Claire Thompson
The Dixie Chicks, now known as The Chicks, are an American country band. In 2003, lead singer Natalie Maines commented that the band was ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas in reference to George W. Bush and his decision to invade Iraq. The comment sparked backlash from American country listeners, who were mostly right-wing and supported the war. The band faced blacklisting, death threats, and criticism from other country musicians, and sales of their music and concert tickets declined.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of incident | March 12, 2003 |
| Who said it | Singer Natalie Maines |
| What was said | "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." |
| Who it was about | President George W. Bush |
| Where it was said | A concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London |
| Who reported it | The Guardian newspaper |
| Backlash | Blacklisted by country radio stations, received death threats, lost corporate sponsorship, sales of music and concert tickets declined, faced criticism from other country musicians |
| Apology | Maines apologised, saying her remark was disrespectful, but later rescinded the apology in 2006 |
| Impact on the band | The band faced reduced ticket sales and were dropped by their label, Sony |
| Documentary | Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (2006) |
| Name change | In 2020, the band changed their name to The Chicks, removing "Dixie" due to its negative connotations |
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What You'll Learn
Natalie Maines' comment: We're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas
The Dixie Chicks were one of the most popular American country acts at the time of the incident. On March 12, 2003, the British newspaper The Guardian published a review of a Chicks concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. The review included the following line from singer Natalie Maines: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
This comment, made in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, triggered a backlash from American country listeners, who were mostly right-wing and supported the war. The Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by many country radio stations, received death threats, and were criticised by other country musicians. Their sales of music and concert tickets declined, and they lost corporate sponsorship.
In response to the backlash, Maines initially issued an apology, saying: "As a concerned American citizen, I apologise to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect." However, she later rescinded this apology in 2006, stating that she no longer felt that Bush deserved respect.
The incident had a significant emotional and economic impact on the members of the band, and they faced reduced ticket sales and continued backlash for several years. They even considered themselves outside of the country music scene, winning multiple Grammys instead. In 2020, the Chicks (as they are now known, having dropped "Dixie" from their name due to its negative connotations) released their first album in 14 years, titled "Gaslighter."
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The Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by country radio stations
The Dixie Chicks were one of the most popular American country acts at the time of their controversy. However, this all changed when singer Natalie Maines made critical comments about then-US President George W. Bush in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. During a concert in London, Maines said, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
This statement was reported by the British newspaper The Guardian, triggering a massive backlash from American country listeners, who were predominantly right-wing and supported the war. The Dixie Chicks were subsequently blacklisted by numerous country radio stations, received death threats, and faced criticism from fellow country musicians. Their music and concert ticket sales declined, and they lost corporate sponsorships.
In the face of this backlash, Maines initially issued an apology, acknowledging that her remark was disrespectful. However, she later rescinded this apology in 2006, stating that she no longer felt President Bush deserved any respect. The controversy surrounding the Dixie Chicks was likened to the backlash faced by John Lennon after his comment about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus.
The blacklisting of the Dixie Chicks by country radio stations was part of a broader trend of censorship and retaliation against the group. Their popularity and success took a significant hit, and they struggled to recover their standing in the country music industry. The incident also highlighted the political divide within the country music community and the consequences that artists could face for expressing controversial opinions.
Despite the challenges, the Dixie Chicks persevered and continued to create music. They released the album "Taking the Long Way" in 2006 and entered a hiatus in 2008, during which Martie and Emily formed the duo Court Yard Hounds. The group reunited in 2016 for a series of tours and later changed their name to "The Chicks" in 2020, dropping the word "Dixie" due to its negative connotations.
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The band lost corporate sponsorship
The Dixie Chicks were one of the most popular American country acts at the time of the incident. However, their criticism of George W. Bush and his Iraq War policy led to a swift and severe backlash from their predominantly right-wing and pro-war fan base. The band faced immediate repercussions, including blacklisting by country radio stations, death threats, and criticism from fellow country musicians. This had a significant impact on their commercial success, with declining sales of their music and concert tickets.
The band also lost corporate sponsorship, which further contributed to their financial losses. Their albums and songs, which had previously topped the charts, were now boycotted by country radio stations and fans alike. The band's music was tested in auditoriums, and the results showed an unprecedented drop in popularity, with their songs going from a rating of 60-80 out of 100 to literally zero. This led to a cascade of consequences, including cancelled shows, tours being rerouted to smaller venues, and even entire radio networks dropping them from their playlists.
The political stance taken by the Dixie Chicks had a lasting impact on their careers and the country music industry as a whole. The term ""Dixie Chicked" became synonymous with career suicide, illustrating the perceived risk of expressing political opinions that clashed with those of their fan base. The band's experience served as a cautionary tale for other country artists, who became more cautious about voicing their beliefs for fear of similar backlash. This created an atmosphere of self-censorship within the industry, with artists weighing their desire to speak out against the potential fallout it could bring.
Despite the initial backlash and loss of corporate sponsorship, the Dixie Chicks remained steadfast in their beliefs. They continued to speak out against Bush and his policies, even joining forces with other acts, such as Springsteen and Pearl Jam, for the ""Vote for Change" tour in 2004 to raise money for causes against Bush's reelection. The band also rescinded their initial apology, asserting that Bush did not deserve respect, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to their values.
The Dixie Chicks' stance came at a significant cost, and their experience highlighted the challenges faced by artists, especially in the country music genre, when navigating the intersection of politics and their careers. It sparked debates about free speech, artistic expression, and the role of artists in society. While some criticized their comments as disrespectful, others, including former US Vice President Al Gore and musician Bruce Springsteen, defended their right to free speech and supported their expression of American values.
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They received death threats
The Dixie Chicks were one of the most popular American country acts at the time. However, this popularity took a hit when they criticised then-US President George W. Bush and his decision to invade Iraq.
On March 12, 2003, the British newspaper The Guardian published a review of a Chicks concert in London, which included the following line: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas," said by singer Natalie Maines. This comment, made in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, triggered a backlash from American country listeners, who were mostly right-wing and supported the war.
The Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by many country radio stations, received death threats, and were criticised by other country musicians. Sales of their music and concert tickets declined, and they lost corporate sponsorship. In the words of one industry executive, "What they did to these ladies was just devastating." The Chicks themselves described the situation as being "used and abused by everybody who wanted to make money off us".
The backlash was so severe that the Dixie Chicks received death threats. Band member Martie Maguire described the lack of support from the country music scene, saying: "Instead, we won three Grammys against much stronger competition. So we now consider ourselves part of the big rock 'n' roll family." The Chicks also faced reduced ticket sales and were dropped by sponsors. In an interview, Maines expressed her frustration with the situation, saying, "We always felt like we were searching for ways to make an impact outside of music... I believe everything that's happened in the last few months happened for a reason."
In the face of this backlash, Maines initially issued an apology, saying her remark had been disrespectful. However, she later rescinded this apology in 2006, stating that she no longer felt that Bush deserved any respect. Despite the controversy, the Dixie Chicks remained steadfast in their beliefs and continued to express their political opinions.
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Maines issued an apology, but later rescinded it
The Dixie Chicks were one of the most popular American country acts at the time. However, their comment that they were "'ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas'" in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, triggered a backlash from American country listeners, who were mostly right-wing and supported the war. The band was blacklisted by many country radio stations, received death threats, and was criticized by other country musicians. Sales of their music and concert tickets declined, and they lost corporate sponsorship.
In response to the backlash, Maines issued an apology, saying:
> 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. 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.
However, in 2006, Maines rescinded her apology, stating that she no longer felt the same way and that Bush deserved no respect. The incident drew comparisons to the backlash John Lennon and the Beatles faced after Lennon's comment that they were more popular than Jesus. The controversy was documented in the 2006 film "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing," which showcased the economic and emotional impact of the backlash on the band members.
The rescinding of the apology by Maines further alienated some fans and country music industry peers. The Dixie Chicks' nomination for Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2003 was met with boos, and they faced reduced ticket sales and continued backlash for several years. By 2004, they had joined acts against Bush's reelection on the "Vote for Change" tour. The band continued to face challenges and eventually took a hiatus in 2008, reuniting for tours in 2016. In 2020, they changed their name to "The Chicks," dropping "Dixie" due to its negative connotations and releasing their first album in 14 years.
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Frequently asked questions
At a concert in London in 2003, lead singer Natalie Maines said, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
The comment sparked a backlash from American country listeners, who were mostly right-wing and supported the Iraq War. The Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by many country radio stations, received death threats, and were criticised by other country musicians. Their music and concert ticket sales declined, and they lost corporate sponsorship.
Initially, Maines issued an apology, saying her remark was disrespectful. However, she later rescinded the apology in 2006, stating that she no longer felt that Bush deserved respect. The band also appeared naked on the cover of *Entertainment Weekly*, covered in words ascribed to them during the controversy, such as "traitors" and "Dixie Sluts".
The incident had a significant emotional and economic impact on the band members. They faced reduced ticket sales and were dropped by their record label, Sony. The Dixie Chicks eventually left the country music scene and rebranded themselves as part of the rock 'n' roll genre. In 2020, they changed their name to "The Chicks," dropping "Dixie" due to its negative connotations.
