The Dixie Chicks: Where Are the Former Country Music Darlings?

In 1998, I was graduating from college and had just bought myself a brand new Dodge Caravan for a graduation gift. Yeah, I know. But, I was a middle aged mom with two kids. Why wouldn't I buy a mini-van?

Anyway. I had just taken the little wagon out for a spin to see what she could do when I heard this snappy little country song come across the radio. I reached for the volume knob and gave it a quick twist up. "Who's that?" I wondered, "And who IS that singing?"

As it turns out, it was Natalie Maines, a feisty little blonde from Texas with killer pipes. The band was The Dixie Chicks and the song was their first hit single, "I Can Love You Better".

The Dixie Chicks Flew Sky High

I fell hard for Natalie Maines and The Dixie Chicks that day, along with the rest of America and country music. Three sassy blondes, great harmonies, the perfect mixture of bluegrass sound with country, rhythm and blues and just the right amount of cool mixed with some pop. What was not to love?

Apparently, not much, because The Dixie Chicks hit the ground running - or maybe I should say flying - and from 1998 forward, seemed to be able to do no wrong. They had sold out concerts, hit after hit, award after award and the best rendition of the national anthem at the Super Bowl ever (right up there with Whitney Houston). Those chicks were everywhere. Europe loved them too and......... well, speaking of Europe. That was where it all began to unravel. In the worst way.

Oh No She Di'int

It was 2003 and the United States was about to invade Iraq. Americans were still in kick-butt mode after the 2001, 9/11 terrorist attack and oh, by the way, we loved our President too. He was this rough and ready cowboy from Texas named, George W. Bush, who told us that "whoever did this will be hearing from us."

Of course, not everybody supported the Iraq war (myself included), but most people stood behind the President - except, of course, The Dixie Chicks and especially, Natalie Maines. In March of that year, while on stage during a concert in Europe, Natalie Maines uttered the fateful words to the audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas" . And just like that, it was over.

The Chicks Crash and Burn

Nobody could have seen it coming. It was just a simple statement. Yet, The Dixie Chicks, the greatest selling female band of all time, fell from their perch like a Blue Jay popped out of a Texas Pine with a BB gun. And it was ugly too.

Radio stations refused to play their songs. Fans hauled their CDs to designated trash cans to throw them away, but, not without stomping them into itty-bitty pieces first. Protestors showed up at their concerts. Psychopaths issued death threats and fellow country artists took them to task. It went on for years.

But, what was worse, they couldn't apologize enough. No matter how hard they tried to make it right, America wasn't having it. Of course, it might have helped if Natalie Maines had been a little less "backatcha" toward those who were attacking her. But, that's not her style. Besides, it was that same kind of "grit and sass" that had made The Dixie Chicks the Grammy winning artists that they were.

The Swan Song

The controversy took its toll and one more album together was all The Dixie Chicks had in them after that. In 2006, they released Taking the Long Way, which included the hit single, "Not Ready to Make Nice", a mournful and defiant ballad answering their critics and accusers in the best way they could - with a song.

The album won The Dixie Chicks another Grammy from the pop music world who, by that time, had completely embraced them. But, then, somebody had to, because country music had abandoned them all together.

Hounds Baying at a Memphis Moon

Since then, The Dixie Chicks haven't uttered a peep musically. Natalie Maines backed away from the group and currently resides in California with her husband, actor, Adrian Pasdar and their two children.

The two sisters, Marti Maguire and Emily Robison have formed a new band, The Court Yard Hounds, which they say is an "extension" of The Dixie Chicks and not a replacement. The killer bluegrass sound, which The Dixie Chicks were known for is definitely still there. But without the kick-ass vocals of Natalie Maines, well, something seems missing.

Natalie Maines is still stirring up dust though in the way that only she knows how. She took up the cause of the West Memphis Three recently, who she says was unjustly convicted of a crime they did not commit and have been in jail since 1993. Perhaps it's Natalie's way of purging herself and coping with what was an equally unjust conviction of her and The Dixie Chicks in 2003.

The Dixie Chicks insist they have not split up and are simply waiting for the right time to get back together. I, for one can't wait and wish they would just get on with it, already. But, in the meantime, I guess, we still have their catalog of great sounds and we can certainly nibble at some musical hors d'oeuvres with The Court Yard Hounds.

But, listen, girls: Ya'll hurry on back now, ya hee-ah?

Sources:

Youtube.com
Yahoo! Music.com
Imdb.com
The Court Yard Hounds.com