Mia Patel
In 2006, country music legend Reba McEntire publicly criticised the Dixie Chicks at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Her comments came three years after the Dixie Chicks' lead singer, Natalie Maines, told a London audience, Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas, referring to then-President George W. Bush, just before the US invasion of Iraq. McEntire's joke at the awards ceremony was in response to the Dixie Chicks' comments about Bush and their remarks in a Time magazine cover story, in which they stated they did not want fans who had them in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of public comment | 2006 |
| Occasion | Academy of Country Music Awards |
| Who started the feud | Dixie Chicks |
| Reason | Dixie Chicks' comments about the country music industry and President Bush |
| Dixie Chicks' comment | "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." |
| Reba McEntire's comment | "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker." |
| Dixie Chicks' response | "She's been outwardly critical of us. Some of it has been poking fun and that's fine, because we have been the butt of jokes. However, some of it, and not just Reba in particular, was pretty harsh." |
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What You'll Learn
Reba McEntire's joke about the Dixie Chicks at the Academy of Country Music Awards
In 2006, Reba McEntire took a public dig at the Dixie Chicks, an American country band, during her hosting gig at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The joke, which was scripted in advance, was a response to comments made by the band about then-President George W. Bush and fellow country stars, including McEntire herself.
Here's what McEntire said at the ACM Awards: "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker." This was in reference to a comment made by the Dixie Chicks' lead singer, Natalie Maines, in 2003, just before the US invasion of Iraq. Maines told a London audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." This sparked a feud with country singer Toby Keith and the larger country music community, as it was seen as an insult to country music fans.
The Dixie Chicks also made comments about their fan base, stating in a 2006 Time magazine cover story that they preferred "a smaller following of really cool people who get it" over fans who "have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith." This personal jab at McEntire and Keith seemed to add fuel to the fire.
After the Time magazine story was published, McEntire shared that she felt good about her scripted joke about the Dixie Chicks at the ACM Awards. She wanted them to realize that their comments were not doing them any favors. McEntire also mentioned that she was \"very disappointed\" in the group and took issue with anyone speaking badly about her music or family.
The exchange between McEntire and the Dixie Chicks, also known as "The Chicks", led to a memorable public feud that caught the attention of country music fans and the industry.
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The Dixie Chicks' comments about President Bush
The Dixie Chicks, then known as the Chicks, sparked a controversy in 2003 when they publicly criticized then-US President George W. Bush. The incident occurred during their concert in London, just before the US invasion of Iraq.
Lead singer Natalie Maines stated:
> Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.
The comment was directed at fellow country singer Toby Keith and sparked a backlash from American country listeners, who were mostly right-wing and supported the war. The group was criticized for conflating politics and culture, Bush supporters and "rednecks", implying that only "rednecks" supported the president and the war.
The Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by many country radio stations, including all 42 country stations operated by Cumulus Media. Some stations, like WTDR-FM in Talladega, Alabama, dropped the group after receiving numerous calls from listeners criticizing Maines's comments. They also lost corporate sponsorship, with drinks manufacturer Lipton canceling its promotional contract. The group received death threats, and sales of their music and concert tickets declined.
Maines initially issued a clarification, stating that she supported the troops but was frustrated with the prospect of going to war with Iraq and felt the president was ignoring the opinions of Americans. She issued an apology soon after, saying:
> As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful.
However, in 2006, Maines rescinded her apology, stating that she no longer felt Bush was owed any respect. The backlash against the group was documented in the 2006 documentary "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing".
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The Dixie Chicks' comments about country music and its fans
The Dixie Chicks, a US country band, made a comment about then-US President George W. Bush in 2003, stating that they were "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas". This comment, made in London, sparked a backlash from country music fans and the industry, with many interpreting it as an insult to all country-music lovers and the US troops. The group's music was blacklisted by country radio stations, and their singles dropped off the charts. The band addressed this criticism in their 2006 single "Not Ready to Make Nice".
The Dixie Chicks' comments about country music fans specifically seemed to stem from a desire to distance themselves from a particular type of fan. In a 2006 Time magazine cover story, band member Martie Maguire stated that the group wanted "a smaller following of really cool people who get it" instead of fans "that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith". This comment was seen as a slight against McEntire's fans and caused a public response from the singer at the Academy of Country Music Awards, where she quipped: "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker".
The backlash against the Dixie Chicks also highlighted the political nature of the country music industry at the time. Following the September 11 attacks, American country music took on a more patriotic sentiment, and many country fans and radio stations supported President Bush and the impending invasion of Iraq. The Dixie Chicks' criticism of the president and their perceived dismissal of their old fans contributed to their pariah status within the industry.
Despite the controversy, the Dixie Chicks have stood by their political beliefs and their right to express them. They have influenced later country artists such as Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, and Kacey Musgraves to speak out on political issues, even in the face of potential backlash from record companies and fans.
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The Dixie Chicks' response to Reba McEntire's criticisms
In 2006, Reba McEntire publicly criticised the Dixie Chicks (now known as The Chicks) at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The criticism came in the form of a scripted joke, in which McEntire said: "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker". This was in reference to comments made by the Dixie Chicks' lead singer, Natalie Maines, in 2003, who told a London audience: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas", referring to then-president George W. Bush.
In response to McEntire's joke, the Dixie Chicks did not issue a direct public statement. However, in a 2006 interview with *Out*, band member Martie Maguire acknowledged that McEntire had been "outwardly critical" of them, stating that while some of her comments were light-hearted, others were "pretty harsh". Maguire also defended the band's controversial statements, arguing that they were not intended to insult all country music fans but rather to express their political beliefs.
The Dixie Chicks' comments about wanting a "smaller following of really cool people who get it" rather than traditional country music fans may have contributed to the perception of a feud between the two acts. However, it is important to note that the Dixie Chicks did not directly address McEntire's criticisms in their public statements and performances.
While the Dixie Chicks did not directly respond to McEntire's joke at the time, they have since continued to face criticism and backlash from country music fans and the industry. Their comments about wanting a more progressive and engaged fan base may have contributed to this backlash, as some perceived it as a rejection of their traditional country music fan base.
Despite the lack of a direct public response from the Dixie Chicks to McEntire's criticisms, the incident sparked a broader discussion about the intersection of politics and culture in country music. The Dixie Chicks' comments about President Bush and their desire for a more progressive fan base highlighted the complex dynamics within the country music genre and its fan base.
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Reba McEntire's disappointment in the Dixie Chicks
In 2003, Natalie Maines, the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, told a London audience: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." This comment was directed at fellow country singer Toby Keith, but it sparked a feud with the entire country music community, including Reba McEntire.
In 2006, Martie Maguire, another member of the Dixie Chicks, gave a cover story interview to Time magazine. In the interview, Maguire mentioned that the group wanted "a smaller following of really cool people who get it", and didn't want fans "that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith".
After seeing the Time story, McEntire said she felt good about a joke she had made about the Dixie Chicks during her hosting duties at the Academy of Country Music Awards. During the awards show, McEntire quipped: "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker." She later commented that she was “very disappointed” in the group for their comments about the country music industry and President Bush.
In response to the backlash, Maguire told Out that McEntire had been "outwardly critical" of the Dixie Chicks. She acknowledged that some of the criticism had been light-hearted jokes, but added that other comments, "not just Reba in particular, were pretty harsh".
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Frequently asked questions
At the 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards, Reba McEntire said, "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker". This was in response to comments made by the Dixie Chicks about then-President George W. Bush.
In 2003, lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas". This comment was made less than two weeks before the US invasion of Iraq and sparked a feud with the country music community.
In an interview, McEntire said she felt "very disappointed" in the group and that their comments about the country music industry and President Bush were "pretty harsh". She also mentioned that she was glad she had made the joke at the ACM Awards.
Yes, in an interview with Out, Martie Maguire said, "She's been outwardly critical of us. Some of it has been poking fun and that's fine, but some of it... was pretty harsh".
Some people criticised McEntire for her comments, particularly as the Dixie Chicks had received death threats following their statements about President Bush.
