Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar (born October 14, 1974) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
who achieved success as the
lead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
for the female
alternative countryAlternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
bandIn music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, the
Dixie ChicksThe Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
. Born in
Lubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, Maines considers herself a rebel who "loved not thinking in the way I knew the majority of people thought."
In 1995, after leaving
Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their lead singer,
Laura LynchLaura Lynch is an American country musician and songwriter, who is best known as a founding member of the all-woman country music band the Dixie Chicks.-Biography:Lynch is a self-proclaimed "Cowgirl". She is an acoustic bassist and single mother...
. With Maines as lead vocalist, the band earned 10
Country Music Association AwardsThe Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
and 13
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s for their work between 1998 and 2007.
On the eve of the
Iraq invasionThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, while in concert in
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for the 2003
Top of the World TourTop of the World Tour was the 2003 concert tour by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was in support of their album Home, and named after the song "Top of the World" on that album.-History:...
, Maines commented that the Dixie Chicks were "...ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." Negative public reaction in the United States to this comment resulted in boycotts by country music radio stations and death threats.
In 2006, with Maines still acting as lead singer, the Dixie Chicks released
Taking the Long Way-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
. The album subsequently won five Grammy Awards (including
Album of the YearThe Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
).
Early life
Maines was born in Lubbock to country musician and producer
Lloyd MainesLloyd Maines is an American Grammy Award-winning country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas and is now based in Bulverde, Texas....
and his wife Tina May Maines. She attended Williams Elementary School in Lubbock where her second grade teacher recalls being told by Maines during a math lesson, "Teacher, I don't need to learn this stuff—I'm gonna be a star." Maines was a cheerleader while attending O.L. Slaton Junior High School, and graduated in 1992 from
Lubbock High SchoolLubbock High School is a 5A high school serving grades nine to twelve in Lubbock, Texas . Part of the Lubbock Independent School District, the school is known for its academic program and for the fact that it has produced a number of talented musicians, vocalists, businessmen, and scientists over...
where she had participated in the school
choirA choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. Maines has described growing up in
conservativeConservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, saying "...I always rebelled against that. My parents sent me and my sister to public minority schools so I always felt like a hippie and a rebel...As a teenager I always loved not thinking in the way I knew the majority of people thought. I always stood up for minorities...I've always stood up for homosexuals. I just always had these really strong convictions about doing so."
Following the completion of high school, Maines attended several colleges. She spent two semesters pursuing an undeclared major at
West Texas A&MWest Texas A&M University , part of the Texas A&M University System, is a public university located in Canyon, Texas, a small city south of Amarillo. West Texas A&M opened on September 20, 1910...
where her studies focused heavily on radio, then a year and a half at
South Plains CollegeSouth Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
. One of Maines' instructors at South Plains, and a former member of
The Maines Brothers BandThe Maines Brothers Band is a Texas-based country music band. The Maines Brothers for which the band was named are Lloyd Maines , Donnie Maines , Kenny Maines , and Steve Maines...
, Cary Banks, recalled "She was mostly into rock'n'roll, rhythm and blues... alternative rock." When Banks encountered Maines on campus, he said that she usually needed to vent a little steam. "She would get into a lot of political arguments" at the predominantly Republican school, and was a fan of Texas Governor
Ann RichardsDorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
. "She's always been opinionated and hardheaded like her dad." In December 1994, Maines auditioned for and received a full vocal scholarship to
Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
. She pursued the diploma program at Berklee but dropped out before the completion of her studies. Even though Maines is from Lubbock, home of
Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, she attended only one class at the school, a 1995 summer course in "Introductory Wildlife".
Career
Maines' first commercially released work was
background vocalsA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on
Pat GreenPatrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
's debut album,
Dancehall Dreamer, produced by her father
Lloyd MainesLloyd Maines is an American Grammy Award-winning country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas and is now based in Bulverde, Texas....
and released in 1995. At the end of 1995, at age 21, Maines joined the all-female
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band, the
Dixie ChicksThe Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, which had been performing since 1989, but which had been unsuccessful in gaining more than local attention. Maines replaced founding lead singer
Laura LynchLaura Lynch is an American country musician and songwriter, who is best known as a founding member of the all-woman country music band the Dixie Chicks.-Biography:Lynch is a self-proclaimed "Cowgirl". She is an acoustic bassist and single mother...
. She plays guitar, bass, and papoose in concert in the band.
Maines co-wrote four tracks for the Dixie Chicks' first three albums, including the
BillboardThe Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks ChartHot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
number one hit "
Without You"Without You" is a song written by Eric Silver along with Natalie Maines, lead singer of the American country group the Dixie Chicks, who recorded the song for their 1999 album Fly. It was released as the album's fifth single in August 2000 and in January 2001, hit number one on the U.S. country...
" on
FlyTrue flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
. Maines was a primary songwriter on all 14 tracks of the band's 2006 album
Taking the Long Way-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
which peaked on the
Billboard Top 200 ChartThe Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
at #1.
Taking the Long Way has the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
single "
Not Ready to Make Nice"Not Ready to Make Nice" is a country pop song co-written and performed by the American all-female band Dixie Chicks for their seventh studio album Taking the Long Way...
", (Maines, Robison, Maguire, Wilson) hitting #4. and for which the band won the songwriting
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, for
Song of the YearSong of the Year may refer to:* Dove Award for Song of the Year* Grammis Song of the Year* Grammy Award for Song of the Year* Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year* Singing News Fan Awards for Song of the Year...
. Maines considers the songwriting she did for
Taking the Long Way "pure therapy" after the controversy that ensued over a comment Maines made from the stage in London that criticized
U.S. PresidentThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. "Everything felt more personal this time", Maines said about the album, "...there's just more maturity, depth, intelligence...[These songs] feel more grown-up."
Maines collaborates with other musical artists, both as a member of the Dixie Chicks and an individual singer. The Dixie Chicks first worked with
Sheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
in 1999 while performing for the concert tour
Lilith FairLilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
. Since then, the Dixie Chicks have worked with Crow on her
Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park album, a Crow remixed version of "
LandslideThe country group Dixie Chicks then covered "Landslide" on their 2002 Home album. This rendition, featuring the group's trademark two- and three-part harmonies reached the Top 10 of both the pop and country charts as well as several other charts. It became the Dixie Chicks' only number 1 single ...
" performed by the Chicks, and the Dixie Chicks' song "Favorite Year" from
Taking the Long Way. Other artists Maines has worked with include
Pat GreenPatrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
,
Charlie RobisonCharles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
,
YellowcardYellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
,
Stevie NicksStephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
,
Patty GriffinPatty Griffin, born Patricia Jean Griffin, March 16, 1964, is an American Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She is especially known for her down-home crafting of songs and her connection to musicians including Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, and the Dixie Chicks, who have played with...
,
Neil FinnNeil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
,
Eddie VedderEddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
and
Pete YornPeter Joseph Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical acclaim in 2001.-Early history:Yorn's father is a dentist and his mother is a former concert pianist who worked as a...
.
Maines, along with
Jeff ProbstJeffrey Lee "Jeff" Probst is an American game show host, executive producer and a reporter. He is best known as the host of the U.S. version of the reality show Survivor.-Biography:...
, presently hosts Celebrity Superfan Roundtable on Howard 101.
Philanthropic works
Maines has participated in various fundraising and awareness events. Some include:
- Legendary Bingo (August 23, 2007): Maines participated in "Legendary Bingo", a US bingo
Bingo is a game of chance played with randomly drawn numbers which players match against numbers that have been pre-printed on 5x5 matrices. The matrices may be printed on paper, card stock or electronically represented and are referred to as cards. Many versions conclude the game when the first...
game hosted by drag queens and held weekly in Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Proceeds from the event go to special charity interests; when Maines participated in the event, the proceeds benefited the "Voice for the Animals Foundation".
- St. Jude Benefit (June 12, 2008): Maines attended "Scrabble Under The Stars" in Beverly Hills, California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The event benefits St. Jude Children's Research HospitalSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit medical corporation chartered as a 501 tax-exempt organization under IRS regulations.In...
. Scrabble boards autographed by celebrity attendees, including Maines, were auctioned through June 30, 2008.
Personal life
In 1997, Maines married her
South Plains CollegeSouth Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
boyfriend, bassist Michael Tarabay, and the couple moved to
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
,
TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Almost two years after they married, they filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
Maines met actor
Adrian PasdarAdrian Kayvan Pasdar is an American actor, voice artist, and film director. He is known for playing Jim Profit on the TV series Profit, for his roles in Near Dark, Carlito's Way, Mysterious Ways and as Nathan Petrelli on Heroes. Additionally, he directed the feature film Cement...
in May 1999 at the wedding of bandmate
Emily ErwinEmily Robison is an American songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the female country band the Dixie Chicks. Robison plays banjo, dobro, guitar, bass, mandolin, accordion, and sitar...
to
Charlie RobisonCharles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
. Maines and Pasdar married on June 24, 2000 at
The Little White Wedding ChapelThe Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada has been the site of many "quickie" celebrity weddings. It is noted for its Drive-Thru Tunnel of Vows. It was established in 1951, and has married about 800,000 couples...
in
Las VegasLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
,
NevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
for 55 dollars. They have two children, Jackson Slade Pasdar (Slade) (born March 15, 2001) and Beckett Finn Pasdar (born July 14, 2004). She has referred to herself as "Natalie Pasdar." The family has homes in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
,
Austin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, and
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Public statements and controversy
While lead singer for the Dixie Chicks, Maines has encountered several situations of a controversial nature. In August 2002, Maines criticized fellow country musician
Toby KeithToby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
's song "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue". In March 2003, Maines commented that the Dixie Chicks were " ... ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
Feud with Toby Keith
Maines had a public feud with fellow country music star
Toby KeithToby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
over the 2002 chart-topping country hit "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue", as well as a comment Maines made about
U.S. PresidentThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
during a March 2003 Dixie Chicks concert in London.
Maines publicly criticized Keith's song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" by saying, "I hate it. It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant. It targets an entire culture—and not just the bad people who did bad things. You've got to have some tact. Anybody can write, 'We'll put a boot in your ass' ... " Keith responded by belittling Maines' songwriting skills: "I'll bury her. She has never written anything that has been a hit..." and "That's what I do -- I write songs..." Keith further stated, "...she said anyone can write 'We'll put a boot in your ass', but, you know ... she didn't."
After Maines commented at a March 2003 Dixie Chicks concert that the Chicks didn't want the
Iraq War and were "ashamed" President Bush "was from Texas", Keith's 2003 "
Shock'n Y'all-References:...
" tour began displaying a backdrop showing a doctored photo of Maines with Iraqi dictator
Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. Shortly thereafter, on May 21, 2003, Maines wore a t-shirt with the acronym "F.U.T.K." written on the front while performing for the
Academy of Country Music AwardsThe Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
broadcast. The Dixie Chicks website stated that the acronym stood for "Freedom, United, Together in Kindness." Some saw it as a veiled insult directed at Keith.
In August 2003, Keith publicly declared that he was done feuding with Maines, explaining, "You know, a best friend of mine ... lost a two-year-old daughter to cancer ... [Recently] I saw ... a picture of me and Natalie and it said, 'Fight to the Death' or something. It seemed so insignificant. I said, 'Enough is enough'."
In the 2006 documentary
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and SingDixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing is a 2006 documentary film produced and directed by Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck ....
, backstage footage prior to her appearance wearing the F.U.T.K shirt recorded the conversation between Maines and Simon Renshaw and confirmed that the original intent of the shirt was, in fact, a shot at Keith in response to his criticism of her; the acronym stood for "Fuck You Toby Keith". As of January 2007, Keith continues to refuse to say Maines' name and argues that the doctored photo was intended to express his feeling that Maines' criticism was tyrannical and a dictator-like attempt to squelch Keith's free speech.
Iraq War criticism and fallout
During the lead-up to the
invasion of IraqThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
ordered by U.S. President George W. Bush after Congress's approval of the Iraq War Resolution, four years after Maines' marriage to an
Iranian-AmericanIranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
, the Dixie Chicks performed on March 10, 2003 at Shepherd's Bush Empire theatre in London, the first concert stop on their
Top of the World TourTop of the World Tour was the 2003 concert tour by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was in support of their album Home, and named after the song "Top of the World" on that album.-History:...
. Prior to performing their song "Travelin' Soldier", the band gave an introductory monologue during which Maines said:
A review of the concert published in
The GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
abbreviated Maines' comment to read, "Just so you know ... we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." This abbreviated statement became widely circulated by the media.
Maines' comment, as abbreviated, provoked controversy and anger from some country music fans, and the Dixie Chicks were subsequently denounced by Bush supporters.
Country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
radio stations boycotted Dixie Chicks music. Scattered protests at which people destroyed Dixie Chicks' CDs occurred. Concerns arose that the Dixie Chicks impending US leg of the
Top of the World TourTop of the World Tour was the 2003 concert tour by American country music trio Dixie Chicks. It was in support of their album Home, and named after the song "Top of the World" on that album.-History:...
, slated to start May 1 in
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, would see a lack of fans.
On March 12, the Dixie Chicks website posted a statement that read, "We've been overseas for several weeks and have been reading and following the news accounts of our government's position. The anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding ... " Maines added to the statement, "I feel the president is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world ... My comments were made in frustration and one of the privileges of being an American is you are free to voice your own point of view ... While we support our troops, there is nothing more frightening than the notion of going to war with Iraq and the prospect of all the innocent lives that will be lost."
A further statement was released on March 14: "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect." Maines continued by expressing her discontent regarding the impending war, "We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American."
At the first US concert after Maines' comment, she is quoted as saying from the stage, "They told me that you may not come, but I knew you'd come because we have the greatest fans in the whole wide world." Despite fan turnout at concerts, the Dixie Chicks began receiving death threats as circulation of the comment increased. Subsequently, security was heightened at all concert venues and metal detectors were installed where possible. A death threat directed at Maines was received prior to the Chicks' July 6, 2003 concert in
Dallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Maines described the threat as "...scary because...it wasn't just somebody wanting to write a hate letter... It was somebody who obviously thought they had a plan." Security was heightened for the trip to and from the concert venue as well as at the arena.
On May 21, 2006, while promoting the release of the album
Taking the Long Way-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
, Maines reconsidered her 2003 apology to President Bush, saying, "...I don't feel that way anymore. I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever ... If people are going to ask me to apologize based on who I am ... I don't know what to do about that. I can't change who I am."
Maines says she is not looking for more battles but that "The Incident", as it is referred to by the Chicks, reminded her of how she " ... felt in high school: to be angry, to be sure that you're right and that the things you do matter. You don't realize that you're not feeling those feelings until you do. And then you realize how much more interesting life is."
Two 2006 documentaries,
Protesting the Dixie ChicksProtesting the Dixie Chicks is a documentary by American filmmaker Christopher Fleeger, independently released on DVD in 2006. The film captures the storm of controversy ignited by the remarks of Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Texas pop-country trio the Dixie Chicks...
and
Shut Up And SingDixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing is a 2006 documentary film produced and directed by Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck ....
, deal with the controversy surrounding Maines' comment and the ensuing fallout. The Dixie Chicks continue to discuss the matter. In an interview with
The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
on June 15, 2006, regarding the fallout from her comment, Maines again stirred up controversy by stating "The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for
patriotismPatriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
; Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country... I don't see why people care about patriotism."
In 2007, the Dixie Chicks won three Grammys for "
Not Ready to Make Nice"Not Ready to Make Nice" is a country pop song co-written and performed by the American all-female band Dixie Chicks for their seventh studio album Taking the Long Way...
" and two Grammys for
Taking the Long Way, receiving all five Grammys for which they were nominated. This was seen by some as vindication for the Dixie Chicks, who were shunned by country radio programmers after Maines' remarks about President Bush. As the Dixie Chicks accepted the album of the year award, Maines said, "I think people are using their freedom of speech with all these awards. We get the message." Even though the Dixie Chicks received five Grammy awards, they were forced to cancel a select few shows in the States due to lack of ticket sales. Shows were added to Canada, which received high response from fans.
West Memphis Three lawsuit
Maines and the other Dixie Chicks participated in a rally in Little Rock, Arkansas in late 2007, in support of the
West Memphis ThreeThe West Memphis Three are three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was sentenced to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin was...
, three imprisoned men convicted in the 1993 murder of three young boys in
West Memphis, ArkansasWest Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 27,666 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 28,181 in 2005, and 31,329 in 2011 ranking it as the state's 11th largest city, behind Hot Springs...
. At the rally, Maines made statements claiming new DNA evidence implicated Terry Hobbs, stepfather of one of the slain boys, and also posted a note about the presumed new evidence on the Dixie Chicks' website. Hobbs responded by filing a
lawsuitA lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
claiming compensatory and
punitive damagesPunitive damages or exemplary damages are damages intended to reform or deter the defendant and others from engaging in conduct similar to that which formed the basis of the lawsuit...
for "loss of income, injury to his reputation and emotional distress." The suit was dismissed, however, in December 2009. On August 19, 2009 Maines joined with
Pearl JamPearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
frontman
Eddie VedderEddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
in Jonesboro, Arkansas supporting the release of the West Memphis three.
Other works
- 1995: Dancehall Dreamer for Pat Green
Patrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
- 1997: "Snowing in Raton" on George's Bar with Pat Green
- 2001: "The Wedding Song
David Bowie's "The Wedding Song" appears on his 1993 album, Black Tie White Noise in two forms, first as an instrumental titled "The Wedding" and then in its shortened, lyrical version, "The Wedding Song"...
" on Step Right Up with Charlie RobisonCharles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
- 2001: "Too Far From Texas" on Trouble in Shangri-La
-Videos:Two promotional videos were shot for single releases; "Every Day" features Nicks performing in an enchanted forest setting, and "Sorcerer" featured Nicks with Sheryl Crow, both playing guitars in a straight forward performance set in a room where the lyrics to various Nicks songs magically...
with Stevie NicksStephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
- 2002: "Abilene
Abilene is the title of a song written by Bob Gibson and John D. Loudermilk, and recorded by American country music artist George Hamilton IV. The song reached number one on the U.S. country music chart for four weeks, and peaked at number 15 on the pop music charts...
" on C'mon C'mon-Track listing:-Personnel:*Sheryl Crow - organ, acoustic guitar, bass, piano, accordion, electric guitar, keyboards, Hammond organ, vocals, chorus, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Moog bass, tambo drums, Moroccan drum*Jeff Anthony - drums*Charlie Bisharat - violin...
with Sheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
- 2004: "El Cerrito Place" on Good Times
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
with Charlie RobisonCharles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
- 2005: "Mary" on Songs for Tsunami Relief: Austin to South Asia
Songs for Tsunami Relief: Austin to South Asia is an album by American country and western musician Willie Nelson. It was released on April 12, 2005, by the Lost Highway label...
with Patty GriffinPatty Griffin, born Patricia Jean Griffin, March 16, 1964, is an American Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She is especially known for her down-home crafting of songs and her connection to musicians including Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, and the Dixie Chicks, who have played with...
- 2006: "How I Go" on Lights and Sounds
Lights and Sounds is the fifth studio album by American pop punk band Yellowcard, released on January 24, 2006 in the United States through Capitol Records. Lights and Sounds is Yellowcard's first concept album, which was inspired to reflect what the band was feeling at the time of production and...
with YellowcardYellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
- 2006: "The Man" on Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler is the third full-length studio album released by singer Pete Yorn.-Track listing:All songs written by Pete Yorn unless otherwise indicated# Vampyre# For Us# Undercover# Policies# The Man...
with Pete YornPeter Joseph Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical acclaim in 2001.-Early history:Yorn's father is a dentist and his mother is a former concert pianist who worked as a...
- 2006: "Don't Mean Nothing" on Westerns EP
Pete Yorn's Westerns EP was available during his Summer 2006 "You & Me" Acoustic Tour , as well as some locations for the subsequent Nightcrawler tour.-Track listing:...
with Pete Yorn
- 2006: "Lullaby of Broadway" Duets: An American Classic
-Personnel:* Tony Bennett, guest artists - vocals* Bill Charlap - piano* Pinchas Zukerman - violin* Lawrence Feldman - flute* Chris Botti - trumpet* Paul Langosch - double bass* Gray Sargent - guitar* Harold Jones - drums* Johnny Mandel - arranger, conductor...
with Tony BennettTony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
- 2008: "Another Day (That Time Forgot)" on Home Before Dark with Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
- 2011: "God Only Knows" on "God Only Knows" Single (solo)
External links