Cutting their teeth on the small bluegrass circuit in America, the Dixie Chicks, consisting of the Erwin sisters, Laura Lynch, and Robin Lynn Macy, struggled to find their voice among the emerging bluegrass and country music industry in 1989. Taking a note from the country music ensemble Little Feat, the four girls came up with their name from the song Dixie Chicken, written by Lowell George. In 1990, the chicks laid $5000 on the table to produce their first independent album Thank Heavens for Dale Evans. However, the first album gained little playtime with the exception of a few local radio stations and the girls remained relatively unknown.

Dixie Chicks

We're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Cutting their teeth on the small bluegrass circuit in America, the Dixie Chicks, consisting of the Erwin sisters, Laura Lynch, and Robin Lynn Macy, struggled to find their voice among the emerging bluegrass and country music industry in 1989. Taking a note from the country music ensemble Little Feat, the four girls came up with their name from the song Dixie Chicken, written by Lowell George. In 1990, the chicks laid $5000 on the table to produce their first independent album Thank Heavens for Dale Evans. However, the first album gained little playtime with the exception of a few local radio stations and the girls remained relatively unknown.

Setting the Stage

After winning the award of 'best band' at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the quartet gained the notice of prevailing country musicians of the decade and began opening shows for artists such as Garth Brooks and George Strait. Their style and sound began to fuse to a more contemporary country music sound and while this gained them more attention in the music industry, it was not shared by all members of the female group.

In 1992, Robin Lynn Macy left the group to follow her own style of pure bluegrass, so the Dixie Chicks took on another member of the band, Natalie Maines, who eventually took on the role of lead vocalist within the country music group. Still the group struggled to find their voice among music industry elite. Not until hiring new manager Simon Renshaw did the group finally inked a deal with Sony Music's Nashville division that was finalized in 1995.

Chick Fever

With the voice of Natalie Maines now at the forefront and the departure of Laura Lynch, the quartet now formed a high energy Texas trio. With a revamped sound and style resembling more modern country music, Sony decided it was time to sign the Dixie Chicks to a long term deal. Late in 1997, the band released the single I Can Love You Better, which was their first brush at success when the song reached the American Country Music Charts Top 10.

While enjoying recognition for their first success, the group worked ardently on completing the album Wide Open Spaces, which would go on to reach the number one position on country music charts across the country. Tours would help infuse their sound into the hearts and minds of country music fans across the country and in 1998 the Dixie Chicks outsold every other country music group eventually selling over 12 million copies of Wide Open Spaces worldwide.

The Cost of Free Speech

With the release of another album in 1999 named Fly, the group solidified their position in the industry. Fly earned the Dixie Chicks a Grammy along with numerous other honors form the Academy of Country Music. However, with the events of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, opinions in the country varied as to the course of events the U.S. should take on their attackers. Many people were questioning President Bush's line of action and the Dixie Chick's Natalie Maines decided to speak out.

Maines' comments erupted in newspapers, news videos, and music reviews all over the country creating a backlash for the group's stronghold in the country music industry. Her criticism of President Bush and his actions came at a time when those of the country music community felt the country must unite around Bush, and the group began to feel the sting of their stated public position. As the country united around U.S. troops, the country music community united against the Dixie Chicks staging boycotts of their concerts and going as far as having album crushing parties where fans would bring their Dixie Chick CD's to have them burned or crushed by a bulldozer.

This comment would prove to haunt the chicks for many years to come and public statements or apologies hardly quelled country music fans undeniable disgust for the sensational all female group from Texas. Eventually, in 2005, the Dixie Chicks released a new single aptly named Not Ready to Make Nice in which the group held steadfast to their original position of defending Raimes' anti Bush sentiment.

Although the single was little regarded by country music radio, their release of the album Taking the Long Way put the girls back in the spotlight by selling more than 500,000 copies in its first week of sales. With rebound on the road ahead, the Dixie Chicks once again find themselves in the limelight although they will most likely stick to music, what they do best.

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