Destroying The Dixie Chicks – Ten Years After
Ten years ago today, Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks stood in front of a crowd at Shepherd’s Bush Empire Theatre in England, and uttered these now infamous words:
“Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.”
The comments at the concert beginning a Dixie Chicks world tour sparked off possibly the biggest black balling in the history of American music. Spoken 10 days before the beginning of the Iraq War, the backlash took the Dixie Chicks from the biggest concert draw in country music to relative obscurity in country music in a matter of weeks.
Despite numerous clarifications and apologies from Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks, a full on boycott of their music was called for by pro-Bush, pro-war, and pro-American groups. Their single “Landslide” went from #10 on the Billboard charts, to #44 in 1 week, and the next week fell off the charts completely. Radio stations who played any Dixie Chicks songs were immediately bombarded with phone calls and emails blasting the station and threats of boycotts if they continued. Even radio DJ’s and programmers who sympathized with the Dixie Chicks were forced to stop playing them from the simple logistics nightmare the boycott created. Some DJ’s who played the Dixie Chicks were fired.
Dixie Chicks CD’s were rounded up, and in one famous incident were run over by a bulldozer. Concerts were canceled in the US as the Dixie Chicks couldn’t sell tickets, and rival concerts were set up that would take Dixie Chicks tickets in exchange. The Dixie Chicks lost their sponsor Lipton, and The Red Cross denied a million dollar endorsement from the band, fearing it would draw the ire of the boycott. The Dixie Chicks also received hundreds of death threats from the incident.
The boycott eventually lead to the virtual demise of the band. They went on hiatus in 2008, though their bounce back album in 2006 produced by Rick Rubin called Taking The Long Way went gold in its first week, debuting at #1 on the Billboard country charts despite absolutely no radio play.
Perspective on the Demise of the Dixie Chicks 10 Years After
Whether anyone wants to look at what the Dixie Chicks comments as right, wrong, poorly timed, or misplaced being said on foreign soil, it is hard to not see 10 years after the hypocrisy of how the Dixie Chicks were handled by the country music community. At the same time Natalie Maines made her comments, Willie Nelson was also openly criticizing the war, but taking it to another level by floating the idea that 9/11 was a potential governmental conspiracy perpetuated by the Bush Administration to drum up public support for war in Iraq. Merle Haggard released an anti-war song in the summer of 2003 called “America First” with little to no backlash. And then there is the idea that whether you agree with Natalie Maines or not, her right to speak her mind is guaranteed by The First Amendment, one of the things President George W. Bush pointed out himself when responding to the controversy in April 2003:
The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind. They can say what they want to say…They shouldn’t have their feelings hurt just because some people don’t want to buy their records when they speak out. Freedom is a two-way street. I don’t really care what the Dixie Chicks said. I want to do what I think is right for the American people, and if some singers or Hollywood stars feel like speaking out, that’s fine. That’s the great thing about America. It stands in stark contrast to Iraq.
As President Bush points out, the people boycotting the Dixie Chicks were also exercising their rights to freedom of speech. The controversy also created positive sentiment and appeal for The Dixie Chicks that it wasn’t there before. Their album Taking The Long Way won 2007 Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year; something that was likely not possible without the sentimental vote by the greater recording industry. Outlets like NPR who would have never touched the Dixie Chicks’ music before the boycott began playing them in regular rotation. Taking The Long Way went 5 times platinum eventually, partially on the support of people who sympathized with the Dixie Chicks politically.
How The Death of the Dixie Chicks Changed The Music
Possibly the most untold story of the Dixie Chicks’ saga is the sonic repercussions the boycott and eventual demise of the band has had on country music. The Dixie Chicks were a traditional country band, especially by today’s perspective. They wrote most of their own songs, played traditional acoustic instruments like fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and guitar, and featured 3 part harmonies. The Dixie Chicks benefited greatly from the resurgence in interest in American roots music and bluegrass spurned by the release of the movie O Brother Where Art Thou in 2000. The Dixie Chicks were helping to usher in a more acoustic, more traditional era in country music, and were the biggest-drawing, best-selling artists in country music at the time; the biggest thing since Garth Brooks in country, and one of the biggest acts in all of American Music.
Meanwhile the opposition to the Dixie Chicks and the person at the opposite end of the political and sonic spectrum was Oklahoma’s Toby Keith. He symbolized the loud, electric, arena rock approach to country music that could be argued is still heavily in place in country music today. Toby positioned himself as the antithesis of the Dixie Chicks, and ended up becoming the best-selling artist in country in the 2000’s decade. Toby’s flashy, rock-style arena show thrived while the Dixie Chicks’ stripped down, acoustic approach dwindled back into obscurity in mainstream country. When you see bands today like Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and The Avett Brothers, you see that the stripped-down, acoustic approach to music is still relevant, if not the most relevant approach today in popular music. But it’s had to move outside of the country music fold to find a present-day outlet.
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Reflecting back on the Dixie Chicks and the public fallout, it is hard to not see that the country music community’s reaction was unmeasured, unfair, and overall, unhealthy for its future. Country music not only black balled a band that was offering sonic leadership to the genre on how to move forward while still respecting the roots of the music and remaining commercially viable, they lost one of the genre’s greatest economic engines, and may have long-term fumbled their ability to benefit from the universally-relevant appeal of acoustic roots music.
But most unfortunately, the event leaves country music with a black eye as a genre who can’t respect artists regardless of their beliefs. This typecasting of the country music fan as a closed-minded, politically-intolerant animal is a legacy it will take country music a long time to shake. Much longer than 10 years.
October 25, 2014 @ 5:37 am
Its american psych 101, all the others were speaking to us and we could choose to listen or not; dixie chicks and jane fonda (fair or not) as unofficial ambassadors were speaking for us without our permission and that is a no no even if i agree with what they said!
April 19, 2015 @ 8:09 pm
The lead singers remarks were blown out of proportion. The country music community embarrassed themselves at the least.
April 29, 2015 @ 1:12 am
I have not listened to country music much since this happened to the Dixie Chicks. Their talent was so amazing and that comment (which I agreed with as a Texan) obliterated them from the planet of musical careers. If people wanted to boycott by not buying their recordings—-that’s one thing, but to have Country Music itself take sides and banish her just makes them another special interest group. The media, of course, whipped the incident to a fevered pitch. So sad to see that hatred spewed to such a degree.
January 6, 2016 @ 3:58 pm
same here Susan … used to be a big fan .. now I rarely listen to country music …
June 4, 2016 @ 8:58 pm
Well the old country music guard did this to a lot of people. If you didn’t play ball their way they saw to it that you never made it to the grand old Opry or you never came back I don’t think it’s anything new but the Dixie chicks were poster child that hit hard and unfair.
January 28, 2020 @ 11:51 am
Johnny Cash has a backlash as well, mainly for speaking his mind on all kids of issues. However, he was able to weather it. I think the Dixie Chicks unfortunately made the mistake of speaking their minds and being women at the same time. Merle Haggard can write anti-war songs and not get that backlash. What’s the difference? Well one is a man, the other are women.
It’s too bad, because I think the Dixie Chicks could still have a decent career today. I’m not sure if they slowed because the backlash makes them sick, or they keep getting compared to their past sales – pre-backlash. They should still be able to sell out small venues. I get it sucks, but they are too talented to just stop.
August 11, 2021 @ 12:55 am
They should have just stuck to music now they are finished
February 14, 2021 @ 6:27 am
Of course it was wrong to black ball them even if they did speak out overseas. Same thing happening again today .you can’t speak your mind or use freespeach if its not what owners of social media platforms agree with
August 19, 2021 @ 1:44 pm
Save us your crap Susan
September 24, 2022 @ 3:27 pm
Save us your ignorance James
July 27, 2015 @ 7:13 am
Thats where you are wrong. I did not agree with the Iraq war and the way they handled Afghanistan. But Maines spoke ill of the US and The President and included Texas right after we were attcked. She paid dearly for it. This is not the beatnick society of the 60’s and 70’s the US was sorely pissed and Maines stepped over the line. Just like they said she has the right to speak and people have the right to either buy or not buy. I’m glad they went in the dumper I’m just sorry they didn’t have to give back the money they already made.
April 7, 2016 @ 9:07 am
@Komit it is her RIGHT to speak any way she wants. The fact that she did it on foreign soil is of no consequence. I get that it made some folks upset…They have the right to be upset.
My issue is that when people DO THE SAME THING to our current administration…crickets…no boycotts no death threats. Oh it is okay to speak ill of the country and the President when he is from the other side of the aisle.
Also those young ladies are doing FINE…They all still play, sing, have families and are worth millions. They don’t get to play in stadiums but they get to raise their babies
June 10, 2016 @ 11:43 am
Exactly where in the above quote did Natalie Maines speak ill of the US or Texas?
February 17, 2021 @ 11:19 am
One of them said they were ashamed to be from the same state TEXAS as the President BUSH
June 22, 2016 @ 9:55 pm
If you think for one second that Country Music is somehow unique in having certain expectations of their Artists….what do you think would be the reaction if Adam Levine announced at a concert in Israel that he was embarrassed by Obama, for joining forces with Iran against Israel? Which, as a Jew he could/should believe.
How fast would his lefty pals desert him?
October 16, 2019 @ 4:58 am
“if Adam Levine announced at a concert in Israel that he was embarrassed by Obama, for joining forces with Iran against Israel? Which, as a Jew he could/should believe.”
Yet ‘dual loyalty’ is a canard, or so we’re told.
July 22, 2016 @ 9:33 pm
How do you feel about Ted Nugent? I realize he’s not country, but he’s popular here in the Midwest. He didn’t just express shame, he threatened to kill the President, and it led to a resurgence of his popularity.
September 3, 2016 @ 8:26 am
@Komit The US wasn’t sorely pissed. A certain sect of country music fans were. Most music fans, in general, weren’t. I’m just sad we lost an extraordinarily talented group. And I’m upset people see country fans as close-minded rednecks.
May 14, 2017 @ 5:30 am
They did not speak ill of the US but only of George bush who was elected by people like you anyway. I hated him, a rich spoiled brat who was related to a family that allowed th US to be ripped off with the savings and loan scandle.
October 27, 2019 @ 8:12 pm
How else can we see them? And it’s only gotten worse since 2016.
October 8, 2018 @ 7:57 am
You are exactly right. Their fans were mostly republican. You have right to free speech and Republicans have the right to request radio stations to stop playing your music. I’m not a bush or Obama fan. They both did the same.
February 28, 2021 @ 8:09 am
Not at all embarrassed. They said exactly what they said and there is no “context”. They have the freedom to say it, I have the freedom to never listen to them or support them again, just as I do Jane Fonda. Who should be embarrassed are they “ladies” who dared say we stand with “y’all”, bringing all of us into it when most of us did not and never will agree.
May 6, 2015 @ 9:16 am
I don’t think Country Music has suffered a bit since they are thriving whereas the Dixie Chicks are not!
If this trio was as good as they thought they were and some of their fans thought they were they would been able to just move on over into the Pop venue and thrived in their music career but they didn’t because basically they were not that good.
These “ditsy” chick’s blew themselves out of the water, they should have taken better care to respect their “bread & butter” Country Music fanbase.
May 18, 2015 @ 6:04 am
So, basically, as long as their opinions were the same as yours and every other country music fan, that’s how they could have avoided this? You’re an ignorant hillbilly. People have differing opinions, views, likes and dislikes. That war was a crack pot decision. She called a spade a spade. You don’t have to agree with her, but your ignorance in declaring they need to share your views and your views only is disgusting.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:32 am
You don’t have to share your fans views but you don’t have to go to another country and tell them that your fans views are wrong and you are embarrassed by them. It intrigues me how only liberals are allowed to voice their opinion, and if you don’t share said opinion you are called ignorant.
November 16, 2015 @ 6:07 pm
It is not that the Dixie Chicks spoke ill of President Bush, it is the fact that they used a venue where they were supposed to entertain the fans, not make political statements. Sure, they are entitled to their opinions and I as an American Veteran will defend to the death their right to it. The fans weren’t upset over their opinion so much as their choice to do it at concert where fans came to hear them sing! Natalie hung herself by and the other two girls when she chose to do this, especially in foreign country at a time when my fellow soldiers were sacrificing themselves to defend her right to do it!
June 20, 2016 @ 7:17 am
Jerome,
Her comments had nothing to do with the soldiers.
August 12, 2016 @ 9:53 am
So , only liberals are allowed to voice their opinion? Aren’t you voicing your opinion with your comment? It’s ironic that Conservatives always play the victim card even as they accuse liberals of doing the same , and when you don’t share their views and opinions , you’re a communist , America hating traitor.
August 12, 2016 @ 10:00 am
So , only liberals are allowed to voice their opinion? Aren’t you voicing your opinion with your comment? It’s ironic that Conservatives always play the victim card even as they accuse liberals of doing the same , and when you don’t share their views and opinions , they accuse you of not caring about facts , which is also ironic.
October 16, 2019 @ 5:08 am
This reply is intended for Jerome. You say that “”Natalie hung herself by speaking out at a time when my fellow soldiers were sacrificing themselves to defend her right to do it!””
How the heck does young American men going off to be slaughtered in Iraq, support free speech at home in America? The Iraq War was a disaster for America. Now there are thousands upon thousands of war vet from Iraq suffering from mysterious desert syndromes and PTSD making them suicidal and homicidal, while the removal of Saddam led to the beginnings of the migrant influx into the West. The US and UK spent trillions on invading Iraq and the only lasting result was that there is now a combined total of 600,000 Iraqi “refugees” squatting on their soil – and of course the Middle East was destabilized to make way for ‘Greater Israel’.
The Dixie Chicks were beyond brave in using their voice to speak out against a war in which Americans sacrificed themselves in vain.
June 20, 2015 @ 2:03 am
I’m sure that you are deeply offended when people state an opposing view to This current President and are promptly told they are racist. Yeah keeps you up at nite huh?
March 30, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
They don’t like the war or violence I live in Australia and don’t think it is anyone’s war to fight whether we send troops over there or from N.Z. or anywhere else to fight I say why it’s not our war ….. Love the Dixie Chicks big time so so proud of MARTIE
July 9, 2015 @ 8:50 pm
I would think that they should understand the feelings of their fan base. When they say things that are contrary to these beliefs the Dixie Chicks need to accept the fallout.
No need to call someone names!
February 7, 2016 @ 3:59 pm
I get tired of people denigrating Hillbillies. Without us there wouldn’t have been a country. Now for what people say. I don’t care what opinions people have privately but when they use their celebrity status to voice them then they may find out that they have PO’d a lot of people off which may have adverse effects on them. That is what happened here. They thought they were 10 ft tall and bulletproof and got a bite out of reality sandwich instead.
March 30, 2016 @ 8:06 pm
Kevin the Dixie Chicks don’t need to accept the fallout the whole thing was blown out of context so ashamed of the way these girls were treated it was disgusting
and full of hate so so sad get a grip this is not the middle ages
April 22, 2016 @ 10:34 pm
Aaaaand you’re doing the same thing you accuse Roxiebell of doing.
That makes you different how?
February 8, 2024 @ 4:30 am
Wow. Ignorant hillbilly?? Let me guess..You’re in one of those Southern hating yankee states?
May 18, 2015 @ 9:49 pm
Country music is “thriving? ” As compared to what? What are the ten top selling country albums of all time? Three artists are on that list, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks.
Here is an link:
http://www.factcheck.org/2014/05/medicare-under-observation/
A No, one song on the country charts today is lucky to sell 50,000 units before it slips off into oblivion.
Natalie has a net worth of over 40 million dollars. Somebody bought their CDs, somebody went to their concerts. With just their first two lps they are over 22x Platinum in the US alone.
August 6, 2015 @ 12:55 pm
I think Country Music did just fine without the Dixie Chicks. Time has shown us that there is a time and place for opinions and she chose poorly. I think Taylor Swift can say that whatever the Dixie Chicks made or achieved would now be considered a ‘drop in the bucket’. ‘
October 15, 2015 @ 3:06 pm
The Dixie Chicks were not intelligent, nor were the talented. They completely ruined “Landslide” from when Fleetwood Mac did it. They didn’t write their own songs, and they took many other songs other people already sang. If you think Natalie did well since she is worth 40 milion, Toby Keith is worth 300 million.
June 6, 2021 @ 4:36 am
so no matter what I write… you say, ‘YOUR COMMENT IS AWAITING MODERATION’ ! pops up. WHOA. talk about infringement of free speech???
June 6, 2021 @ 7:41 am
Lu,
Your comments on an 8-year-old article replying to people who left their comments during the Obama Administration have been approved. The reason they were awaiting moderation is because you left them in the middle of the night, and the moderator was asleep.
May 19, 2015 @ 5:22 am
Are you serious with this ditsy chicks thing? They are three of the most intelligent and talented musicians. They didn’t go “over to pop” because they were a country group- hence the banjo, mandolin, etc. ultimately we were the ones punished most, The fans who loved their music, politics aside or not.
September 16, 2015 @ 10:46 pm
So she spoke I’ll of the President? BFD. Has anyone seen the horrible stuff Republicans say about the Obamas? What she said was nothing in comparison, and simply her opinion. The takedown of the Dixie Chicks was one of the most hypocritical acts of suppression in music history.
June 30, 2016 @ 3:18 pm
Exactly : he hates America , Christians , he’s a Muslim jihadist , a racist , a Nazi dictator , a communist , worse than Hitler , doesn’t love his country. Can you imagine their reaction if they had accused Bush of being any of these , because he once claimed Islam was a religion of peace? They would have been publicly hanged. But Republicans can say whatever they want , without any backlash.
August 28, 2016 @ 6:54 am
Is it being said at a concert overseas?? No.. big difference. . They were being paid to entertain and instead used that platform to disrespect the US. Some people didn’t care others did.. apparently there were more people it offended or the backlash wouldn’t have been so great. I personally have never liked her especially when she thought it was OK to wear her FUTK shirt at the country awards.. talk about a midless. Immature. Little brat..she must still think she is in middle school.
September 2, 2016 @ 9:51 am
Oh please, they called Bush those things and worse. Stop your whining
January 6, 2016 @ 4:01 pm
sorry that is not how it worked … their fans are still their fans ..
but the country industry blackballed them …. stations refused to play them.
our local station even used to say horrible things about them.
Toby Keith constantly smeared them …
January 17, 2021 @ 8:18 am
They got canceled.to bad
June 10, 2016 @ 11:50 am
Roxiebell,
The Dixie Chicks were acknowledged by many in the country music field and elsewhere to be excellent musicians.
August 5, 2016 @ 9:08 am
Let me demonstrate how she should have done it:
“A big Texas hello Europe! (turn somber and reflective) We plan to have fun tonight, but I just need to get something off my chest. The world is a dangerous place and prosperous western life is despised and hated so much that some people dedicate their lives to killing even just one of us. It’s a sad day that my Country is going to war. I don’t agree, and don’t want to fan the flames that someone else lit. I realize that many of you disagree with many of our fellow Americans, but we can’t all have it our way. Evil works like that. Different people find different times and different limits to when they finally say enough is enough! I don’t want our Country to go to war. Many of ya’ll don’t either. I wish we could stop this march, Mr. President, if you’re listening… please stop. We can’t police the world, if we try we’ll only make things worse. Please stop Mr. President. Europe, we have stood together in many conflicts and will stand together in this one too. God bless Europe, God bless Texas, and God Bless the USA! Let’s put our worries aside for now and sing.”
Here’s basically what she did say:
“Hi Europe, America here, don’t worry we don’t all suck as bad as our President does. We’re (all of America, even though we elected him?) ashamed of him, our country, our state… We really wish we could all be socialists like you. You know, full-bore cradle-to-grave, nanny state, suckling teat, babysat by our government like you. (cheers and applause) You like that? (continue pandering about how the little people of the world that don’t make millions of dollars a year should love being controlled and taxed by the government in exchange for having every choice made for them in the form of ‘We Love you[little people]’)” …
I agree with the above sentiments, this was absolutely unconscionable for them to go barking absolutist statements to foreign nationals in this midst of such challenging times and I’m proud of our community for putting a boot in their arses. I do mourn the loss of their style, but their style was tied to their innocence and “down home” character. Character that they proved they had lost to the bright lights and big stages of stardom. We’ve lost so much beauty to stardom. Taylor Swift came on the scene with grass-roots down-home appeal and now she looks more like Gene Simmons than the country girl next door. That’s worth mourning.
July 14, 2018 @ 4:49 pm
Roxiebell I cannot BELIEVE ignorant people like you exist today – WOW you are an embarrassment to the USA and music in general !
June 3, 2015 @ 7:40 pm
Perhaps the saddest part in all this is that the US is now essentially deprived of one of the most talented music groups the world has ever seen. Will we ever have another “Dixie Chicks?” I doubt it… they were one of a kind. Now, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a country-music fan–I’m simply a “damn-good-music” fan and the Dixie Chicks were consistent in their delivery of good music to folks all over the world. Maybe the boycotters felt it right to destroy a group based on their political principles, but at what cost to us as a country culturally who, in part, was shaped by the gift of music they gave us?
August 27, 2015 @ 7:29 am
Steve… “Deprived”? Really? When you’re starving because your gov’t takes the aid money, that American’s paid in taxes, that should have went to food, and arms are purchased instead, that’s when you’re “deprived”. When you’re alive in your mother’s womb, and suddenly a “doctor” yanks on your legs with forceps, and then jams a pair of scissors into the back of your skull to vacuum your brains out, before you could open your eyes to see stars, or hear birds singing – then, you’ve been deprived. When you are in the market buying food for your kids, and an insane person blows themselves up for an eternity with 72 virgins, and ruins your body for life – then you have been “deprived”. Don’t ever use the word “deprived” and Dixie Chicks in the same sentence again – please!
January 2, 2020 @ 10:07 am
@ So Deprived – Freaking’ AWESOME comment! Nailed it!
April 7, 2016 @ 9:15 am
Not deprived…”The Courtyard Hounds” (Marie and Emily) are making records and so is Natalie.
November 5, 2015 @ 4:46 pm
The country music ‘club’ boycotted the Dixie Chicks, ruined their run and almost ending their great contribution to the country music genre. This over a passing comment from one of Chicks while in Britain. Now Billy Graham Jr has gone to Russia, condemned the US President and endorsed the Communist Dictator Putin. If those who attacked the Dixie Chicks do not now attack the Billy Graham Ministries and Billy, Jr. it will expose their attack on the Chick’s as a blatant political slam.
November 5, 2015 @ 5:11 pm
Actually it was Rev. Franklin Graham. Sorry for the glitch.
January 19, 2023 @ 12:33 pm
Earth to T Kemp! The truth does not stretch quite as far as you apparently think it does. Just because you think you know what he said doesn’t mean he said what you think he said.
For those of you that think the Dixie Chicks were country, I didn’t like them before or definitely after their leap to obscurity. They are very few artists that are really country, few enough that I don’t ever listen to regular “country music” stations. Thank goodness for sources, such as Pandora, that allows an individual to choose the music they want to listen to. Gimme “Classic Country” music specially of the 50-70 era!
December 27, 2015 @ 5:53 pm
dixie chicks get off the couch and get back into the recording studio and do what u 3 love make music i say it not fuck bush he was one of the worest presidents we had nat maine needs run
April 23, 2016 @ 2:33 am
The Dixie Chicks are hero’s, they never gave in. More than I can say for a lot of people.
May 1, 2016 @ 10:31 am
Great analogy jane fonda and dixie chicks….
June 1, 2016 @ 3:40 am
Great analogy jane fonda & the Dixie Chicks! I hope you’re being cynical because our Veterans were defiled and disrespected in a horrifying way by jane fonda. She should have been sent to Siberia to live out the rest of her life. And thats too good for her. She may think the American people have forgotten….but we haven’t. The Vietnam Veterans were treated bad enough by our people who knew better or didn’t or were just following suit. We will never forget what you did and said Hanoi jane !!
November 10, 2016 @ 4:21 pm
I have not heard a song by The DC’s Since they said their ugly thing about our President.
.
February 28, 2017 @ 11:41 pm
I am glad that people got together and made a celebrity shut up I wish they do it more often you’re an entertainer entertain otherwise I don’t want to hear from you
August 2, 2017 @ 3:02 pm
Late to add, but you should all be ashamed of yourselves. You destroyed an American treasure, you were petty, you applied different standards, If you don’t like them, don’t listen to them. Destroying them was wrong.
October 12, 2017 @ 5:49 am
You think they’re talking “at” you because they are women. As the article states, male country artists were anti-Bush and not a one was vilified like the Dixie Chicks. Country music fans, by and large, are very misogynistic. Women can express different views from yours. They are still Americans.
January 6, 2019 @ 10:05 pm
That’s ridiculous. She spoke HER mind. What makes you think she spoke FOR you? You can’t possibly be that stupid, and if you are, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.
July 12, 2019 @ 4:41 pm
I was in the crowd that condemned the Chicks. I was so, wrong. Bush turned out to be a homicidal maniac after all! My apologies to the Chicks!
April 30, 2021 @ 1:40 pm
ALL are entitled to their Personal Opinion BUT to use your PUBLIC PROFESSION to relay it was in very Poor Taste! How many followers of theirs and were going to fight for the United States of America????? If your $$$$$ comes from the PUBLIC, take care of your PRIVATE opinions you share in PUBLIC!!!
June 6, 2021 @ 2:52 am
who goes to a concert to listen to political propaganda? we don’t! we go to enjoy the concert, so don’t drown us with your politicalness. save it for a different genre, but never at a concert! we didn’t pay to hear your political views. we paid to hear you sing… so sing!!!
November 10, 2014 @ 11:45 am
Can’t believe that 10 years later people still don’t understand what it means to have your rights violated. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean “say whatever you want but don’t expect other people to have a response”!!! They had their freedom and they said what they wanted… No one stopped that! It is not a constitutional right to have record sales or sold-out concerts or a public platform to air your opinions! What DC and many other celebrities need to understand is this: I have no interest in the president’s singing talents, and if he spent his time in the Oval Office trying to further his music career, I would do everything in my power to have him removed! Likewise, I have no interest in the DC’s political views or opinions! They were elected to the public office of ENTERTAINER by their fans (essentially)! That is what we are paying them to do so basically they would have done well to just SHUT UP AND SING!!!
April 14, 2015 @ 6:08 pm
Supporters of the remarks by Manes do not want her band to suffer economic backlash and they also do not want anyone (Keith) to disagree with her remarks. Your comment nailed it that Manes is a singer and not a political leader and she failed to understand that for three reasons: she was young, at the time, rich beyond anybody’s dreams, and her success in the music industry gave her a feeling of entitlement.
Those reasons are also why she released the song “Not Ready To Make Nice”, in 2006.
Elvis Presley hedged on recording “In The Ghetto” in 1969 because he feared a possible backlash but it was just a song rather than a political comment and he suffered no ill will from his fans. Manes would have served her band much better if she had written and/or recorded a song about her political leanings
instead of speaking from the stage.
May 28, 2015 @ 1:36 pm
I think people forget one aspect of why they upset so many people. They said it in England, to a liberal anti-war receptive crowd.
England doesn’t have a First Amendment guaranteeing free speech but America does.
If these “talented, intelligent, and brave” ladies have an American opinion why didn’t they espouse it at a concert in TEXAS? We all can imagine (outside Austin) what the reaction would have been.
Typical gutless Libs speaking “to the choir”.
Laura Ingram penned a book “Shut up and Sing” about how annoying it is to have artists with no intellectual credentials lecturing us about what we should think. I have stopped buying many artists music over the years…Bruce Springsteen, U2 (Bono), two name just a couple.
I also refuse to watch or buy movies from equally annoying actors ( I. E. Alec Baldwin, etc.).
If they want to throw their opinions into the public domain they have to except reprocussions.
Paul Newman was one of the most successful and beloved actors of all time. He kept his politics to himself. It wasn’t until his last few years of life that he spoke out on some socially liberal issues. Until then no one knew his political bent.
He should be an example to the entertainment industry.
June 3, 2015 @ 7:57 pm
Joseph, what is it about “celebrity opinions” that makes you fear them so much? Can’t you separate their talents from their politics? As a moderate thinker, I don’t buy music, etc. because of the artist’s politics; I simply buy music because it’s great to listen to. Same with movies, TV shows, etc. For example, I vehemently disagree with Clint Eastwood’s politics, but I sure as hell watch any movie he’s been in… and that’s OK. 🙂
June 20, 2015 @ 2:19 am
Who’s politics do you agree with Jane Fonda…… Barbara Streisand..Michael Moore, maybe they are too modest about their Love of country. Bill Maher has a neat movie about his tolerance and diversity for Religion. Fear is not the word that fits this conversation. Its called Loathing. These people have a history of deliberately offending people as a career choice. ISIS perceives a beheading as entertainment and service to God. I just can’t over look that and take them and their sympathizers serious. Marie Harf and the Nuance crowd has tried to explain this as an employment issue that needs to be addressed. #Great minds at work.
October 12, 2017 @ 5:43 am
What is this litmus test you have to decide whether someone is American enough? Ann Coulter is rude and vile but you didn’t mention her. Different views from yours doesn’t make someone less of an American. Linking Isis along side Americans is incredibly damaging for us as a country. We all don’t have to agree with your thinking.
July 9, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
Joseph I have to agree with you concerning artists using their positions to preach political opinions. They feel that using an unsuspecting captive audience is ok. Well this time it backfired and people didn’t jump on their bandwagon.
They took a chance and lost. Consumers chose to spend their money elsewhere. Oh well!!!
October 4, 2015 @ 2:33 pm
Not everyone from Texas likes Bush.
January 2, 2020 @ 10:16 am
“Not everyone from Texas likes Bush.”
I am not sure this is a good venue to come out of the closet… 🙂
July 10, 2015 @ 7:51 pm
I agree with your opinion. They have a right to their free speech, but have no control of the consequences. In my opinion, it wasn’t just the one statement. She continued to spout her opinions during concerts even after that. Unfortunately for her, the fans came to hear the music, not her political diatribe, so they stopped buying tickets. And those who disagree with those opinions probably don’t love a song that proves that she was making the most of the drama instead of letting it pass and moving on with her life and her music. It is more difficult to give your money to people who obviously have negative opinions about you for having those opinions. I LOVE the old Dixie chicks, and I still listen to them, but I got tired of their constant whining and negativity. I don’t like some of the stories of things that happened to them, they weren’t fair, but they blew up the problem instead of diffusing it. That is why they are no longer a big name in country music.
November 27, 2015 @ 4:21 pm
@Lesa..Just curious.. Are you for real? Did you do anything in your power to have that President removed who took this country to war under false pretenses and outright lies? I wish that moron just had some misguided singing aspirations,because we wouldn’t have to endure 4,500 more Americans die in Iraq and for fucks sake lets not discount the 10’s of thousands of Iraqi civilians killed. Not soldiers.. that’s old folks, women,children. I doubt you wanted to even tap the brakes on that one. That “just shut up and sing” crap is idiots talk. It has always been and always will be morally imperative for people who have the platform to speak up and speak the truth to power.
December 3, 2015 @ 9:37 pm
Lesa….Well Said I could not agree more. Celebrities think we all want their opinion, we don’t. Shut up and entertain us.
October 16, 2019 @ 5:22 am
Lesa, it’s not exactly ‘freedom of speech’ if you’re destroyed for expressing it.
It sounds as though the opposition to the Dixie Chicks was highly organized. They were deliberately taken down by pro-war and pro-Bush groups from what the article says. Some DJs lost their jobs for playing their music. Radio stations playing their songs were targeted. The Chicks received hundreds of death threats.
The whole point of free speech is to enable you to express your opinion without fear of persecution or harassment. And that’s not what happened.
January 2, 2020 @ 10:37 am
“Lesa, it’s not exactly ‘freedom of speech’ if you’re destroyed for expressing it.”
The Constitution only guarantees the Right to Freedom of Speech, not the ‘right to be heard and agreed with’.
May 23, 2021 @ 1:01 pm
This whole “we got shut down by the political right” is just whiny victimhood crap. There’s plenty of entertainers that talked bad about GW Bush and continued to do just fine. What killed the Dixie Chicks’ careers was Natalie’s comment: “Most of our fans are just a bunch of dumb rednecks. Personally, I’d rather have a smaller fan-base of cool people that get it.” Great, fine, the fans gave her exactly what she wished for. What killed their career was two pronged: 1) Natalie, in the above comment, filing for divorce with country music fans, and 2) Getting so distracted by all the controversy that they utterly quit making new music. When they finally did put out a new album in 2006, it sucked. It went platinum and got all kinds of awards but the industry props up those numbers when you’re liked. Proof that nobody gave a crap about that album is that nobody would go see their concerts. In 1998, they were selling out football stadiums. In 2006, they couldn’t fill 4000-seat venues and were cancelling appearances due to “scheduling conflicts” (because it’s too embarrassing to say “nobody is buying concert tickets”).
That’s what happens when you tell your fans that they suck and then double and triple down on it. They blatantly told country music fans, “We’re the cool kids now, we’re hanging out with cool Hollywood people, we don’t need you idiots anymore.” Using “ashamed” and “from Texas” in same sentence really kills it, too. People don’t care about your politics but they’re not going to look past that kind of snobbery. Message received loud and clear, no need for me to show up to your venues or buy your albums. You got your Christmas wish, don’t blame the fans for doing what you wanted. All of this “we got our rights violated” and “the political right shut us down” is just rationalizing poor PR decisions.
November 21, 2014 @ 9:52 am
Freedom of Speech!! Natalie can speak against the Govt…she did. The Gov’t did nothing against her. Her fans…and that is important…her fan based…not Willie Nelson fans or Pearl Jam fans or any other of the artists that spoke out against the war…but the Dixie Chick fans walked away. This was a pure and simple bad business deal for them. People in the public media get fires nearly every week for saying something stupid. Teachers gets fired for Facebook statements. Grow up and move on. Natalie and only Natalie is to blame for their demise. It was not just the timing or location of her foolishness…it was the tone.
December 13, 2019 @ 9:46 am
The Dixie Chicks “fan base” never walked away from them. They were taken away by the ugliness in the country music world. I have been playing their tapes (I have them all) over the past ten years. You can’t imagine my joy when I began to hear their inspired songs being played on the stations again!!!
November 21, 2014 @ 4:29 pm
Right-wrong I don’t care. I just miss their music and wish they were still singing. I still consider the Tim Mcgraw – Dixie Chicks concert I attended in Sacramento as one of the best I have ever been to,
December 8, 2014 @ 8:36 pm
I think it was more “wrong place, wrong time” type of statement. I still listen to their music (especially with nothing good on the radio. Miss their music.
December 10, 2015 @ 5:20 am
Oh, believe me, speaking as a Brit, it was ABSOLUTELY the right place. The vast majority of the British public were against Iraq War II, just as they are opposed to the war in Syria right now (84% of the population, according to the most recent survey). She knew she would get a sympathetic response from a British audience.
Seriously, I don’t get this thing about how successful entertainers shouldn’t use their position to inform / educate / express opinions. Whyever not? As for hypocrisy, the Dixie Chicks were persona non grata for saying they did not support President Bush, yet the likes of Ted Nugent and Hank Williams can make the most horrendous comments about Obama and nobody takes action against them.
It amuses me that the USA considers itself to be the greatest democracy in the world, yet I know of no other democracy where there is only a choice of two political parties and both are decidedly right-wing. The fact that many Democrats (defiantly right-of-centre) are called “liberal” (and far worse) speaks volumes.
March 17, 2017 @ 3:01 pm
“Seriously, I don’t get this thing about how successful entertainers shouldn’t use their position to inform / educate / express opinions. Whyever not?”
Because it presumes their opinions are somehow more worthwhile. Just because you have a platform to reach more people than your average Joe doesn’t mean you can speak intelligently on a particular subject.
January 2, 2020 @ 10:31 am
“It amuses me that the USA considers itself to be the greatest democracy in the world, yet I know of no other democracy where there is only a choice of two political parties and both are decidedly right-wing.”
You seem to be as uninformed as the majority of Americans here in the U.S. about the number of parties here. Let me help you out; we have the following parties:
Republican Party
Demonrat Party
Green Party
Peace and Freedom Party
Communist Party
Socialist Party
Independent Party
Libertarian Party
Constitution Party
Reform Party
Legal Marijuana Now Party
Ah Hell, there are too many to list! Just Google it!
The thing is, we are happy with our parties, and nobody gives a DAMN about any of those fringe parties. That is a GOOD thing!
Let me inform you about something else, my Socialist friend, the more parties you have, the more division you have. That division can lead to someone like Hitler getting elected because the vote would be so split he could win with a small plurality.
It always makes me laugh when people say, “We need a third party! That’ll fix things!”
I always have to educate them (as I am you) about the FACT that we have many parties, and one more will not fix ANYTHING!
December 20, 2014 @ 1:19 pm
I adored the music of the Dixie Chicks. I miss them, I genuinely miss them.
June 3, 2015 @ 8:07 pm
I do too, Trish. I even find it hard to listen to any of their albums without a tear welling up in my eye. The country-music fan drown one of its own most-precious daughters for its own sake and the rest of world suffers because of it.
December 22, 2014 @ 1:18 pm
I have said for many years there should be a college course taught on the DC and what happened. They didn’t know who their customer was, and they paid dearly for that. As has been covered, the freedom of speech is a two way street. What happened could have been avoided even after the initial statements, but Natalie kept running her mouth (snarkey as many have put it seems accurate). And Natalie criticized Toby Keith for using his freedom of speech, so it appear she felt she had the right but he didn’t. He clearly knew his customer. Capitalism is a great and powerful thing. The soap box provided to musicians, actors and other entertainers can be a dangerous thing for them to use in a capitalistic society. And it is probably best if ones opinions are expressed in private and/or at the ballot box.
January 4, 2015 @ 10:06 pm
Wait a minute, the DC are damn good at what they do and their claim to fame is their music not their politics. I don’t hear good music and go…screw this, I’m not buying this liberal morons CD. If southerners are going to be so hateful to ignore the superb talent they are, it’s their loss. I became a fan when all the controversy started. I bought my first CD when country music fans went all F-you on them. They’re great and the war was a real dumb-ass move on the part of Bush. The country lost $3 trillion dollars on it and 4500 young Americans…doesn’t that mean anything to you people? Look at the current situation…..the Middle East has turned into a bunch of failed states with murder and mayhem by ISIS the legacy left by our asinine VP who lied us into war. Wake Up. And ladies….you’re the BEST!
April 20, 2015 @ 4:49 pm
Marco, my sentiments exactly…listening to them right now…we are really missing their talents!!!!
May 16, 2015 @ 10:26 am
All these years later and people like you still don’t get it. If you typified the Chicks’ fan base back when Mane made her infamous remark, then there would have been little fallout. But their fan base was not comprised in large part by those who ran out to buy their album to show support for Manes’ political remarks. The Chicks should have realized this fact.
Freedom has its consequences. The Chicks have to live with the consequences of how they chose to exercise that freedom.
April 7, 2016 @ 10:15 am
Yes they are and that is fair…My issue is that those who boycotted are very selective in who they apply these “rules” to…These folks went nuts over the inflammatory remarks and they are awfully quiet these days when the same thing happens to the current administration..
So surely you see why people are on here complaining about what happened…The other day we lost Merle Haggard..He stood by the DC and others did too..Yet no one boycotted Merle…
June 20, 2015 @ 2:31 am
ISIS is the result of Muslim community organizers and that is not GWB fault. Muslimes have a long history of killing each other much longer than we as a Nation have been around. Please tell me again about how fiscally responsible the current regime is ? Never -mind You would rather forfeit any war America ever fought especially the revolutionary war for a reunion with a socialist utopia like Europe . Why is Barry sending troops back there ? Why do you allow it to go un protested. Why are we meddling in Syria and Libya. Hows that Egyptian love affair with the Muslim Brotherhood working . The teleprompter is really letting us down . Hilliary voted for the war too – Never forget that- as she is the smartest of them all.
January 21, 2015 @ 7:00 pm
Country music traditionalists have no reason to complain about the rise of
Swift/Underwood/Pickler etc and Bro-Country.
They had an authentic act under their tent (The Dixie Chicks). Those traditionalists never cared for the Chicks (as they were not very lady like in their behaviors).
It is fair to say that country inc has reaped what it sowed during the era of the unelected Bush. I have no sympathy for the bemoaning of the loss of traditional country.
January 2, 2020 @ 10:49 am
So, country music fans’ tolerance of ‘Swift/Underwood/Pickler etc and Bro-Country’ don’t indicate anything GOOD to you? Or do you think there are enough ‘not-fans’ of country music buying these bands albums to support them for their political views and not their music?
You must be one of those ‘not-fans’ that only listen to country to ‘stick it to’ fans of country music. You buy their albums to ensure their success because of their political opinions, which is just as wrong as NOT buying their albums for their political opinions.
Then you say it is THEIR fault for destroying their ‘traditionalist’ base.
Today, in 2020, we have a word for people like you: ‘snowflake’
Don’t melt now…
January 24, 2015 @ 11:57 pm
I think they mostly ran their course anyway. Much of their appeal was their youth and beauty, which isn’t quite what it was.
Best to just move on, but also to always remember there can be a price to pay for unpopular words said at the worst possible time.
May 23, 2021 @ 1:09 pm
Yep. In 1998 they were selling out baseball stadiums. In 2006, they were cancelling tour dates in 4000-seat venues due to “scheduling conflicts”. That in itself says a lot. If you call your fans a bunch of dumb rednecks and tell them that they need to leave because you’re hanging out with cool people now, they’re going to give you exactly what you asked for. Gonna tell me that GW Bush and a bunch of high-tech rednecks were setting up roadblocks and hacking ticket websites to prevent fans from buying tickets?
Blaming the political right for the demise of the Dixie Chicks is straight-up assinine. If they had that kind of power, 80% of Hollywood actors would be sitting home broke wondering what happened to their careers.
February 21, 2015 @ 8:19 am
In most cases the president unsupported by at least half the people in the United States. Why would you go on stage and insult half of your fans by making a stupid comment about George Bush? Its exactly what they are doing today with Barack Obama. These people who don’t respect the office of the President. You have one vote in this country , Vote for who you want but quit hating and tearing down our system. Aren’t there child molesters and murderers to hate?
May 23, 2021 @ 1:17 pm
The political statements is just noise, nobody cares. If that was a factor, a whole bunch of entertainers would’ve lost their careers. The Dixie Chicks called their fans dumb rednecks, said they were ashamed to be from Texas, and said they’d rather have a smaller fan-base with cool people that “get it”. Message loud and clear, Chicks. Don’t complain when the fans give you exactly what you asked for. The whole “political right shut us down” is just rationalizing extremely poor PR decisions. What’s baffling is that Natalie didn’t realize what she was doing at the time, she didn’t realize the damage until concert attendance and record sales dropped radically. By then, it was far too late to patch holes and bail out the sinking ship. The Chicks found out the hard way that the liberals like them but not enough to fill the giant void of departed fans, liberals aren’t into country music. 1998: Selling out baseball stadiums. 2006: cancelling tour dates because they can’t fill 4000-seat venues. WHOOPS!!!
March 7, 2015 @ 11:17 am
From my view, there was a united front and patriotic movement swelling, and what she said flew in the face of that, and translated into being anti-America. She might as well have said, “We’re with you guys, we don’t agree with what the US is doing, and we’re ashamed to be Americans.” Wrong place, wrong time, wrong circumstances.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist with a minor is psychology to understand the mechanisms involved that resulted in the harsh backlash.
All she had to do was apologize and come correct, then let it go. Maybe record a pro-America song for a cheap pop, and it would have blown over. But she wouldn’t let it go. It seemed that she continued stoking the flames and wouldn’t let the embers cool, which put more and more people off.
3 years after that, “Not Ready to Make Nice” came out, and I was shaking my head. Was anyone even thinking about that anymore? Why is she stirring the pot again? And the message from the song was that she’s the victim and never did anything wrong to begin with? I love the song, but she’ll apparently never get it.
I still appreciate their music, and I wish they were still being played, and still making new stuff.
May 18, 2015 @ 6:08 am
Why should she apologize? And that song kicked aas. I became a fan after this because I was impressed with their nerve, saying what so many of us were thinking. That war=stupid. People today backlash our president with the same excuse–Freedom of Speech. Yawn. Whatevs.
January 2, 2020 @ 10:55 am
Ever seen the T-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it giving you the middle finger with the words “LAST ACT of defiance” on it?
That reminds me of the Dixie Chicks, and you. A little mouse giving the finger and being a pest, right before being ‘exterminated’.
The fans built the DC, the DC chose to end it. That was their choice. It is theirs to bear.
March 17, 2017 @ 3:07 pm
“From my view, there was a united front and patriotic movement swelling, and what she said flew in the face of that, and translated into being anti-America”
Exactly. While it’s hard to believe it given the current political climate, we were fairly well united as a country following 9/11. We might have disagreed as a nation about what to do next, but we were still collectively grieving. For Maines to spout off her views to a foreign audience not only rubbed salt into the wound, but also was a collective backhand to most of their audience who made them famous in the first place.
March 17, 2015 @ 11:34 am
Because the entire Bush family sickens me as do their idiot followers, I intend, now, to support Dixie Chicks and buy every album!
April 13, 2015 @ 6:14 am
Ha! Well, that’s one of you, Jon! This is the best of American principles at work. She had the freedom to say what she said. More than a million brave men and women have died in our historically short existence as a country to provide her that freedom. Those same brave souls allowed Americans the right to support her belief (and continue buying records, concert tickets, etc.) or not. Obviously most of us decided we didn’t share her opinion. Lesa’s post was spot on. At some point in time, one would think entertainers would start to understand we follow them for their singing, acting, writing, etc., skills — not their political commentary. And if you start to see yourself as so omniscient that you decide to espouse those beliefs, you have that right. But don’t complain if afterwards your popularity wanes.
April 20, 2015 @ 4:54 pm
Bob, you are partially wrong…we follow artists for the words they write, sing and the messages that they deliver. As someone pined, if Natalie would have written a song with her message, it would have been taken differently.
March 24, 2015 @ 9:19 pm
When all this was going on People in the United States for got that Freedom of speech was for all not just for select few. The Chicks had the right to question the president matter of fact we all have that right an responsibility to do so.
January 2, 2020 @ 11:04 am
Hubert, did she, or did she not, express her views?
You must not be an American. The Constitution guarantees the right to free speech, not the right to be listened to, and agreed with.
Opening your political views up to the public makes them fair game.
If you don’t want to be criticized, or suffer the consequences for your words, maybe you shouldn’t say them, especially on your boss’ (fans) time. They came to hear your music. Run for office if you want to influence politics. I am sure the Left in the U.S. would have backed her in a bid for office…or would they…
March 25, 2015 @ 6:45 am
They were the true patriots!
But you know what they say, “If it ain’t country it ain’t shit!” Therefore if it IS country it IS shit! Country music folks are the only ones I know that insult their own music. 😉
May 26, 2015 @ 5:49 pm
Amen. They were the true Americans. W should be tried for war crimes. The right wing jingoistic phony patriotism that sold a war, destroyed untold lives, families, and the Middle East is still playing out with a new generation of American jihadists delivered care of George Bush, et. al. The DC were just another casualty of the Bush administration. Rummy, Cheney, Rice, and Rove..
April 12, 2015 @ 2:03 am
When the Dixie Chicks left the concert scene, it was the end of a dream for me. They were always my favorite, and I was just waiting until I could save enough to see them in person. Because of my age and their new lives, I don’t think that will ever happen now. It’s really a shame what small hateful minds can do when they get together. I have a shirt that says “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers”. I got it after Bush was elected the second time. I think I’m going to have something added to the back. “THAT’S WHY WE LOST THE DIXIE CHICKS”.
April 13, 2015 @ 6:04 am
Five times platinum, and record and song of the year? Yah, it seems like they were “blackballed”… (Sarcasm).
April 13, 2015 @ 7:05 am
The author of this bit acts like ostracization is only found in country music. How much you want to to bet that, if someone in pop music came out against the gay lifestyle and gay marriage (the cause du jour), (s)he would be equally blackballed and removed from any consideration as an invitee at music awards? Hell, look at today’s college campuses. How many have had their invitation withdrawn because these little snot-nosed intolerant creeps can’t stand to listen to an opinion that varies from their own? Or lets take the global warming religionists, labelling skeptics as “deniers”. Hell, I’ve heard some politicians advocate punishing anyone who refutes global warming. I could go on, but it’s clear country music fans are not the sole bastion of ostracizing others.
April 22, 2015 @ 10:45 am
“if someone in pop music came out against the gay lifestyle and gay marriage”
You mean like every rapper ever?
May 18, 2015 @ 6:10 am
Because that’s what this article is about. ???
April 13, 2015 @ 5:35 pm
I miss them!!! Long time gone –is too long. Her words are really nothing compared to the hate speech I see daily on all social media about Onama. I respect our President, I even didn’t say what I wanted to say about Bush because he was our President. It’s over, I’m boycotting Toby Keith and reba because of what they said about the Chicks. I just want the Dixie Chicks to come back! I love them and miss them.
April 14, 2015 @ 11:33 am
Rights have responsibilities. You have the right to scream fire – your responsibility is to not do it in a crowded movie theatre for kicks.
Dixie Chicks had every right in the world to say what they did – their venue was not correct.
I agree with the person that said “acting as an ambassador of sorts, for the United States”, it felt as though they were speaking for all their fans, or the US majority.. I don’t like anyone speaking for me, even if I do (or don’t) agree with them.
It was an unnecessary comment, in a foreign country, about a country that up to this point had respected and supported them.
Felt the same way about Jane Fonda – still do.
April 19, 2015 @ 4:12 am
Entitled celebrities publicly spout offensive and ill conceived points of view on a regular basis. Only a few rise to the level where their core audience cannot stomach them. I always loved the Dixie Chicks music, in fact listening to them right now, but unfortunately I cannot not be repulsed by them. I feel the same about actors like Sean Penn. I wish I didn’t know what an ass the guy is so that I could enjoy his movies. I’m not boycotting Sean Penn, I just can’t believe his characters because I see Sean Penn the ass instead of his character now.
June 3, 2015 @ 8:22 pm
Wow, Gary, words really scare you, don’t they? … especially ones you don’t agree with. Shame on you.
January 2, 2020 @ 11:08 am
Steve, my little snowflake…*
April 26, 2015 @ 12:00 am
The Kodak Theatre concert by the Dixie Chicks to release a new album is the best music and crowd enthusiasm I have ever witnessed. These women are incredibly talented. Their destruction is my loss.
Now I hear silence. Everything else is just static. We lost the best female band in US history, pure and simple. We lost good sound and got nothing in return…but silence.
April 28, 2015 @ 11:21 am
I think the whole thing boils down to this, when I make a purchase I want what I paid for, in this case a concert, and nothing more. I don’t want a cashier, bank teller, repairman, doctor, etc to give me his/her opinion unless I ask for it.
I loved the Dixie Chicks music and am sincerely sorry for their demise. The Chicks made mega-millions. They’ll be fine. I do think about the hundreds of families whose income depended on the Dixie Chicks. I have to ask how anyone would feel if they lost their job because their boss just couldn’t keep his opinions to himself.
April 29, 2015 @ 7:59 pm
Has anyone thought about the reasons that Natalie said what she did? War kills Americans. There was no truth in what the government had to say. No weapons of mass destruction … what? No reason to kill my brother.
May 22, 2015 @ 7:06 am
Again, it’s not about her views, it was when and how she decided to air them. I’m a dentist, how would you, my patient, feel if I gave you a political speech before I filled your tooth?
May 22, 2015 @ 8:45 am
Comment # 300!
The when was days BEFORE the start of the Iraq war. And the how seemed to be spur of the moment outburst at a concert in England, as opposed to, let’s say, a Steve Earle style 10 minute soliloquy (I’ve sat through some of those). Two sentences do not a speech make. I don’t think the comments were poorly received at the event itself (Yes, I know. Foreign soil. So what if that soil belonged to our strongest ally in the Iraq War? And how different would the outcome had been if the concert was in San Francisco?). But the right wing infotainment complex got a hold of it and ginned up the outrage, so that in addition to mainstream country fans, there were many people who didn’t even listen to country radio calling up country stations to complain.
June 6, 2021 @ 4:27 am
it doesn’t matter!!!! a concert is a concert.. not a political platform to spout your personal political views. its not the time nor place to do so. … so don’t you get that??? think not.
April 30, 2015 @ 9:40 pm
With hind sight 10 years later, we can all look back and see that they were right in denouncing President Bush. The Middle East is a mess, and it all started with the US invasion of Iraq. That one event has completely destabilized the region and actually made Iran more powerful. We all agree that Saddam was a horrible person, but at the time, he was merely a figurehead ruling over Iraq with barely enough power to wipe his own ass. Democracy can not be simply willed onto a population, but it must be desired and sought out by the people. Otherwise, chaos will ensue with a much worse dictator in place than the one who was disposed. The American republic was not started by being forced upon us by a foreign power, and we should not force it on other sovereign nations no matter how much we think other countries are wrong. However, we do have a responsibility to prevent atrocities and intervene when they are committed. This does not include drumming up false evidence to dispose someone just because we don’t like, especially without understanding the consequences involved. Like Cheney said during the H.W. years, if we go into Iraq and dispose Saddam, then we are completely responsible for what happens in that country afterwards, which is why we did not go all the way to Baghdad in the first place. This ignorance why The Dixie Chicks had “go away” and rob the world of so much great future music.
May 13, 2015 @ 10:27 am
Yeah, there were no problems in the middle east until 2001….
August 16, 2016 @ 12:48 pm
Funny you say that, You lib’s also make a big deal over people making fun of, Or taking advantage of disadvantaged people say like Charleton Heston where were your scream’s of outrage over Michael Moore’s taking adavntage of him?…………………………………..Yup that’s what I thought. OK WMD’s? Where do you think Syria got their’s? As for people able to speak freely and say what they think? Try that in Hollywood if your conservative like for example Tom Selleck. It’s also strange how lib’s talk about being free to say what they think and or make fun of politcal leader’s say like Billy Boy? Or Sarah Palin Billy Boy actually did do and say thing’s that were made fun of Sarah Palin NEVER EVER said I can see Russia from my house “that” was Tina Fey’s parody of Sarah Palin. Billy Boy “earned” the parody’s done of him then and now. Say yeah the media is largely not completely on your side lib’s or haven’t you heard of the study where 90% of the media admitted to voting democrat?
May 5, 2015 @ 8:07 am
I remember when all of this originally happened. I wasn’t a fan, but I wasn’t anti-DC, either; however, the comment was ill timed. I’m with the one poster who mentioned the time, place and overall sentiment. Everyone has the right to say/think/feel what he/she wants, but there are going to be consequences for your actions. Natalie Mains didn’t help things with her very, very snarky attitude, the DC cover with all of the comments on their naked bodies and then the followup song “Not Ready to Make Nice.” It doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with her; if you’re soaking wet, why continue spitting in the wind and then complain that no one understands? I think the biggest problem was that the DC forgot that the roots of their fan base is strongly pro-American.
FWIW, I just listened to “Goodbye Earl” for the first time and laughed my rear off (I like Country, but it’s not something I listen to on a regular basis). What a pity that Natalie & the DC couldn’t have shown a little humility with their fans and come out with some sort of explanation, not apology, that would have said, in essence, “while we feel strongly about this, we realize that it was poorly timed and regret any unintentional offense”…you know…something where everyone could have walked away with heads held high.
May 8, 2015 @ 7:51 am
While it was the statement by Natalie that started the end of the DC’s career, what actually destroyed their career was nationwide mass boycotts of record sales, threats against radio-station airplay against stations and DJs, and escalating threats against radio stations whenever and wherever a concert was scheduled. As a long-time resident of the deep south, I must tell you that assuming a country fan is some sort of one-dimensional robot who’s behavior is controlled by an ultra-conservative robot master is childish and completely inaccurate. I remain to this day deeply suspicious of this “spontaneous” reaction by the great majority of country fans to destroy this one group. BTW, I absolutely agreed with Natalie’s comment from the stage, and all this claptrap about “if we only knew back then”, etc., is a lame excuse. I and many of the people I knew and many principled people in the media were warning loudly that this war was based on misinformation and was a bizarre reaction to a bunch of Saudis organizing and carrying out an attack on our country, who were now hiding in Afghanistan. P.S., in case folks don’t remember, W’s popular support was huge for the Afghanistan invasion, but it plummeted when we went into Iraq.
May 13, 2015 @ 7:33 pm
Send the politicians to fight the wars and no more armed combat just BS and hot air.
May 15, 2015 @ 10:38 am
Ms. Maine’s needs to understand freedom of speech is a two-street. She blasted Toby Keith’s song Red, White, and Blue when it was most needed IMO. Yes, the song is a little extremed but it was very popular among the men and women in uniform during a time of crisis after 9/11. Ms. Maine has every right to freedom of speech but so does Toby Keith and any other musician. Ms. Maine’s mouth was the downfall of the DC and it did not stop with Toby Keith, the President was next. Public opinion is a strange animal, one minute you are in the spot light with your music, then in the dark with your mouth. I hope she has learned a valuable lesson here, be careful who you point fingers at (Toby Keith). I hope they can regroup and be back at some time, they are very talented group.
May 20, 2015 @ 1:37 pm
I sick of hearing they have a right to say what they want to say! No da no ones deny that.But people saying there constitutional rights were violated is just stupid.It not any organisation,company,government
agency that’s keeping people from going to there concerts or buy there music its there fans choosing not
to go.when it comes to constitutional rights it’s not a constitutional right to have a people come to your concerts or buy music and buy the way boycotting is a form of freedom of speech.
May 20, 2015 @ 3:39 pm
I find it interesting that neither the article nor the comments mention the fact that the Dixie Chicks received death threats serious enough that the FBI stepped in. I support anyone’s right to buy or not buy their records, but many lines were crossed. Watch “Shut Up and Sing.”
May 26, 2015 @ 8:23 pm
Speak Up and Sing, Please!
We need your voices, and music.
June 5, 2015 @ 10:59 pm
I was actually a huge fan of the Dixie Chicks’ music – didn’t much care about their politics. But I’m also an Army brat and Navy wife. They decided to badmouth our President in a foreign land – had they said something here in the States, yeah, it would have been news, for maybe a week, but country fans recognize and accept differing opinions and Freedom of Speech. The fact that she said it on foreign soil as we were going to war – agree or not (and I didn’t) – is what made me decide to exercise my opinion with my wallet – I would not listen to, buy or support anything else they did. You can say whatever you like here. You don’t denounce the leader of your country while you’re outside your country.
June 6, 2015 @ 7:51 am
You are incorrect. Americans do have the right to “denounce the leader of your country while you’re outside your country.” — me, civil rights lawyer for the last 28 years.
March 17, 2017 @ 3:13 pm
Nice strawman. You’re putting words in April’s mouth – you know exactly what she meant.
June 6, 2015 @ 8:01 am
They decided? I think it was more like an impulsive outburst by Natalie Maines. And I am very far from convinced that the outcome would have been much different if it was said in some very blue part of the US (e.g., San Francisco, NYC, Boston).
June 11, 2015 @ 7:27 am
As many have mentioned here, they had the RIGHT to say anything they wanted. And WE have the right to respond any way we wish. That is what America is supposed to be about. So those of us who found the comments to be offensive, simply decided not to support their opinion by not giving them money. Doing so would be tantamount to paying your money to give a venue to any political position that you oppose. It would be foolish. If they elected to offer their political opinion then they must expect people who disagree with them to withdraw their support. This is why it is better for celebrities to stay away from politics and allow us to just enjoy the talent the DO have. Unfortunately, show business today has become so political that sometimes talent is pressured into to take a certain position in order to further their career. I have seen this first hand in Hollywood where conservatives have to hide their opinions or they are ostracized. But think about it…what multimillionaire movie star would favor a policy where their money taken from them and redistributed so every has an equal share…(answer: not a single one). ( I do not believe industry pressure was a factor in this case, just to be clear) Nevertheless, I fully support the right of the singer to state her opinion, and I would fight to defend it. HOWEVER, I also fully support my right and the right of others NOT to support an opinion with which we disagree. Simple as that.
June 11, 2015 @ 7:30 am
EXACTLY!
June 22, 2015 @ 7:47 pm
Addressing Kingfish:
You are absolutely correct. Americans have the “right” to criticize and otherwise denounce their nations leaders inside and outside of their country.
Just don’t bitch and moan when Isis decides to cut your head off with a dull knife because you are still a westerner and an infidel. They don’t give a damn if you are a civil rights lawyer or not. But then again, you are the civil rights lawyer and not me. Maybe they want equality? More power to you.
June 22, 2015 @ 8:07 pm
Irregardless of personal political opinions, the Dixie Chicks speaking out internationally in the midst of a trying time for all of America was in poor taste. They gambled on their career, albeit unknowingly and not intentionally, I am quite sure. However, they rolled the dice and they lost.
It is a shame, the Dixie chicks were amazing artists producing amazing music. It just shows that no matter who you are or where you are, letting your personal feelings get the better of you (particularly in an international and professional Spotlight) can be devastating to ones career.
i was greatly disappointed that they felt the need to embarrass their country in such a trying time and manner, but what was done is done. We all need to move along and carry on forward. Bashing back and forth over whether the war was his fault or her fault is ridiculous.
The side who claims they have the right to denounce George bush claim they have the right to burn an American flag. They are the same ones who claim our soldiers are dying for nothing and chant “bring our soldiers home!” then turn around and harass and desecrate the funerals and gravesites of our soldiers. What is wrong with your thought process?
November 27, 2015 @ 5:09 pm
You were disappointed that they embarrassed the country? Time to come out of that bubble dude. That International coalition dried up pretty quick as it became apparent that the evidence and reasoning was sketchy and misleading at best. In the end we twisted England’s arm to get them to run in with us, but I’m sure their reasons were completely noble too.Your line about “Bashing back and forth over whether the war was his fault or her fault is ridiculous” is especially infuriating.. You know damn well that no one will ever say that war was anyone’s but George Bush’s. The reason it’s not ridiculous to keep pointing this shit out is because the same bullshit thought processes that took us there are being revisited by one of our two major political parties as we try to decide who will be our next President so fuck yeah I will denounce Bush. BTW, the supreme court said we do have the right to burn a flag, that doesn’t mean we would. So it’s not so much a claim as it’s a fact.What’s wrong with your thought process ? You do realize it’s possible to support the troops and not support war dontcha? I support them so I really don’t like the idea of them going around the world to die senselessly in foreign countries. Can you please tell me what they did die over there for because I still don’t know.
June 26, 2015 @ 10:20 am
The Dixie Chicks have what is called ” Foot and mouth disease”. The inserted their feet in their mouth. This is a deadly disease.
July 9, 2015 @ 1:16 pm
Natalie Maines was and still is free to say whatever she wants. However, country music fans, for the most part, tend to lean to the right. She and the band suffered the consequences of alienating a sizable portion of their fan base. Country radio stations, in turn, would lose many of those same fans if they continued to play Chicks songs. Businesses are not going to spend advertising dollars with radio stations that have a shrinking audience, whether the advertisers agree with Maines’ statement or not.
The Chicks failed to recognize the demographics of their then-large fan base.
BTW, they haven’t disbanded or disappeared; they have a brief tour of the Netherlands and the UK next spring, according to the DC website.
July 9, 2015 @ 2:59 pm
The Dixie Chicks said what they wanted. The American public spoke with their wallets…the Chicks got toasted…if they’d been smart and not liberal wannabe’s, they could have said what they wanted in their music…it might have worked, or maybe not…as it was…speaking bad of America at such a crucial time, in a foreign country, struck the majority of country fans as being “Just Wrong”..The Dixie Chick killed their own careers trying to bring their politics to the stage. We wanted singers, not politics….don’t miss them at all !!
July 17, 2015 @ 10:49 pm
I was a fan of the sisters but never liked Manes. She used to talk about her parents breakup at their shows, very inappropriate.
July 14, 2018 @ 5:02 pm
Without Natalie Maines the Dixie Chicks would never have been the fantastic musicians they were. Notice that loser they dumped and replaced with Natalie is a NOTHING and doesn’t even perform anymore. She knows she SUCKS !
July 19, 2015 @ 8:23 pm
As a Navy brat, I moved around quite a lot. I grew up on country music as my dad was from TN. I love country music, and loved the Dixie Chicks. Loved their harmonies, loved that they were true musicians. What I have never been able to reconcile is the fact that all she did was say, they don’t like war, don’t want to see people dying, and were ashamed the president was from TX, as were they I suppose. While I have to say I agree with their sentiments and their right to free speech, I was very surprised by how ignorant people were in calling them traitors, un-American, or promoting their deaths. Whether you agree with them or not, I find it interesting that all they said was they were ashamed the President was from TX, yet someone like Hank Williams Jr. can compare the sitting President to Hitler, and yet the audience cheers him. It’s so hypocritical of the country fans to be okay with something that I think is WAY more disrespectful, yet be perfectly fine with demonizing the Dixie Chicks. So, I guess it’s just a matter of whether the sitting president is a Republican or a Democrat. The majority of the country fan base is Republican, so it’s not so much about disrespecting the President, as it is disrespecting a particular president. All that was gained by this whole mess is perpetuation of the myth that country fans are uneducated red necks, (generalization), and a loss of music from a truly talented band. Very sad!
July 26, 2015 @ 10:46 pm
It’s easy for authors to try to re-write history 10 years later, but the simple truth is that it was the wrong place, the wrong time, and the wrong message, all at once. Political tensions were high, people had very strong opinions at that time, and the singer knew exactly what she was doing when she said those fateful words. Whether you agree with her sentiment, or not, the Dixie Chicks had no one to blame but their singer for what happened. It’s easy to say what could have, should have, or would have happened if, when, or whatever … but the reality is what DID happen.
I also think this author is wrong in another way, and that is that she makes it sound like fans were led along on a leash, and that’s not how I remember it. Fans themselves were incredibly angry.
Was it fair ? What does it matter if it was or not, it doesn’t change a thing … it was what it was. Entertainers always take a chance when they start making political statements, because the U.S. electorate is pretty equally divided, so voicing your opinion is almost certainly going to cause a great many of your fans to get angry.
August 25, 2015 @ 6:07 pm
Taylor Swift just appeared at a sellout show in Los Angeles at the Staples arena with
Dixie Chicks as her guests.
September 4, 2015 @ 6:44 pm
Please read Bostonian’s comments. The 2011 CMA’s featured a standing ovation to an overt racist Hank Williams Jr. What can be said about the country music establishment. That was the most vile event I have seen at any awards show. Miley Cyrus and Madonna cannot top that.
What else can be said but the stereotypes are proven true.
To those who say the Dixie Chicks got what they deserved, please do NOT be offended when we return the favor. The difference is we will NOT be violent, unlike the far right.
March 17, 2017 @ 3:21 pm
Wow… it’s amazing how two short years showed how wrong you truly were with that statement.
October 11, 2015 @ 9:05 am
I realize that I am commenting on an article that was posted over 2 years ago on something that happened over 12 years ago – but I just read it now!
I am from the UK and my brother and I were actually at the Dixie Chicks concert when they made the now infamous anti-war, anti-bush comments.
I can not recall exactly what they said at the concert but I do distinctly remember walking out at the end of the concert and saying to my brother how surprised I was at the severity of their comments against President Bush.
At the concert, the comments seemed to suddenly come out of nowhere and people were not prepared for it. The element of surprise and harshness of the comments jarred significantly with the feel good mood of the concert up to that point and therefore left a big impression on the concert audience.
Where I believe the Dixie Chicks went wrong was not in voicing their opposition against the war – it was in making a personal statement against the President and the way the handled the controversy that followed.
First I think making the argument a personal matter against Bush was a mistake. I do not believe that was their intention at first. They just got carried away with the overwhelming anti-war sentiment here in the UK which boosted their own anti-war beliefs. Also, as I recall from memory, when they made the anti-war statement it was greeted with a general positive response from the crowd which then encouraged Natalie Maines to speak on and make the comments about Bush.
This is important – the statement quoted was not delivered in one continuous monologue. The anti-war statement came first and when it was received with overall approval it then spurred Natalie on to make her anti-Bush remarks in a following statement. She just got carried away.
My impression of Americans is, regardless of the occupancy of the White House, the general public (especially the country music loving crowd) hold the position of the President to a very high regard and insulting that post, especially on foreign soil, does not go down well. Therefore while I believe the majority would have been fine with the anti-war position of the Dixie Chicks, they did not take well to the anti-President, anti-Bush comment.
Following on from the incident, I believe what hurt them the most was the way they handled the fallout. From memory I recall that they mismanaged their responses. First they did not apologize at all and stood by everything they said. Then following on from this they did eventually issue some form of explanation and some form of apology.
This was not a good move. It did nothing to lessen the anger of the people that turned against them initially and it also alienated those who initially backed them, who agreed with them and supported them in their views and their right to make their comments.
It also did not help that they picked a verbal fight with the biggest male country music star of that time Toby Keith – that was a no win situation and it lost them even more fans and support!
Following the incident they should have immediately released a statement clarifying their opposition to the war but sincerely apologizing for their comments with regards to President Bush. I think this would have quickly dampened the flames and put an end to the matter.
I whole heartedly agree with your analysis of the damage that was done to country music following their exile. They were the biggest act of the time and promoted a traditional country sound. Their departure left a big hole in the industry and derailed the direction of country music. Country music then took a wrong turn in its subsequent scramble to fill this gap and find a new path to follow. It was at this time that the seeds for the general drop in the quality of country music heard in the last few years were sown.
October 15, 2015 @ 6:45 pm
So has Hank williams Jnr, been called unpatriotic for the things he has said about President Obama? has clear communications banned his songs from radio?
October 26, 2015 @ 3:39 pm
People are looking at this with 2015 context. Maines was disrespectful to the POTUS on foreign soil right before going to war. She was well within her right to say what she said but could hardly be surprised at the backlash that awaited her back home.
January 17, 2016 @ 9:20 pm
Is’nt it funny now the right wing is all about “not being politically correct”
March 17, 2017 @ 3:19 pm
And the left wing is all about authoritarianism. Funny.
November 2, 2015 @ 3:33 pm
I didn’t realize the Chicks are still banned from American radio? Dear lord how long is the sentence. Also on a point of interest. I wonder if gender had more to do with the harshness of the response? I think shut up and sing would be less offensive as a comment if it weren’t directed at women. We’ve been told to shut up and do our jobs for generations.
November 10, 2015 @ 4:33 am
Excellent point! Damn uppity wimmins. Seriously though, I think gender played a part. 12 years later it would appear that lots of the C&W establishment are upset because Natalie was RIGHT. Anyone care to guess how many death threats Hank Jr.got by being disrespectful of the POTUS? I’d bet zero. For the record, we’re still at war. DC’s are touring Europe and have announced some US dates I think. Radio doesn’t play the DCs but, hey, they didn’t play Stapleton either.
January 17, 2016 @ 11:24 pm
Just discovered this site and I’m digging it. Too bad there’s a need for it..
‘Groups’ didn’t boycott the Chick’s concerts and recordings after Natalie’s Sheppard’s Bush comments. Many people who would have bought their music and appearances were put off by what she said. It’s that simple.
A protest song about whatever by an artist is not the same thing as what Natalie did. It’s just a good song or a bad song, depending on your personal outlook.
And Willy Nelson’s opinions, well, he smokes weed. : ) No one’s gonna bust him. Did he say it from the stage? I bet not.
I think recording artists (and celebrities in general) should keep their cake holes shut onstage about political stuff. You’re gonna alienate about half your audience if you don’t. And most artists are seriously uniformed about geo-politics and tilt in the Unicorn-Kumbaya direction by default.
Write a blog, tweet or whatever, and take the flak when your fans disagree with you. I’m personally offended when ANY artist starts pontificating from the stage. Shut up and play.
February 14, 2016 @ 10:27 am
Thats rich! It is obvious that country has decided to blacklist Garth Brooks due to his politics and he in no way has gotten on his soapbox and made it part of an agenda to express his opinions.
On the other hand he has “God forbid” sang songs of love and peace in keeping with his true Christian faith!
Meanwhile country radio sounds less country these days and more like the music played by the artist who openly support everything country fans are supposed to hate.
Yes Garth has some songs not quite country but atleast he can do modern country and you can differentiate it from all the other genres of music!
Country sells because it sold out to young kids who like anything but country. They committed murder on music row!
February 14, 2016 @ 10:43 am
That I can agree with but the Dixie Chicks incident set the precedent that country fans will only support those artist they know support thier views or assume they do!
While Toby Keith is a talented artist he got a lot of extra album sales and radio play by pandering to the masses. So, while I am not saying he was lying he fully exploited the environment and to say it is good to keep ones mouth shut is fine but it is great to use it in music and any other forum if you are preaching to the choir!
If I was a successful country artist but a democrat I might lie and sing and speak in another way! It can be quite profitable! Just use all that money for my causes upon retirement!
February 14, 2016 @ 10:56 am
I am no country music traditionalist but loved the new traditional stars of the 90’s and very early 2000’s.
Still I am a fan of music that atleast sounds like whatever genre it is supposed to be. No matter the genre. Today country in any form is almost entirely dead. Taken over by the kids who hated country and dictated what they thought the genre should be. Anything but country!
George Strait and Alan Jackson are now right. They have committed murder on music row!
February 14, 2016 @ 12:40 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3Wdb0NHdNk
February 15, 2016 @ 9:04 pm
I listen to musical artists because I like the sound. Period. I still play my old Dixie Chicks CDs and enjoy the sound. However, when they disrespected our country in front of a foreign audience, they lost my respect as entertainers and fellow Americans, and I am glad they got whatever happened to them.
Yes, they were free to speak their minds, and yes, I am free to never spend any money on them, ever.
February 18, 2016 @ 8:15 am
They didn’t disrespect their country, they dissed the idiot Junior Bush, which he deserved. What happened to them is the hysterical right-wing nuts went nuts, like they always do. What would have happened to Trump if he were saying the same things back then that he’s saying now?
March 29, 2016 @ 9:24 am
The Chicks should have learned some lessons if they were to stay out of this soup:
First lesson: Never insult your customers. The problem is not so much the political stance, but the insulting way in which it was delivered.
Second lesson: If you’re going to crow about exercising your free speech, then don’t bitch and play victim (e.g., the naked photo) when those hearing your free speech exercise theirs in response, as that just repeats the insult.
Third lesson: Don’t take your star status for granted. It can evaporate as fast as it appeared. I’m guessing that the sisters knew this, having paid their dues, but Natalie the chirp obviously didn’t.
You can complain about the public over-responding, but the public didn’t pick the fight, the Chicks did. And if their music style didn’t survive this, then I’m guessing that there was less to it than you’re weeping about. It was enjoyable at the time, to be sure, but probably wouldn’t have stood up over time anyway, or else it would be despite this.
April 9, 2016 @ 9:22 pm
The Dixie Chicks sang good music back then and sound good now…I would like to know which Radio stations shut them off, I will shut my Radio off…I liked them in spite of who their choice of president was./…look what we have now, and I don’t see these stupid stations up in arms about BO….This is from The EARL THATS GOTTA D I E …..MISS YOU GALS…….NOW I DEFINITELY WON’T SUBSCRIBE TO ANY RADIO CRAP UNTIL YOUR MUSIC IS BACK ON TRACK…………GOOD-BY FOREVER SIRUS……DIXIE CHICKS FAN……..BETTER GET RID OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE TOO, IT HAS SOMETHING LOUSY BUT TRUE TO SAY ABOUT EVERY PRES….NEXT TIME I HEAR YOU GALS ON ANY OF THESE LOUSY STATIONS ALL THE OTHERS GET DELETED FROM MY FAVORITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…..GO GALS1
May 25, 2016 @ 12:59 pm
For your information Sirius Radio does play the Dixie Chicks music all the time so you must be on the wrong Channel I think the Dixie Chicks Rock I love their music
May 22, 2016 @ 9:00 pm
Dear Idiots running this website.
The First Amendment only specifies that speaking whatever is on your mind is protected against Govt. action against you, it has nothing to do with their being no repercussions from said speech. The Dixie chicks were a little too early. at the time, many people thought disrespecting the country and the president was a really bad thing (it is), if they had done this now (since the 0bamabots have taken over every normal chance of discussion, and apparently the Progressive pukes out there WANT to drive the country toward a 2nd civil war. Frankly, I welcome it, time to take out the Progressive Trash!
May 25, 2016 @ 6:07 pm
I think country music got its karma in the form of Toby Keith. All the top 40 country acts sing about now is beer cans and plastic cups or make duets with LL Cool J. Pre Toby country had substance and a variety of acts and song writing that’s just not there anymore. I’ll take a fiddle and a story through song anyday over an advertisement for red cups and drunk sex sung by guys in skinny jeans and leather studded jackets. Hey, to each his own. I’m happy listening to my old skool country when they still wore cowboy hats and had something interesting to say.
June 4, 2016 @ 12:06 pm
The Dixie Chick’s made their own bed and now they have to lay in it. All to often celebrities think they can speak for or speak at their fans. Whether Maines agreed with the war insulting this nation and it’s leader was not appreciated. We were a nation still reeling from one of the most horrible attacks on American soil. Making such statements in another country was foolish and ill timed. Fans were in no way obligated to over look or respect her comments. In this life people need to learn words have consequences.
June 5, 2016 @ 10:10 am
These America hating Communist Piglets still trying to lap at the Capitalist trough. They are disgusting, embarrassing and old Nazi Hags. Maines comes from a long line of Communist Red Diaper Scum aka Communists, its who she is and how she evolved. Trying to make themselves relevant is pathetic because they are Zero’s on the American landscape. hated and not wanted. Notice how quiet they have been with the Illegal Communist Usurper POS Obama in our WH? Not a word of criticism. He represents what this Tri Hag Nazi fest group is all about. They need to go home with their Satanic tails tucked between their legs and STFU. NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU COMMIE PIGLETS THING, NOR DOES THE WORLD. TOTAL HYPOCRITES TRYING TO HAVE TOURS TO MAKE THOSE CAPITALIST AMERICAN $$. THE SAME SYSTEM THEY ARE PART OF DISRESPECTING & ATTEMPTING TO DESTROY. I REPEAT STFU HAGS.
June 6, 2016 @ 8:18 am
Second section is over $100 and I would expect music ….not political commentary. So now it is Trump that they are throwing up a picture of and knocking it.
Therefore these money grubbers will not get any of my money. They “ain’t” that good! As it should be they have their right and I have my right to not give them a dime.
June 15, 2016 @ 5:55 pm
Hey Dixie Chicks – Badmouth Obama and I will buy your album.
July 7, 2016 @ 7:21 pm
They did it to themselves. They pushed TK and he did the smart thing, he sat back and smiled. A Male group that endorses rape or murder (Goodbye Earl?) would have been blackballed immediately. This group was forced out by country music fans that would not support them economically. Good riddance.
July 11, 2016 @ 7:11 pm
They alienated their core audience. If they’d been “The Manhattan Chicks” it wouldn’t have been a problem! What annoyed me was people implying that this meant there was no free speech in America. What about Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore? Again, the latter two speak to THEIR audience, not a (I assume) more conservative one.
August 1, 2016 @ 9:43 am
You Hicks responding and defending Bush are hypocritical morons…you are the same idiots that are supporting Donald Trump. You would not know up from down if it were spelled out for you and painted in pictures…the US is going to hell as long as people like you are allowed to breed.
March 17, 2017 @ 3:16 pm
Ah! There’s that liberal tolerance I’ve heard so much about!
August 23, 2016 @ 11:06 pm
I would love to have the Dixie Chicks back on my country radio stations and send Taylor Swift off to ‘pop’ music land where she wants to be. I for one whole-heartily miss the Chicks and there style of music.
August 23, 2016 @ 11:22 pm
Could we PLEEEEEA…..SE trade off Taylor Swift for the CHICKS!!!!
September 12, 2016 @ 8:43 am
When the Dixie Chicks went on their “we’re being treated so unfairly tour” with Barbara Walters and others, It’s interesting to remember that George W. Bush was asked about what the Dixie Chicks said on stage in England. He quickly responded by saying “This is America. We have freedom of speech. The Dixie Chicks are absolutely entitled to speak their minds about politics or whatever. What the Dixie Chicks don’t seem to understand that the people in America also have a right to disagree with what they said and to express that disagreement by not going to their concerts, not buying their music, and changing the channel when their music is played.” Natalie Mains seems to think that we the people don’t have a right to speak our minds in the same way she speaks hers; she is mistaken.
October 31, 2016 @ 9:42 am
The biggest problem looking back is it was just the worst possible timing with American patriotism at an all time high and so many raw emotions. The biggest mistake she made was calling “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” an ignorant song. Toby had just lost his father and admittedly wrote the song from his father’s perspective and a lot of Americans felt the same. A lot of people took Natalie Maines’ comments personally and naturally took Toby’s side when shit hit the fan.
November 7, 2016 @ 2:27 pm
Are people too dumb to understand that those calls to local radio stations originally came from a call center. This has been proven by the voices of the ‘callers’ being the same group. But the question is, WHY? Who would be interested in killing this band? They rebuilt the brand of country music. Who PAID for this hit job? Sony, because the Chicks sued them? (Dan Rather: You have sold $225M in CD’s for Sony. Are any of you millionaires? They sheepishly admitted – no. They took a HUGE chance and sued. And won). The RNC? Carl Rove? Clearchannel??? Something with money and power did this. It wasn’t the locals. They didn’t get angry until they were told to be, by the professional callers.
The Chicks had left country music behind. Their last two albums had nothing to do with country, as imagined by radio. That is when I started to be in awe of them.
We lost some great music, but it would have no longer for country radio. The girls raised families, Natalie was afraid, or too pissed off to tour. Death threats from ass-hats will do that to you! The sisters started a great band of their own. Whatever Natalie wants to do, they don’t really need her, tho I miss her voice.
Thanks for the article. Damage was done, no one won. But it makes me so angry that the issue of call centers is never addressed in Dixie Chicks’ articles. Maybe it was just misogyny? As none of the men making similar comments felt heat. But then – they didn’t have paid assassins on their tails.
January 14, 2017 @ 12:47 pm
“DEMISE”?
None of these girls are living check-to-check. They will be fine. They are still great musicians, and they will always get work. The real demise here is in COUNTRY MUSIC.
Now you have bro-country ( an actual format genre now), country-rap, and the sound that made Nashville famous is now considere a small “niche” thing not worth promoting.
F.U.N.V.!!!
March 9, 2017 @ 3:30 pm
Back in the day I use to like the “chicks” But Haven’t liked them for about oh I don’t know 15 years now. I really wish singers, bands, and movie actors and actresses would leave politics to themselves. Thank you fo the post.
March 17, 2017 @ 2:58 pm
My problem with this wasn’t that Natalie Maines shot her mouth off about politics in a public venue, but she waited until she was in another country that she knew would be more receptive to her views. That’s cowardice, not conviction.
November 24, 2017 @ 4:58 pm
Tom, imo she there to sing not spew politician agendas. She got what she deserved, but the other two when down in flames with her.
April 5, 2017 @ 10:33 am
I might be duplicating someone else’s comment here, because I did’nt have time to read all of the ones others have posted, but here’s the deal: First of all, neither I, nor, I think, most people if not everyone, are/is saying that Natalie Maines is not entitled to her opinion, because she is, the same as any other American. The point is not whether she has a right to say what she has said. The point is that she is being paid to do a job, and no part of that job entails making political statements from the stage. When she walks out onto that stage, there is only one thing that she should be doing-performing her music. That’s it. That’s what she is paid to do. Nothing else. There are appropriate forums for one to espouse their political viewpoints, and then there are inappropriate forums for one to do so. From the stage, when you are a singer and a musician and you are being paid to sing and play a musical instrument, is NOT the appropriate forum from which to launch into a political statement or tirade. And it’s my firm belief that that, and that alone, is what caused the Dixie Chicks to fall out of favor with the country music community and their careers to begin to spiral downward as they did after Maines made the comments that she did on stage in London in 2003. When a fan of any musical act buys a ticket to see that act perform on stage, they did not buy that ticket to hear political propaganda which they may or may not be in agreement with. They buy that ticket to enjoy great music. And that’s what that act needs to do on stage, not engage in activism.
May 18, 2017 @ 6:09 pm
The parallels this author tries to draw are faulty. Dixie Chicks play bubble gum/Nashville junk country. So, if you play in that sphere you better love your Jesus and the USA. Willie and Merle are outlaw country and have built their brand of saying what they feel.
The music industry did nothing to the Dixie Chicks, they did this to themselves for not knowing/understanding their fanbase. That’s why Carrie Underwood knows she should focus on singing about going psycho on her boyfriends’ sweet 4×4 and not make stands criticizing America for blocking out refugees.
May 24, 2017 @ 1:47 pm
I’ve appealed to Webster’s to add a new definition. When you do something to stupid as to destroy what little life/career/popularity you had, that’s call “Dixie Chicking” yourself.
August 4, 2017 @ 1:19 pm
Truth be known, if we knew the political leanings of all of our favorite musicians, actors, entertainers..we would probably be shocked.
August 12, 2017 @ 10:38 am
I love the early Dixie Chicks. Especially the sisters. I Didn’t care much for Natalie.. I listen to be entertained and not hear political convictions. Oh well, We now have the Quebe sisters and they are super.
October 15, 2017 @ 2:58 pm
The Chicks had the right to say what they did. Their problem was that they did not understand their fan base…. who they were, what they believed, and how they would react. They shot their career in the foot with their remarks.
November 24, 2017 @ 4:52 pm
This is what happens when you think you are important enough to influence the commoners. Singers and actors need to keep they’re political beliefs to themselves. I for one don’t give Shyt what they think, I may like what the do, but that don’t mean I stupid enough to be sheep following idiot just cause the want to push their opinions and on me to influence votes. As far as the Dixie chicks I thought they were overrated.
November 29, 2017 @ 10:57 am
And why I left country music and country radio permanently except for the Chicks whom I continue to see whenever they come to Canada. For the country that practically invented it, freedom of speech doesn’t come with caveat. Short of hate speech, that is the point. You are either in or you’re out. You hear me Toby Keith? You have every right to disagree with Ms. Maines, but you should have been shouting at top of your lungs at the Washington Monument for
her right to express it.
December 30, 2017 @ 8:50 pm
I was a kid when the whole “Toby Keith vs. Dixie Chicks” fiasco happened. I was a huge fan of both Toby and The Chicks back then, and I still enjoy the music of both artists to this day.
I grew up in an ultra-conservative small town in the South and, not understanding politics at the time, I just jumped on the “DIXIE CHICKS SUCK! THEY’RE ALL AMERICA-HATING COMMIES AND TRAITORS!” bandwagon that everyone else around me seemed to be on. I felt like I had a moral obligation to hate them and their music. However, when I was a teenager, I heard “Cowboy Take Me Away” on an internet country station and remembered how much I loved that song. Then I thought to myself, “Do they really deserve to be hated? Was what they said/did really that bad?”
I’m not a conservative anymore, nor am I a liberal, and I think that looking back on the “If you like The Dixie Chicks, you hate America!” mentality now as an adult (who doesn’t have time for holding petty grudges anymore) is what changed my outlook on politics. Too many people on both ends of the political spectrum get so offended by people who have different opinions that they boycott at best and threaten to kill at worst. And it’s STILL happening today!
*Steps down off of the soapbox* On another, non-political note, I never really thought about the “death” of The Dixie Chicks as on of the reasons why country music went from being so great to so horrible, but it makes sense. They did have a more traditional feel to their music, and after their… forced departure… from music, country music didn’t immediately turn sour, but it slowly began to become less and less good every year (in my opinion).
Now, I’m not saying that they didn’t make mistakes or that they’re innocent, perfect little victims (I personally think that Natalie is an arrogant big mouth). I’m just saying, there are over seven billion people in this world. Do you really think they’re all going to share the same opinions and beliefs? And why should one side of an argument get to voice their opinions without backlash, while the other side gets aggressively attacked for voicing their opinions? That doesn’t seem like “free speech” to me.
July 14, 2018 @ 5:04 pm
Natalie’s talent MADE the Dixie Chicks ~
July 14, 2018 @ 5:07 pm
Wonder how far the Dixie Chicks would have gotten if they hadn’t dumped whatever her name was that never sang again. Even she knew she SUCKED !
July 14, 2018 @ 6:45 pm
Country music didn’t lose much when the Dixie Chicks were voted out by the consumers.
And their exile wasn’t responsible for the rise of bro-country. As long as Taylor Swift, soccer mom country and the death of rock as a commercial genre still occurred, country music would witness the rise of Bro-Country.
October 8, 2018 @ 3:57 pm
Why is it that anyone who does not agree with the leftist comments of the group and chooses not to spend their money on people who Spread their own political views are”closed minded”? The author could use an education on freedom of speech. It does not apply only to liberals, despite the teachings of Democratic party talking points.
February 23, 2019 @ 6:06 pm
The Dixie Chicks have nothing to apologize for, what they said about bush is true, he is a disgrace to the UN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! Him and all his rap partners are GUILTY on what happened on 911, another false flag that murdered over 300+ people this time! No way Bush & Cheney didn’t know what was going to happen the morning of 9/11/2001, they knew because they helped plan it and ok for it to take place. There is way to much evidence pointing to them, and so far they are still free as a bird, terrorists walking among us, above the laws of Our Country? I’m waiting for President Trump to open the new investigation he promised if he was elected, or has he been told to back off? I can’t picture him backing off if he was told to, I’d think that would make him more determined about it, we’ll see. I sent him a tweet, don’t know if he got it or not. Everyone should send him a tweet about it, when is this new investigation going to take place? We The People have lost a lot of our freedom because of what they did……
March 25, 2019 @ 4:31 pm
When I came across this article I thought it was ironic that in 10 years this country went from one extreme to another. 10 years ago Natalie said something she believed in and if you didn’t agree or not people look pretty stupid now. Every awards show be it music or film give their opinion and no one blinks.
April 25, 2019 @ 1:58 pm
The dixie chicks are satanic scum, they had some good songs back when they were pretending to be good girls, but just look at them now. Bitter and black, mean faced and scornful. Good riddance to those dixie trash.
April 25, 2019 @ 11:20 pm
Jason “satanic scum” Oliver. Why are you still a bitter, mean faced, scornful “good girl?”It’s called freedom of speech…can’t wait to say BYE “good riddance ” to your kinda trash thinking. And by the way,
Forgive, sounds good
Forget…….
May 30, 2019 @ 10:13 am
we have support our troops what ever the problem them women are traders
September 24, 2019 @ 11:53 pm
Should Christians forgive the Dixie Chicks or hold a grudge forever? I liked them as well as Bush & Texas as I lived in the state for over 30 years in Houston. Regardless if you are political left or right there is often good in both. Unbiased eyes will see this. However what they should of said to convey how they were felling in my opinion is something like this: “we are wanting peace over war”. What is sad and telling is how many people forgot about Jesus and anything that he taught and did hateful things in return to what they said. Hate just makes more hate. However love just makes more love. If I had it my way we should show our strength and just get over it and love one another like Jesus taught. Oh, my question….lol… Should Christians forgive the Dixie Chicks or hold a grudge forever?
October 1, 2019 @ 10:33 am
Great content. Texas, get over it…you often deserve worse considering your low ranking in education, health care, etc. Lots of good comes from Texas too, except GWB, who was a disaster on so many levels. She expressed a courageous opinion, something many more should of and we would have not lost so many precious American lives over a lie. Even Toby would not want all those needless deaths, regardless of his monosyllabic lyrics
January 2, 2020 @ 11:34 am
Recurring themes in these post are:
1) The DCs were ‘destroyed’ by ‘intolerant Red necks’
This is absolutely FALSE! Country music has a Conservative fan base. The fans of the DCs CHOSE to MAKE them because they were talented women and people could relate to their lyrics. The Left did not make them. The Left only largely began to listen to them, and support them, when the DCs fan base turned on them for their words. (The enemy of my enemy is my friend). Apparently, that wasn’t enough support because the DCs are no longer in the hit parade.
2) The DCs have a right to free speech (and since they were punished for what they said, they weren’t enjoying free speech)
WRONG! The Constitution guarantees the right to free speech, not the right to be heard and agreed with. Public speech is available for public consumption, and scrutiny. If you don’t want to be judged for your words, ‘Shut up and sing’.
I loved the Dixie Chicks music. I was very angry, sad, and upset by their pandering to foreign populations at our expense. Their aired our dirty laundry in public and paid the price.
Then ‘stuck to their guns’ instead of acknowledging their error.
I do admire their feistiness, but at some point, it becomes a detriment. If they were wise, they would have realized they had crossed the line, and made a course correction. They chose not to, so I guess they were satisfied with what they had. That was also their choice.
January 23, 2021 @ 6:54 am
But It’s funny that the same people who make these arguments to justify private censorship of the Dixie Chicks get enraged when, say, Twitter and Facebook decide they don’t want to publish Donald Trump’s incendiary comments—which are far less tame— on their private platforms after a riot on Capitol Hill.
June 23, 2020 @ 1:00 am
So when it’s left blackballed it’s sad and sit in the corner crying for press to vindicate, but the right is free game to bash so unmercifully that they even force news against them and get Hollyweird against them even. They misrepresented the US and even the UK with their uneducated comments. No pass they were a disgrace to their homeland.
August 11, 2020 @ 12:03 pm
I would not call them a disgrace myself. Do I think they they were right to say what they said and where they said it, my opinion would be definitely no. that’s my opinion though. Many others feel the same to some degree or another. However, I don’t believe they should have been mostly erased from the music world. I would like to listen to their songs again. Some made me laugh and others made me cry. I enjoy listening to songs for the music they are and the moods they can give. Their political views and comments are not what I want to hear.
September 27, 2020 @ 7:22 am
I can understand why the Dixie chicks would like to get involved with politics as they have the right to their own opinion. Everybody has the freedom of speech and if you dont like what their saying then dont read it. rant over 😉
October 3, 2020 @ 9:53 pm
I read a scathing article in TEXAS MONTHLY about them I think it was called the FALL OF THE DIXIE CHICKS. The article talked about how they were brats, unappreciative, hard to work with and basically several rude chicks. How they had to have this and that on the bus and how they insisted this be like that. It was not a flattering article about them at all but it helped me to understand how they fell from grace.
January 23, 2021 @ 6:46 am
Looking back on the Dixie Chicks fiasco after four years of listening to the same people who boycotted the Dixie Chicks whine about PC ‘cancel culture’ and the hypocrisy is HI-larious…
January 24, 2021 @ 8:08 pm
Suppose, for a minute, that dyed-in-the-wool left wing liberals owned and operated most country music radio stations. Toby Keith, or an artist with similar political views, prefaces
a concert with remarks about Making America Great Again, or disses the BLM
movement.
In response, the radio stations refuse to play Toby Keith’s music and invite
listeners to bring their Keith CDs to the station for a bonfire of the vanities.
Keith is labeled ‘a dangerous racist who deserves to have his career destroyed.’
Now, would you regard the blacklisting of Toby Keith to be fair and appropriate?
It would be just the flip side of the response to the Dixie Chicks way back in 2003.
March 5, 2021 @ 12:09 pm
Toby Keith had a way of riling up his fans and he used it. I call that bullying. Probably the same patriotic crowd that rioted the Whitehouse..just wanting to vent their hated. Death threats…really???
August 27, 2022 @ 1:37 pm
Saw Toby Keith a couple of years ago…preCancer diagnosis….was one of the worst musical experiences…slurred his words…his backup band, was great…back singer, spot on…and to make even more unbearable, brought out, IMO, talentless Colt Ford….his backup singer had this look of shock and disbelief…..
As for the Chicks…those who put them down, well…that is their loss…thr BrucevRobinson song Travelin Soldier one of the best songs about the personal tragedy and loss of war…like Jason Isbell’s Dress Blues or Radney Foster’s Angel Flight….
Once again, wouldnt cross the road and spend good money on Toby Keith and his pandered patriotism
August 27, 2022 @ 1:53 pm
Agree and disagree. Dixie Chicks are amazing, those first 3 records are as good as any of the last 30 years or so. Travelin Soldier is great, agree. Not a fan of much after, they’ve leaned into the silly Me Too nonsense, and “patriarchy sucks” garbage that has no place in country music. TK is great, and has some of the best patriotic songs in the genre. Love him. Isbell isnt someone I would suggest as being good in the genre. Isbell is a pompous woke SJW who thinks people pay to hear his political opinions as opposed to hear his songs. Hate those musicians. Isbell is an egotistical narcissist who couldnt show forgiveness and grace to Morgan, when Isbells past is littered with emotional, and verbal abuse to others and obviously a public and shocking addiction to substances. Would think an individual with that history would be willing to show grace to others in similar situations. Evidently thats not in Isbells wheelhouse. Id rather listen to music, personally, like TK, who love our country, our way of life, our traditions, and our history. Isbell seeks to tear us down. Wasnt it Gandalf who said, Evil cant build, it can only destroy? Seems about right.