But the Dixie Chicks occupy an even greater level of fame. Once a darling of country radio, the group has crossed over to become a banner mainstream act and magazine cover subject, even today. The Dixie Chicks have sold at least 33 million albums in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, and won 13 Grammys, including album of the year for its 2006 release “Taking the Long Way.”
That album was the Dixie Chicks’ defiant response to its abrupt ejection from the Nashville establishment, after Maines, the group’s lead singer, told a London audience in March 2003: “We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.”
The fallout from that statement was immediate and fierce, with fans protesting the group on tour and country radio stations dropping once-ubiquitous hits like “Wide Open Spaces” and “Without You” from playlists. Ever since, such brutal rejection as a consequence of political speech has been so feared that it has become a verb — “Dixie Chicked.” Taylor Swift’s recent documentary, “Miss Americana,” showed that the fear loomed over even her. (Swift also had the Dixie Chicks as guests on her latest album, “Lover.”)
Quick rebrandings can be complicated. Soon after Lady Antebellum announced its new name, it emerged that at least one other act — a black blues singer from Seattle — had already been releasing music under the name Lady A for years, leading to awkward settlement talks.
The Dixie Chicks faced a similar situation, with a 1960s pop group from New Zealand, but apparently resolved it in advance.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/arts/music/dixie-chicks-change-name.html
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