org) is a progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee. Formed in 1998 around one of the first massively viral email petitions, MoveOn has since grown into one of the largest grassroot ...

swing states In American politics, the term swing state (also known as battleground state or purple state) refers to any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a statewide election, most often referring to pres ...

, raising funds for political groups opposing Bush. In 2005, Maguire, Strayer, and Maines joined with 31 other recording artists, including

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

, and

Mandy Moore Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy (Mandy Moore song), Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her de ...

supporting relationships of all kinds, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, on a two-disc release titled ''

Love Rocks {{Album ratings , rev1 = Allmusic , rev1Score = {{Rating, 2.5, 5 class=album, id=r728150, pure_url=yes 2005 ''Love Rocks'' is a two-disc compilation album released February 8, 2005, by the Human Rights Campaign in collaboration with Ce ...

'', with their song from the album ''Home'' called "I Believe in Love"."HRC, Centaur Entertainment to Release 'Love Rocks' CD Feb. 8"
, Human Rights Campaign, January 28, 2005. Retrieved May 25, 2008.

2006–2007: ''Taking the Long Way'' and '' Shut Up and Sing''

On March 16, 2006, the Dixie Chicks released the single " Not Ready to Make Nice" in advance of their upcoming album. Cowritten with Dan Wilson, it addressed the political controversy that had surrounded the group for the previous three years. Strayer said, "The stakes were definitely higher on that song. We knew it was special because it was so autobiographical, and we had to get it right. And once we had that song done, it freed us up to do the rest of the album without that burden." She said writing the song had become their "therapy", since they had to hold in so many stored emotions for so long. Thus, the band considered the album not so much political as very personal. The question of how the group's new record would fare commercially attracted intense media interest. ''

'' was released in stores and online on May 22, 2006. The album was produced by

Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...

who had worked with hard rock acts such as

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

and

System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...

, as well as idiosyncratic singers such as Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond. The band felt they had nothing to lose by a newer approach, and possibly quite a bit to gain. All 14 tracks were co-written by the three Chicks, alongside various other songwriters, including

Neil Finn Neil Mullane Finn (born 27 May 1958) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician who is known for being a member of Crowded House, Split Enz (which he co-fronted with brother Tim), and Fleetwood Mac. Finn rose to prominence in the late ...

of Crowded House. The album contained several tracks that seemed to indirectly reference what the group called "the Incident", and the group remained defiant. Maguire commented that, "I'd rather have a smaller following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's '' Toby Keith'', 1994's '' Boomtown'', 19 ...

. We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do." Maines also retracted her earlier apology to President Bush, stating, "I apologized for disrespecting the office of the President, but I don't feel that way anymore. I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever." ''Taking the Long Way'' debuted at number one on both the U.S. pop albums chart and the U.S. country albums chart, selling 526,000 copies in the first week (the year's second-best such total for any country act) and making it a

gold record Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...

within its first week, despite having little or no airplay in areas that had once embraced them. The Chicks became the first female band in chart history to have three albums debut at No. 1. Both "Not Ready to Make Nice" and second single " Everybody Knows" were largely ignored by U.S. country radio and failed to penetrate the top 35 of the Hot Country Songs chart. In June 2006, Emily Strayer noted the lack of support from other country music performers: "A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do. ... A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism." Maines commented, "The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism. Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country ... I don't see why people care about patriotism." In Europe, however, the two singles were well received by country radio, peaking at Nos. 13 and 11 respectively and remaining on the European Country Charts for more than 20 weeks each. The band's Accidents & Accusations Tour began in July 2006. Ticket sales were strong in Canada and in some Northeastern markets, but notably weak in other areas. A number of shows were canceled or relocated to smaller venues due to poor sales, and in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

, Texas, tickets never even went on sale when local radio stations refused to accept advertising for the event. In August, a re-routed tour schedule was scheduled with a greater emphasis on Canadian dates, where ''Taking the Long Way'' had gone five-times-

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

. The tour's shows themselves generally refrained from any explicit verbal political comments, letting the music, especially the central performance of "Not Ready to Make Nice" (which typically received a thunderous ovation during and after the song), speak for itself. As part of the tour, the Dixie Chicks became the first major band to hire a designated blogger "all-access" to keep up with them in their promotional activities and tour. When the Chicks performed again at Shepherd's Bush Empire, site of "The Incident", Maines joked that she wanted to say something the audience had not heard before, but instead said, "Just so y'all know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas," to much laughter and applause. Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing, at Shepherd's Bush, London In 2006, ''Taking the Long Way'' was the ninth-best-selling album in the United States. At the 49th Grammy Awards Show on February 11, 2007, the group won all five categories for which they were nominated, including the top awards of Song of the Year and

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...

, both for "Not Ready to Make Nice", and Album of the Year, for ''Taking the Long Way''. Maines interpreted the wins as being a show of public support for their advocacy of free speech. It had been 14 years since an artist had swept those three awards. After the Grammys, ''Taking the Long Way'' hit No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 1 on the country album charts and "Not Ready to Make Nice" re-entered the charts at No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The music video for "Not Ready to Make Nice" was nominated for the 2007

CMT Music Video Awards The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on the CMT (Country Music Television) channel. Voting takes p ...

in the categories of Video of the Year and Group Video of the Year, but did not win. The group was nominated for the 2007 Country Music Association's award for Top Vocal Group, but lost to

Rascal Flatts Rascal Flatts is an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cou ...

. At the

2006 Toronto International Film Festival The 31st Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 7 to September 16, 2006. Opening the festival was Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn's '' The Journals of Knud Rasmussen'', a film that "explores the history of the through the eyes of ...

, Cabin Creek Films, the production company of documentarian

Barbara Kopple Barbara Kopple (born July 30, 1946) is an American film director known primarily for her documentary work. She has won two Academy Awards, the first in 1977 for '' Harlan County, USA'', about a Kentucky miners' strike, /sup> and the second in ...

, premiered '' Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing''. The documentary follows the Chicks over the three years since the 2003 London concert remark and covers aspects of their musical and personal lives in addition to the controversy. An ad for ''Shut Up and Sing'' was turned down by

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

on October 27, 2006, citing a policy barring ads dealing with "public controversy". Ads were rebuffed by the smaller CW network as well, but local affiliate stations of all five major broadcasters, including NBC and CW, ran promotional spots for the film in New York and Los Angeles, the two cities where it opened that day. The film's distributor

Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein (; born March 19, 1952) is an American former film producer and convicted sex offender. He and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films includ ...

said, "It's a sad commentary about the level of fear in our society that a movie about a group of courageous entertainers who were blacklisted for exercising their right of free speech is now itself being blacklisted by corporate America."

2008–2014: Hiatus, Court Yard Hounds and continued touring

Following ''Shut Up and Sing'', the band went on hiatus and spent time with their families until touring again in 2010 and 2013. At a December 2007 rally in

Little Rock, Arkansas ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

, Maines expressed support for the

West Memphis Three The West Memphis Three are three men convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year ...

, three men convicted of a 1993 triple murder who many believe to be innocent. Maines cited a recent defense filing implicating Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of one of the victims, and posted similar comments in a letter on the Dixie Chicks' web site. In November 2008, Hobbs sued Maines and the Dixie Chicks for defamation as a result of her statements. On December 2, 2009, a U.S. federal judge dismissed the defamation case on the grounds that Hobbs had not shown the statements were made with actual malice. A proposed April 2008 commercial spot to promote

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...

's " We Campaign" involving both the Dixie Chicks and

was eventually abandoned because of scheduling conflicts. In January 2010 Maguire and Strayer released new music without Maines as a duo known as Court Yard Hounds. Lloyd Maines, Natalie's father, said that the trio were "definitely still an entity". The Court Yard Hounds released their first album in May 2010, with Strayer on lead vocals. Beginning on June 8, 2010, the Dixie Chicks joined

the Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...

on their stadium-based Eagles 2010 Summer Tour, visiting cities such as

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Chicago,

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

and

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...

with a performance at the New Meadowlands Stadium in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. Country singer and guitarist

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...

appeared at selected shows. The Dixie Chicks appeared in the 2010 music documentary '' Sounds Like a Revolution'' about protest music in America. They sang "You" on the March 2011 release of ''

Rare Bird Alert ''Rare Bird Alert'' is a 2011 bluegrass album by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, featuring guest appearances by Paul McCartney and The Chicks. This is Martin's second consecutive musical album, and comprises 13 songs. His first all-mu ...

'', a

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominate ...

bluegrass album, accompanied by the Steep Canyon Rangers. In March 2011, Maines made a solo recording of the

Beach Boys A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shell ...

hit "

God Only Knows "God Only Knows" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album '' Pet Sounds''. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, it is a Baroque-style love song distinguished for its harmonic innovation and its subversion of typi ...

" for the final episode of the HBO series ''

Big Love ''Big Love'' is an American drama television series that aired on HBO from March 12, 2006 to March 20, 2011. It stars Bill Paxton as the patriarch of a fundamentalist Mormon family in contemporary Utah that practices polygamy, with Jeanne Tri ...

''. In July 2011, Strayer and Maguire said that new music involving Maines is in the works. In October 2011, the Dixie Chicks played the Concert for Wildfire Relief in Austin, Texas. During the set, Maines stated that there was "zero hesitation" when the group was asked to do the show. In December 2012, the Dixie Chicks replaced

Lady Antebellum Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar) ...

as headliners' at Canada's Craven Country Jamboree in July 2013. In July they also performed at the

Ottawa Bluesfest Ottawa Bluesfest is an annual outdoor music festival that takes place each July in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. While the festival's lineup historically focused on blues music at its inception, it has increasingly showcased mainstream pop, h ...

and the

Cavendish Beach Music Festival The Cavendish Beach Music Festival is a music festival held in mid-July in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The festival is produced by Whitecap Entertainment. Cavendish is a resort community located northwest of the provincial capital C ...

and in October 2013 on the Scotiabank Saddledome. In July 2013, the Court Yard Hounds also released their second album, '' Amelita''. From October 2013 to March 2014, the Dixie Chicks went on their first full-length tour since 2007, the

Long Time Gone Tour The Long Time Gone Tour was the fourth headlining tour by American country group, Dixie Chicks. Background The group sparked numerous reunion rumors after they were booked to play several music festivals in Canada, for the summer of 2013. The g ...

through various cities across Canada in 2013. The tour incorporated the C2C: Country to Country festival held in London and

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

during March 2014.

2016–present: MMXVI World Tour, name change and ''Gaslighter''

In June 2015, a European tour was scheduled to commence in Antwerp on April 16, 2016; the

DCX MMXVI World Tour The DCX MMXVI World Tour was the fifth headlining concert tour from American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It started on April 16, 2016, in Antwerp, Belgium and finished on April 18, 2017, in London, Ontario, Canada. This tour is the first t ...

initially included dates for Switzerland,

The Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...

, the UK and Ireland, however in November 2015, the tour was extended into North America, with over forty shows scheduled across the United States and Canada. This was the first time in 10 years that the Dixie Chicks had headlined a tour in North America. The tour was extended to Australia and New Zealand, culminating in the release of the live album and DVD, ''DCX MMXVI Live''. At the 50th anniversary of the

Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...

held on November 2, 2016, the Dixie Chicks performed alongside Beyoncé on her song "Daddy Lessons". A studio version of the performance was released to digital outlets the following day. They also collaborated with

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

on her song " Soon You'll Get Better" from Swift's 2019 album '' Lover.'' On May 3, 2018, the Dixie Chicks' manager, Simon Renshaw, retired after having managed them since 1995; they signed with Ian Montone and Rick Yorn at Monotone/LBI Entertainment. On June 25, 2020, the band changed their name to the Chicks, dropping the word "

". The change followed criticism that the word had connotations of

American slavery The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until 1865, predominantly in the South. Slaver ...

. The band said they had picked "that stupid name" as teenagers, and had wanted to change it for years; they said they were moved to change it when they saw the

Confederate flag The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...

described as "the Dixie Swastika" on social media in June 2020. They received the blessing of the Chicks, a New Zealand duo, to share the name. Alongside the name change, the Chicks released the

protest song A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre. Among social mov ...

"March March" with a music video directed by Seanne Farmer, in tribute to

social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, Equal opportunity, opportunities, and Social privilege, privileges within a society. In Western Civilization, Western and Culture of Asia, Asian cultures, the concept of social ...

movements. They also introduced John Silva as their new manager, with publicity by Cindi Berger of R&CPMK. On July 17, 2020, the Chicks released their first album in 14 years, '' Gaslighter'', produced by

Jack Antonoff Jack Michael Antonoff (born March 31, 1984) is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. Antonoff is the lead singer of rock band Bleachers, and is the guitarist and drummer in the pop rock band Fun. He was pr ...

. The first single, " Gaslighter", and its music video was released on March 4, 2020. On August 20, 2020, the Chicks performed "

The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...

" at the

2020 Democratic National Convention The 2020 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that was held from August 17 to 20, 2020, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and virtually across the United States. At the convention, delegates of ...

Band members

Current members * Emily Strayer – backing vocals, banjo, dobro, guitar (1990–present) * Martie Maguire – backing vocals, fiddle, mandolin (1990–present) *

– lead vocals, guitar,

Omnichord The Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument introduced in 1981 by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate known as "Sonic Strings", preset rhythms, auto-bass line functionality, and buttons for ...

(1995–present) Former members * Laura Lynch – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass (1990–1993) * Robin Lynn Macy – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar (1990–1992)

Discography

Studio albums As the Dixie Chicks: * ''

'' (1990) * ''

'' (1992) * ''

'' (1993) * '' Wide Open Spaces'' (1998) * '' Fly'' (1999) * '' Home'' (2002) * ''

'' (2006) As The Chicks: * '' Gaslighter'' (2020)

Tours

Headlining *2000: Fly Tour *2003:

Top of the World Tour The Top of the World Tour was the 2003 concert tour by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was in support of their album ''Home'', and named after the song " Top of the World" on that album. History The tour began with three promotiona ...

*2006: Accidents & Accusations Tour *2013–14:

*2016–17: DCX MMXVI/MMXVII World Tour *2022: The Chicks Tour Supporting * 1998:

Clay Walker Ernest Clayton Walker Jr. (born August 19, 1969) is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You", which reached Number One on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Song ...

* 1999: George Strait Country Music Festival * 1999:

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

* 2006:

The Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...

(

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

– June 17, 2006) * 2007:

(Grand Opening of The Nokia Theatre L.A. Live) * 2010: Eagles 2010 Summer Tour Co-headlining * 2004: Vote For Change

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chicks 1989 establishments in Texas All-female bands Country music groups from Texas Country pop groups Columbia Records artists Grammy Award winners Juno Award for International Album of the Year winners Monument Records artists Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups from Dallas American musical trios Sibling musical groups Victims of cyberbullying Name changes due to the George Floyd protests