• Twitter
  • Facebook
News-Sentinel.com Your Town. Your Voice.
Opening Arguments

Start the music

Pretty clearly the sweep by the Dixie Chicks was not to reward their musicianship. It was meant as a poke in the eye to President Bush. And the continued boycott of them by country music radio is about making a statement of values by those people. Pick your politics, and make your choice.

But it's not about the music anymore, which is too bad. It might be impossible to even think of the Dixie Chicks -- buying their albums or not -- strictly in a musical context. If they fade away, that will be why, not because of their specific politics.

Posted in: Music

Comments

Steve Towsley
Wed, 02/14/2007 - 4:47pm

I don't follow this group and I didn't watch more than a glimpse of the Grammy show, but the video clips after the fact which reviewed the Dixie Chicks' attitude during their acceptance appearances seemed very odd to me. I think they've mistaken their luck to be offered forgiveness and a second chance as some kind of national apology from the fans. I think few people believe that version of it, outside of the lead singer of Dixie Chicks.

I'm sure they're happy to have rehabilitated their careers and made a come-back. The skirmish was years ago and it seems to me Americans have settled our views and moved on. The Chicks did the catching up with the times, even playing on their own difficulties with a hit single that seemed generic enough to a mainstream country topic, lovers' spats.

The mouthy one's mimicking of the Simpsons' "ha-ha" at the awards microphone was bizarre, considering that the Grammy vote is tiny and insular, and nothing much has changed for them in the real world except that a lot of listeners were starting to get over their irritation.

So a few thousand industry blue-state liberals in the Grammy audience voted them some big awards in Los Angeles as a political statement.

The Chicks then try to snatch defeat from the jaws of success by mistaking one local houseful of biased blue-state voters as some kind of national vindication.

Yikes. As I said: odd and bizarre, at least to this observer.

They'd have made a far better impression if they had simply accepted the awards graciously without the sour grapes antics and been thankful the audience took them back.

When one foot finally heals is not the time to shoot yourself in the other foot.

JR
Sun, 02/18/2007 - 2:18pm

THE CHICKS ARE DEAD AS FAR AS THE RIGHT MINDED PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED SO NOW THEY HAVE NO ONE BUT THE LEFTIES I SAY GOOD RIDDANCE TO BOTH .

garshleyentertainment
Tue, 06/26/2007 - 8:58am

I don't know which planet you guys live on but the Dixie Chicks are still around and there to stay. They are huge here in Canada and around the world. They are doing really well in the USA as well. Just not in those red neck states. George Bush is a complete idiot. Their statement was totally valid and I'm proud they did voice their opinion and stood up for themself. I support them all the way. They are smart and talented and that will always be. Their last album "taking the long way" is by far their strongest and best crafted album.

tim zank
Tue, 06/26/2007 - 8:45pm

Well shucks, thanks for enlightening us rednecks. Always nice to hear from our tolerant, open minded friends from the north!

putz

Quantcast