When the Chicks publicly took a stand against it, it sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. george bush — and changed the course of country music forever.
Former Dixie Chicks Natalie Maines, Marty Maguire and emily robinson They were at their peak in the early 2000s, selling over 25 million records since their debut album. spacious open space, released in 1998. By 2003, his sixth LP, House, has sold over 1 million songs, and the single “Travelin' Soldier” soared to number one in 2019. billboard Hot Country Songs Chart.
But things quickly changed for the Texas trio when they flew overseas to London for a promotional concert just a week before President Bush approved America's entry into the Iraq War. On stage during a performance on March 12, 2003, Maines openly revealed that the band did not agree with Bush's decision.
“Just to be clear,” she said between songs, “we don't want this war, we don't want this violence, and we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.”
Two years after the World Trade Center attack, the Chicks' comments were seen as radical in comparison to a country music scene that was more accepting of patriotism than ever before. The backlash was immediate, and Maynes quickly released a statement hoping for an explanation.
“We have been abroad for several weeks and have been reading and following news articles regarding the government's position,” she wrote via the band's website. guardian. “The anti-American sentiment that is spreading here is alarming. We support our troops, but there is nothing more frightening than the idea of going to war with Iraq and the prospect of all innocent lives being lost.” .”
She continued, “I feel that the president is ignoring the opinions of many within the United States and alienating the rest of the world. My comments were made out of frustration and the privilege of being an American.” One of them is the freedom to express one's opinion.”
For now, that explanation is of little use, and country music stations across the country have begun covering the Chicks' music amid complaints from listeners and suspicions of their “anti-American” rhetoric. In Kansas City, a radio station allegedly held a party called the “Chicken Toss,” where fans threw the band's tapes, CDs, and concert tickets in the trash.
“Kansas City is definitely the heart of the Midwest.” dale cartersaid KFKF Kansas City, program director and morning host. signboard Looking back on those days in June 2022. “KFKF is a very patriotic radio station, so we immediately got the call to 'take it off the air.' At the time, there were nine titles that were being tested for gold. [in our rotation]So it had a big impact on our library. ”
Mitch Mahan“We're just listening to what our listeners have to say,” he, then program director at West Palm Beach's WIRK, told the station. [wanted]When they decided to take The Chicks off the air. “And they told us we didn't want the Dixie Chicks,” he claimed. “If a business has a product that's so popular that one day it's going to make everyone sick, they're going to take that product off the shelves.”
“I've heard conspiracy theories that we banned the Dixie Chicks,” he continued. “No, it wasn't. The audience didn't want to hear it anymore.”
Two days after Maines' remarks made headlines, she publicly apologized to the president. “My comments were disrespectful and as a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush,” she said in a statement shared on the Chicks website. “I feel that whoever is in that position should be treated with the utmost respect. We are witnessing a huge rise in anti-American sentiment. War may still be a viable option, but as a mother, I want all options to be exhausted before the lives of my children and American soldiers are lost. I just want to see it. I love my country. I'm a proud American.”
Despite the apology, the Chicks continued to receive backlash from the country music scene. toby keithThe singer, who released “Courtesy of Red, White and Blue (the Angry American),” which was inspired by the victims of 9/11, displayed a photo of Maines next to his own. saddam hussein at his concert. The Chicks responded by posing nude on the cover of the magazine. entertainment weekly It was covered in graffiti phrases such as “Big Mouth” and “Traitor.” Maines later wore a T-shirt with the letters “FUTK” on stage at the 2003 ACM Awards, but many believed that “TK” were Keith's initials.
Despite country music's backlash against the Chicks, the Chicks sold nearly 900,000 tickets in the first weekend of their 2003 tour.A few months later they were declared signboard”Best-selling country artist. their seventh album, walk a long waywas released in 2006, sold 526,000 copies in its first week, and won five Grammy Awards.
Since that fateful day in 2003, The Chicks have remained vocal about their political views. In 2020, the trio sang the national anthem at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
“I think we were some of the first to feel 'cancel culture,' and I don't think what we said then, or what I said, matters today. Because… Because it was really calm compared to what people are saying today,'' Maines said on a 2020 episode. See what happens on Andy Cohen Live. “On the one hand, everyone has a forum where they can say whatever they want, but on the other hand, this platform can move very quickly and ruin people's lives.”
While talking with allure Later that year, Maines recalled how shocked she and her bandmates were at how quickly fellow country musicians ostracized her and her bandmates at the time.
“When I started doing this music, I liked the people in this industry. We always waved the flag of that country when people said it wasn't cool. “We just made sure they noticed us early,” she said. “We wanted the audience to know who we are and what we're about. I don't like artists getting on a soapbox. People aren't there for that. They're not yours. I’m there to listen to the music — [but] The politics of this band are inseparable from the music. ”
Although this moment remains infamous in country music legend, Taylor Swift Said guardian In 2019, “No. One of the things they hammer into you as a country artist is…'Don't be like the Dixie Chicks!'” – This trio is more progressive artists speaking the truth paved the way for in recent years, Kacey Musgraves, kelsea ballerini and maren morris are just a few musicians pushing for greater diversity in the genre.
“I don't care if it's weird. [with them] I'll sit in the row next to you at the next awards ceremony. Please call them! Morris said in a February 2021 interview that country artists have a responsibility to have tough conversations with their peers, she said. “If this is your family and you love it, call out when you're not feeling well so we can take out the sick part.” [and] we can move forward. We all feel part of this family, including people of color and LGBTQ+ people. “We are a family, and we take care of our families.” [idea] Protecting white people. It does not protect black people, and that is both a strength and a weakness. ”