Originally comprised of upright bass player Laura Lynch, guitarist Robin Lynn Macy, and multi-instrumentalist sisters Martie and Emily Erwin, the band is named after the Lowell George song “Dixie Chicken”. Following a series of shows around Texas in which the Dixie Chicks found their form, the group inherited $10,000 from the daughter of Senator John Tower to record their debut album. The result was 1990’s “Thank Heavens for Dale Evans”, which while failing to cause a stir, was followed by the Christmas single “‘Home on the Radar Range”.
Unimpressed with the contemporary direction of the band, Robin Lynn Macy left the group in 1992 following the release of their sophomore album “Little Ol’ Cowgirl”. Laura Lynch subsequently took over lead vocal responsibilities for 1993’s “Shouldn’t a Told You That” after which Dixie Chicks signed with Sony Music Entertainment. “Shouldn’t a Told You That” proved to be Lynch’s final release with the band and was subsequently replaced by Natalie Maines. Bringing with her a broader appeal with blues and rock influences, the band’s major label debut was the single “I Can Love You Better”, which peaked within the U.S. Country Singles Chart’s Top 10. Significantly raising their profile to the national level, Dixie Chicks’ third full-length “Wide Open Spaces” sold over 12 million copies, aided by the singles “Where’s Your Trouble”, “You Were Mine”, and “Wide Open Spaces”.
The record won the band the Horizon Award in 1998 as well as their first Grammy Award for Best Country Album in 1999. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Dixie Chick’s subsequent album “Fly” was released in August 1999, marking the group as one of the most successful country acts in U.S. history. The record spawned a whopping nine singles, notably “Sin Wagon” and “Goodbye Earl”, after which the band became involved in a legal dispute with their label Sony.
The result of the dispute awarded the group their own imprint Open Wide Records, through which they released their sixth studio album “Home” in 2002. Noted for its traditional bluegrass and lighter lyrical topics, the record spawned the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 single “Long Time Gone”. The album secure the band three more Grammy Awards for Best Country Album, Album of the Year and Best County Instrumental Performance (“Lil’ Jack Slade”). Dixie Chicks embarked on the Top of the World Tour in support of the record, the first show of which Maines announced her displeasure at the invasion of Iraq, which led the group to be on the receiving end of a huge backlash.
Despite this, their subsequent 2006 album “Taking the Long Way” once again peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Country Albums Chart. Winning five Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Best Country Album, and Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group for their single “Not Ready to Make Nice”, the record was a huge success. The supporting tour, the Accidents & Accusations Tour, was directed more towards the Canadian and international markets due to their newfound unpopularity in America’s south; and didn’t even venture in their home-state of Texas. A hiatus ensued following the tour in which members spent time with their families. Dixie Chicks returned in 2010 to appear on the Eagles’ 2010 Summer Tour after which they appeard in the music documentary “Sounds Like a Revolution”.
Read more
