After a decade long hiatus, Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines— known as the all female country band the Dixie Chicks—will finally be making their grand return on June 1, 2016, kicking off their much anticipated comeback tour.
The last tour that the Dixie Chicks embarked on was way back in the early 2000s; and the "Long TimeComing" tour came to a screeching halt after Maines, the lead singer, made some controversial remarks about then President, George Bush, and his involvement in the Iraqi War. Maines’ stated the following during the Dixie Chicks’ 2003 London show:
“Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence and we’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.”
Her comments placed the group at the center of a political tempest, and all members received harsh backlash from their fans.
After coming out with this statement the Dixie Chicks lost a large part of their following; however, that did not stop them from putting out another album in 2006. On this album, "Taking The Long Way," a track entitled "Not Ready to Make Nice" was listed –– the song detailed the group’s reaction to all the backlash they had been receiving. With the release of this song, the group's popularity plummeted, causing them to fall from the Billboard charts.
Since this incident, the group has not made too many more political statements, and they have not been on a world tour. Interestingly, this song opened up a conversation within the country music community, and avid country music fans can see through the music that was released during this time that there was a divide in the industry.
There were those that agreed with the band's statements, and those who used their popularity and platform to spread a different message –– one stating their pride in America and their gratitude towards those in the armed forces. The most evident evidence of this can be seen in Cole Swindell's hit "Ain't Worth The Whiskey," where he sings “I’m raisin’ my glass to those savin’ our ass overseas!” during a derivative breakup song.
The release of "Not Ready To Make Nice" allowed for a politically driven conversation to be had, one that many still talk about today, and if one were to look at the music charts, that person would be able to see that the band is still battling against the political tempest they faced all those years ago. Hopefully with this tour, "MMXVI," the band will be able to make a return to the charts and successfully reconnect withe both their fans and the country music community.
This re-connection is vital, I believe, because it can be said that with the decline of the Dixie Chicks came the decline of the country music business. The Dixie Chicks reigned supreme on all charts for long periods of time, they were sweeping the world by storm by spreading country music around the globe, all while providing a positive female empowerment message to its audience. Since their fall from grace, the country music industry has yet to find an all female group that is as talented, well seasoned, impactful and adored as the Dixie Chicks.
Regardless of your opinion of them, and despite losing a large following, there are many who are still passionately dedicated to the group and continue to support them. One could argue that country music is making a comeback with performers like Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, and Sam Hunt; however, most of the country music that is being produced these days is infused with pop, thus distancing the music from its country roots.
Country music is unlike any other genre-- it does not hide behind a catchy beat, or repeat the same meaningless phrase over and over, but instead each song tells a story, one that takes the listener on a journey. While I know it can be argued that each genre, depending on the artist, can do this, I believe that no other genre, besides maybe rap, will take the audience on a journey a long side the singer. The only artist, that I can think of, who does not produce country music that is gifted enough to do this is Kendrick Lamar, the rising king of the rap world.
However, no matter what your opinion is on the band or the genre, my hope is that the Dixie Chicks will make the roaring return that they so deserve, for no one should be defined by one moment in their career; and hopefully with their return will come the restoration of the country music industry.
