In recent years the Dixie Chicks (with a name inspired from the Little Feat song "Dixie Chicken") have become more famous for their outspoken political stance than for their music, but their long list of awards is testimony to the enduring appeal of their tuneful and gentle country sound.
The group were formed in 1989 by sisters Martie Maguire (fiddle, mandolin, vocals) and Emily Robison (nee Erwin) (guitar, banjo and vocals) with Laura Lynch (bass) and Robin Lynn Macy (guitar). Their early output drew mostly from their bluegrass roots resulting in their first album in 1990, Thank Heavens for Dale Evans. Bursts of a more contemporary nature featured in their second album, 1992’s Little Ol' Cowgirl, but led to the loss of Macy, who preferred to stay true to her pure country origins.
This new direction resulted in a more mainstream third album in 1993 with Shouldn't a Told You That, and although this album was to mark the departure of Lynch, it heralded the arrival of Natalie Maines (lead vocal, guitar), together with a more modern sound and a sexier image.
This image upgrade led to huge commercial success in 1998 with the release of their major-label debut, Wide Open Spaces. The album went quadruple platinum and the awards started to roll in. A gruelling schedule of touring and high profile appearances began, and success continued with Fly in 1999 and Home in 2002.
In 2003 Natalie Maines told a London audience that the band were opposed to the Iraq war and ashamed that George W. Bush was Texan. The comments caused a great deal of anger among country music fans, who criticised the band and even organised Dixie Chick CD amnesties, where angry fans could watch their albums be crushed by a bulldozer. The Dixie Chicks received death threats, and two radio DJs in Colorado were suspended for broadcasting Dixie Chicks music.
Although the controversy eventually blew over, the band have spoken of their alienation from other country music performers who they felt showed a lack of support for free speech. Since the incident, the band have returned with Taking the Long Way (2006), which was still able to top the Billboard 200 despite the fuss.
Their anti-war comments created a dent in their influence but, irrespective of their detractors, their musical credentials speak volumes; the Dixie Chicks have sold in excess of 36 million albums.
