Founding member of The Dixie Chicks and well-regarded bass player Laura Lynch has died in a car accident in Texas. Lynch founded The Dixie Chicks in 1989 as a bluegrass and traditional country band. She was 65 years old.
Texas music couple Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis announced the end of their marriage late last week, and with everything else going on, it may have been easy to miss the news, or to maybe gloss over just how significant this news is, and regard it simply as gossip.
Alan Jackson didn’t want to capitalize off the tragedy, and admitted being reluctant to record and perform it at all. Jackson said that after September 11th, he immediately wanted to write a song about it, if not for the public, then maybe just for himself—to externalize his thoughts.
Murder ballads are indelible part of country music history, from the earliest recording from The Carter Family, all the way to today with Ashley McBryde’s latest radio single “Martha Divine.” The roots of murder ballads go back to before country music was a commercial enterprise.
Despite video evidence to the contrary, and no evidence whatsoever in the affirmative, multiple media outlets continue to report that Dolly Parton pledged her support to the Black Lives Matter movement—meaning the political movement—as opposed to saying in a simple colloquial exchange that the lives of black individuals matter.
here is so much to distill when simply broaching the subject of the trio formerly known as the Dixie Chicks, it really dissuades one from wanting to start the conversation at all, like speaking politics in mixed company. Even mentioning the name stimulates either jeers and moans, or blind approval and allyship.
Similar to the recent move by Lady Antebellum to change their name to Lady A, the concern with The Chicks is not the name change specifically, but the slippery slope it presents toward what language can and will be deemed as problematic.
Adult contemporary country trio Lady Antebellum will no longer be known by the name they’ve toured and recorded music under for some 14 years. Announced on Thursday (6-11), they have decided to shorten their name simply to “Lady A.” What it means, and how it should be regarded.
Beyond making a really bad amalgam of derivative and formulaic rap pop by ripping off the styles of Drake and trap beat artists to only then turn around and sell it as country to the gullible masses, Sam Hunt is also superlative at turning hip-hop, pop, and indie rock writers into certified country music experts.
Friday, April 24th was supposed to be a big day in country music, with the long-anticipated release of the first Dixie Chicks record in 14 years called ‘Gaslighter,’ and a much-anticipated new record from Willie Nelson called ‘First Rose of Spring’ leading a stacked day of new album releases.
Margo Price will release her latest record called That’s How Rumors Get Started on May 8th after moving on from Jack White’s Third Man Records to Loma Vista, an imprint of Concord Records. Margo released her first taste of new music in mid January with the song “Stone Me.” Now we get the first proper single.
“Hey, so what does everyone think about American politics?” That’s basically the anthill you’re kicking over whenever you invoke the name of the Dixie Chicks, even though their music was never really that political, and the polarization of their name was more due to misunderstanding and hysteria
But Dolly Parton doesn’t deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, at least not at the moment when there are so many other women and men waiting in the wings that are much more deserving, and could use the distinction to preserve a legacy that Dolly Parton already has secured for herself by many fold.
Last week, Riley Green’s song “Bury Me in Dixie” disappeared from streaming services and other music outlets unannounced. Very similar to the situation involving Confederate Railroad, the backlash from the removal of the song has received significantly more attention than any outrage that preceded it.
If you’re a country music fan and are disappointed that your favorite artist didn’t get enough screen time in the Ken Burns film on country music, well guess what, your favorite genre did, and by the most revered documentary filmmaker of our time, and before rock n’ roll, pop, the blues, soul music, or hip-hop.
We’ve known for a while that a new Jack Antonoff-produced album from the Dixie Chicks was on the way. Now we have a title, and more details behind what motivated the upcoming record. In a recent appearance, not only did Dixie Chicks member Natalie Maines drop the album title, she also spoke in depth about the inspiration for the album.
“What is this?!? Taylor Swift ain’t country, and the Dixie Chicks are commies!” Yeah yeah. Roll off it. We can be adults here and discuss a Taylor Swift song if it’s deemed interesting or necessary. And in the case of “Soon You’ll Get Better,” there are a few interesting country music tie-in’s worth discussing.
Outlaw country and Southern rock group Confederate Railroad has been removed from playing at the Illinois State Fair in Du Quoin this August due to the band’s name. Originally scheduled to perform with Restless Heart and Shenandoah under the banner “90s Country Reloaded Day” on August 27th, they have been removed from the bill.
A new album by the Dixie Chicks is on the way, and it’s no longer a matter of “if,” but “when.” Recent social media posts confirm the trio is working in the studio with super producer Jack Antonoff, and that a new record is coming “someday.” If they’re teasing us on social media already, that “someday” is more likely to be counted in months.
I told you booking Beyoncé was a bad idea CMA’s. Now you’re a racist reprobate in the eyes of the politically-charged Millennial entertainment media and sycophantical pop diva worshipers who will nail people to crosses to prove the depth of their fanaticism, and so is all of country music and its bumpkin fans.
All of a sudden what felt like a massive event a few weeks ago now feels deflating, while there is a very real concern that low ratings will be translated by the CMA’s as a sign that nobody wants to see the older performers they booked. Ironically, the Beyonce announcement will seal the deal for many older country fans to change the dial.
If you want your musical experience in life to be the most fulfilling and enjoyable, then you have to be without prejudice when approaching music. There are many reasons on paper that one might decide they would never like the country music of the Staind frontman turned occasional country crooner Aaron Lewis.
The Dixie Chicks have personally and purposefully decided to dip their toes once again into the political fray, as opposed to sticking to what people come to their concerts for and what they do best: music. The question for the Dixie Chicks is, why?
Just like Dave Cobb, and just like Chris Stapleton before him, Robby Turner has been working for years behind-the-scenes, at the side of the stage, or in the studio, while others soaked up the spotlight. But the power of his efforts, and the success of the projects that he’s been a part of, has slowly but surely revealed Robby as one of those behind-the-scenes legends whose contributions should be left a secret no more.