It’s been over a decade since Natalie Maines said those controversial words about George W. Bush that created a firestorm.
“Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all,” Natalie declared at a 2003 performance in London. “We don’t want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.“
And in the blink of an eye, her band Dixie Chicks became one of the most highly contested, talked-about groups in modern country music history.
The storm flared on when they came out with their album ‘Taking the Long Way‘, which featured the bitter single ‘Not Ready to Make Nice‘, the group’s defiant response to the negative treatment they’d received. But things rapidly deteriorated after fiddle player Martie Maguire stated they were over the commercial country music biz, would rather have fans who ‘get them’, and not ‘people that have us in their 5-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith.’
Incredibly, this album was still internationally popular, selling almost 2 million copies. When they attended the Grammys that year however, they were laughed and gawked at, and ridiculed by an overwhelming number of people both there and watching at home.
Since the dust has settled from this controversy, Natalie Maines has not hesitated to branch out on her own musical journey. In 2012 she released a solo album, Mother, an effort said to be her attempt to reach out to fans, current and former, whatever their opinion of her may be.
They say time heals all wounds, but for Natalie, it’s unclear what the future holds, let alone in the country music industry. She recently made this Tweet, showing the world there is still a strong feeling of defiance in the former Dixie Chick.
