Bashing Bush: A Retrospective on the Dixie Chicks

Abstract

Ten days before the invasion of Iraq, Maines unpromptedly told a London audience during the introduction of their song, Travelin' Soldier: "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We (the Dixie Chicks) do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States (George W. Bush) is from Texas." The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, published a review of the show in which they recall Maines saying: "Just so you know,' says singer Natalie Maines, ‘we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."

In the first chapter of my analysis, I talk about the history of country music and the politics surrounding America during the time of the comment. In the second, I talk about the media coverage of events and the feud that Natalie Maines and Toby Keith had, along with tying it into how country music can be misogynistic. And in the last chapter, I talk about where the Dixie Chicks are now, specifically Natalie Maines, and how she is utilizing social media to interact with her fans, and how the fans are reacting to her using social media.

My analysis is an attempt to answer the following questions: Didn't the Dixie Chicks have the right to free speech? Why were so many radio stations not playing the Dixie Chicks? Why did they receive so much backlash?