What happened to the Dixie Chicks?

[taterguy]

Anyone who's watched the documentary about them knows it wasn't simply fans deciding not to listen to them following an off-hand remark at a concert.

There was a concerted effort by powerful corporate interests to silence them.

What I'm wondering is why it worked, mostly.

When John Lennon said the Beatles were Bigger than Jesus it didn't have an impact on their sales or airplay.

Were the Beatles that much more popular?

Were times different then? If so, how?

Did it have to do with the fact that the Dixie Chicks are, well, Chicks?

Was it just a coincidence?

An unfortunate remark at the expiration of their normal shelf life?

I don't know the answer to these questions.

Just things I'm pondering on a Sunday afternoon.

[Horse with no Name]

1. The absence of the Fairness Doctrine killed the Dixie Chicks

Clear Channel, Rushy Limpballs, etc.

That is all.

Edited to add: Making it more clear, allowing one person or entity to own the voice of the people.

[shadowknows69]

2. And spineless program directors

[blue_onyx]

3. I think many country music fans may never let go of the past

I think their last CD did pretty well, although not as good as their previous ones. I think they'll release more music but there's a large part of the country music market that won't buy it. Maybe they should make a CD that leans a little more pop like "Not Ready to Make Nice."

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Maybe they oughtta reposition themselves as protest musicians.

There's always been a great market for left-wing artists. Dylan, Baez, Arlo G, etc.

The DCs are actually off to a great start with their "Not ready to make nice" theme.

[spanone]

5. the dixie chicks were denied their right to earn a living by country radio

country radio conspired to not play them....they still don't. i don't hear their hits on radio...nothing ....nada

they were blackballed and still are.....

not for musical reasons....for POLITICAL reasons

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. They all have very little kids,

and I figured they'd taken time off to tend to their families. One was hit with a divorce, too, so maybe they're just chilling and being regular people.

Whatever they put out, though, I'll buy. They'll always be favorites ......................

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Yes they decided to be moms

Good for them.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

22. "Not Ready To Make Nice", "Easy Silence", and "The Long Way Around" are AMAZING

I'll buy anything they release as long as there is one song as good as those 3.

They are all from the last album, which was their best in my opinion.

[greenbriar]

24. not to mention I HOPE

and the one that mentions Buddy Holly

[jesus_of_suburbia]

25. Even the bonus track "Thin Line" is great... I really like their back catalogue too :-)

Have you heard the bonus track "Thin Line"?


They are just great.. true artists. Their personalities are just a bonus!

[mvd]

7. They are still around

It's country music's loss that they are no longer popular country artists. They are still active and combating global warming; Natalie gave to Obama's campaign. They are further developing their sound.

[reggie the dog]

15. they are also popular in other countries around the world

so tours and cd sales are nothing to worry about for them.

[pretzel4gore]

8. lotsa fiction in this brain dead fascist world...mediaworld

someone once said 'the best lack all conviction while the worst are fulla passionate intensity!' and thems the breaks. The Chicks made a huge bundle following the controversy, from cd sales and sellout concerts, but the pigmedia kinda downplays anything that defies them (and as most station owners are reactionary rightwingers, they refused to play DC on their country stations, which made the Chicks less profitable, but i doubt they care that much about money that requires selling out...most people agree with the DC, and they were heroic for defying nazipoohs)

[stillcool]

9. I guess the Country Music fans...

are very supportive of George Bush and his policies, and do not take kindly to one of their women speaking out. I liked seeing Natalie at the Inauguration thing.

[Horse with no Name]

10. Prime Example: Toby Keith. n/t

[Botany]

11. The Chix are rich, happy, sell lots of stuff, and their shows sell out too.

BTW they have about 1,000,000 grammy awards too ..... sadly the radio airwaves is one
of the last things that the right wing controls so you might never hear them again on
the radio.


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jyc7_youtube-dixie-chicksyou-were-mine_music





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLBgmbXBOb8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoN5B6UyMss&feature=related W/ James Taylor

[quiller4]

20. I hear them regularly on the radio in Western Washington

and their concerts in this region have sold out.

[sundog]

12. dunno where they're at musically, but Natalie Maines cut off her hair & looks hot

all the freepers are rolling on their bellies & calling her a dyke



http://www.shabooty.com/2009/03/31/natalie-maines-cut-off-her-hair-tmz.php

she looks great imo

[jesus_of_suburbia]

23. Nothing wrong with looking like a dyke :-)

Edited to add:

I don't like the term "dyke" or "fag"... I was just making a point that there's nothing wrong with looking like a stereotypical gay person (just like metrosexual males can look gay even when they aren't).

[leftofthedial]

13. The Beatles were FAR more popular than the Dixie Chicks

and became so at a time before the American fascists had completed their media takeover.

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. Actually, the "Bigger than Jesus" thing did have a big impact on the Beatles

John got a lot of death threats on the 1966 tour, mostly from KKK types and the extra stress it put on the band and Brian Epstein had a lot to do with their decision to stop touring after that.

Which wasn't entirely a bad thing, if you liked the Sgt. Pepper album (which probably never would have been made if the ability to play the material live was an issue.)

[SoCalDem]

16. These days they are probably picking & choosing around the needs of their families

They made a LOT of money at a young age, and now are young mothers , so it's not surprising that their schedules have changed:)

Perhaps they are actually "living" their lives now, and have curtailed their touring deliberately :)

[burning rain]

18. I respect those ladies.

Wouldn't have hurt them in the music business one bit had they been pop / rock, but they're country / pop, and there you're supposed to be all about loving Jesus and war and NASCAR and your cousin in the bed of your pickup truck.

The poppified country, I can enjoy if someone has it on. Fun and poignant songs like "Goodbye Earl" and what-have-you.

[CraftyGal]

19. In Canada we get to hear the Dixie Chicks a lot....

considering we only have two country stations, one is owned by New Cap Radio (out of West Edmonton Mall), the other is owned by Corus Radio which is a big corporation connected to the US. I prefer the smaller New Cap Radio as they gave a friend of mine, Nick Gulka, a job after he was fired from the only other country station because he was "to old". He is in his early 30s and the young women adored him when he was at promos. My son got a kick out of it in fact! He asked Nick if he did Nick's job would the girls flock to him as well. Nick said yeas but it really didn't pay a lot.

Anywhoo, back on topic, I love the Chicks and still buy anything that they produce. I will always love "I'm Not Ready to Make Nice".

Remember these ladies lives had been threatened!

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

I'm through, with doubt,
There's nothing left for me to figure out,
I've paid a price, and i'll keep paying

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

I know you said
Why can't you just get over it,
It turned my whole world around
and i kind of like it

I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

Craftygal

[applegrove]

21. The year after the "incident" the Dixie Chicks tour made the most money

of any other tour I think. I think the chicks just are at home with babies and simply don't have an album out this year. I still heard them all the time on Canadian Radio.

[burning rain]

26. Rebrand as pop-rock....

and get on those rather than country stations (with their conservative pieties) when they bring out another album, and I think they'll be right as rain when it comes to getting radio play, if that's such a concern to them. Though I'm sure those ladies have more than enough dough to last a lifetime, anyway -- and good for them.

[applegrove]

27. I don't think that they were destroyed financially by the boycott. Their music plays all around

the world and they may have gotten more fame around the world for what they said about Bush.