This week, the Dixie Chicks released dates for their “DCX MMXVI” tour in the United States after a long hiatus. Typing that gave me chills!
The tickets officially go on sale tomorrow, but I already have tickets to two concerts because my mom and I joined the fan club. Waiting was not an option.
The greatest band of all time (sorry 1D) is back. And this is why you should care.
1. The Dixie Chicks are all about girl power.
Sure, Adele and Beyonce are cool. But nothing embodies “Who Run the World? Girls” more than being the highest-selling female group in America.
2. They consistently break down stereotypes.
A country band with the word Dixie in their name seems pretty predictable. But the Dixie Chicks have been anything but that. With songs like “Sin Wagon” and “Goodbye Earl”—which tells the dark but hilarious story of an abusive husband being killed by his wife and her best friend—the group hasn’t been afraid to stray from their often conservative fan base.
3. WIDE OPEN SPACES IS THE GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME.
This is getting too opinionated. Oh wait, it went quadruple platinum and became the best-selling group album in country music history, so I guess *y’all* agree?
4. Fans have been waiting for this for a long time.
I was seven years old when my mom went to a Dixie Chicks concert without me. She took a girls trip with her sister and I cried, but she promised she would take me next time. Then they broke up. We’re going to see them twice together next year. I am so serious when I say that this tour is resolving a thirteen-year-long grudge I have held against the woman that birthed me. It’s important.
5. The Dixie Chicks are willing to speak their minds.
In 2003 at a concert in London, lead singer Natalie Maines made a decision that would change the trajectory of the band forever. She spoke out in a way that upset conservative fans, especially in the group’s home state of Texas. Many country music stations stopped playing their music, and many fans abandoned their music all together.
6. That being said, they don't falter when facing controversy.
In response to being effectively outcast from the country music community, the Dixie Chicks wrote “Not Ready to Make Nice.” In it, Natalie says she has no regrets and describes her anger at receiving so much hate, including being told to “shut up and sing.”
Eventually, the controversy left the women with no choice but to take a break. They have toured in Canada and Europe, but it seemed unlikely that the trio would return to the U.S. until now.
This tour has been a long time coming, and I truly hope that the Dixie Chicks record new music after they are welcomed back with open arms.
Still mad about a female singer having an opinion? Too stubborn to let it go? Good. Better seats for me.
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