Dear Natalie Maines

Ms Maines, I'm just another fan of your work. While your music's great, and all that, it's not just your music I'm a fan of. I'm a supporter in your right to having had your opinion of President Bush that night in '03. Whether anyone else agrees with what you said, how you said it, or even where you said it. Natalie Maines, if any of my fellow Americans are to keep our right to speak freely, then you must too.

So, in 2003, when the "anger and rancor and grr" was stirred up against you from among the so-called right wing of America, I was shocked. But it taught me something. Your actions that evening, were merely the zeitgeist, to what I came to learn about even the very concept of government.

I came to learn these things, Ms Maines, only after learning of certain behaviors, of certain government sponsored "actors"...and now in this letter is neither the time nor the place so I digress...but I do appreciate what your actions did for me.

I've done it too Natalie Maines. I've said things to large groups of people and pissed off massive numbers at one time. Sometimes those of us that live with our muses do that. Sometimes, having the orchestra's pre-installed within our souls makes us say things that don't quite register with others.

People fear what they don't understand. At the very least remember: F*&% 'em if they can't take a joke! How many times had another celebrity said something worse than Natalie Maines did?

Tell me there's something un-American about a) criticizing the American President; b) busting on the President; or c) picking on a Bush. But for doing this, the lovely and talented Natalie Maines, has to suffer the loss of standing within the country music industry?

If it was so bad Natalie Maines, why did that last album fly like it did? How is that music so powerful if it weren't for you? "Not Ready To Make Nice" saved my soul.

Keep pissing them off. Keep making the music. If the Courtyard Hounds (Bad name btw...they'll parody it with the Junkyard Dogs you know they will...) are to have a chance, at the very least, you must write the music. Don't stop with your art. Stay in your passion. Even if the world no longer likes your voice we still need your passion.

Don't leave music for one difficult experience no matter how challenging. Our circumstances do not make us. They merely introduce us to ourselves. You're just now coming into your own. It's time to resume into your music career and cut your own personal niche into country music itself.

Source:

Personal, but not so private letter, to Ms Maines
Embedded from YouTube