Dixie Chicks Win 5 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

[snapcat]

Having closely followed the Dixie Chicks over the past years, I am thrilled for their 3 Grammy wins so far tonight. No other musical act in history has been treated as shabbily as the Dixie Chicks were treated. Because they dared to have an opinion about a war they were subjected to death threats, tossed off of country radio, and even had the President of the United States criticize them and urged people to not buy their records if they didn't want to.

The movie "Shut Up & Sing" should be required viewing for any liberal or progressive.

...

From CNN ...

Dixie Chicks win three Grammys




(CNN) -- The Grammy Awards were nice to the Dixie Chicks, who won song of the year, a songwriter's award, for "Not Ready to Make Nice."


The Chicks -- Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison -- shared the award with Dan Wilson, formerly of Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare.


"I, for the first time in my life, am speechless," said Maines, who became a controversial figure in 2003 after making critical comments about President Bush. "Not Ready to Make Nice" was a response to the controversy; after Maines' comments, the Chicks' songs were pulled from a number of country music stations and the group was pilloried by former fans.


The Chicks have won three awards. They also won best country performance by a duo or group with vocal and, after the song of the year award, were honored with best country album for "Taking the Long Way."


"A lot of people just turned their TVs off right now," Maines said after the country album award.


The group performed "Not Ready to Make Nice" earlier in the show after being introduced by Joan Baez -- no stranger to controversy herself.



<snip>

Here's the trailer for the documentary "Shut Up & Sing." Wouldn't it be grand if every video store got a call tomorrow asking about the movie's availability? Wouldn't it be grand tomorrow if every country radio station got a call to request a Dixie Chicks song?



The Nightline profile



Regardless of your particular taste in music, the Dixie Chicks story could have happened to anyone.

 

[yuty]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

What?!

Mary J. Blige didn't win!?

The f*ckers!!!

 

[jackoroe]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

Maybe the nice folks that run the self congratulatory Grammy awards should buy some tickets so the Dixie Chicks won't have to play to empty venues.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-06-08-dixie-chicks-tour_x.htm

I'm not really into country music, so I'm not a good judge of it. But I think the Dixie Chicks sound awful. I think interjecting politics into music is quite dangerous to a career as well. I like to go to listen to music to be entertained. I do not tolerate even my favorite artists going off on a political tangent. I really don't care what you think, I'm here to listen to you play and sing. So, shut up and play!

 

[snapcat]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

Jack, to be fair, protest songs have been a part of popular music culture for over 40 years. I don't recall anyone sending death threats to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young for their song on the Kent State massacre. I don't recall the President of the United States ever commenting on people not buying Bob Dylan's records. And while the Dixie Chicks merely spoke 12 words to criticize George Bush, both Pink and Pearl Jam actually recorded and released songs criticizing Bush. And I believe there were more than 12 words in those songs.

No, the Dixie Chicks were subjected to one of the ugliest and most hateful publicity stunts ever concocted by the so-called conservative movement. The Free Republic is where this all started.

And while I've been typing this, the Dixie Chicks have won the highest award possible from the Academy - Record of the Year!

 

[denverbear42]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

well jack you obviously dont know country music ive seen them and they are great. and they have a rught as we all do to our own opinion of the way opur country is being run

 

[Sausy]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

Maybe the nice folks that run the self congratulatory Grammy awards should buy some tickets so the Dixie Chicks won't have to play to empty venues.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-06-08-dixie-chicks-tour_x.htm

I'm not really into country music, so I'm not a good judge of it. But I think the Dixie Chicks sound awful. I think interjecting politics into music is quite dangerous to a career as well. I like to go to listen to music to be entertained. I do not tolerate even my favorite artists going off on a political tangent. I really don't care what you think, I'm here to listen to you play and sing. So, shut up and play!

Though I think oftentimes the entertainment world has a ton of hot air blowing liberal activists at heart who seem to moonlight as entertainers,they have every right to support and promote their causes....there are some who are quite eloquent and well versed.It's not so cut and dried,Jack.Don't forget,Republicans elected an entertainer as governor of California,who seems to have a handle on policy issues...an Arnold Schwarzegger,I believe!And another entertainer who became a governor of California was later elected president ,another Republican,a guy named Ronald Reagan.

 

[chance1]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

I think Natalie Maines said

"Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."

that was in London

she apologized later when it was clear that by saying this, her pocketbook was lighter

In the movie, several years later, she called the President "a dumb fucker"

Looks like the music industry, much like the movie industry is well you know - slanted in a particular direction

Love their music

But she has no manners

As for a smear campaign against the Chicks? hey in America you get to say what you want - and the public gets to make a judgement on that - can't have it both ways snap

 

[snapcat]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

Chance, can you name one other President that has criticized a musical act?

George Bush is the only one that comes to my mind.

 

[jackoroe]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 3 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

well jack you obviously dont know country music ive seen them and they are great. and they have a rught as we all do to our own opinion of the way opur country is being run

You are absolutely right that they should be able to voice their views. But they should also accept that there is a price to be paid. Particularly with country music being as conservative a medium as it is. I suppose those other folks that Snapcat cited are not in the country genre, so it is more acceptable for them to be of a more liberal bent. Please pardon my ignorance for not knowing those other folks.

A bit off topic, I suppose, but I spent my mis-spent youth following the Grateful Dead about the country. They were about as Libertarian a group of people, as I've ever seen. The most notable feature of their music, was that it was never political. And here was a group of people from the 1960's and San Francisco, no less. But they were succesful without ever really having achieved a commercial version of success. What I'm trying to say is that music, and by extension entertainment, should be just that.

And by the by Denver, I'd never make it as a music critic.

 

[jackoroe]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

I deleted this because I didn't read snaps post thoroughly. Twenty lashes with a wet noodle for me!

 

[snapcat]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

I deleted this because I didn't read snaps post thoroughly. Twenty lashes with a wet noodle for me!

Jack, this probably wouldn't be the best time to tell you that I'm a leatherman, now would it? I've got paddles, I've got whips, I've even got chains .... but not one wet noodle!

Oh, and by the way, The Dixie Chicks just won Album of the Year, sweeping all 5 categories they were nominated in!

 

[JayHawk]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

I liked their redo of landslide...it makes me feel funny inside.

 

[chance1]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

Chance, can you name one other President that has criticized a musical act?

George Bush is the only one that comes to my mind.

what did GWB say about the Chicks?

 

[snapcat]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

^ Take a look at the "Shut Up & Sing" trailer I posted above. You'll find some of his comments there.

 

[snapcat]

As much as I love their new album, this is my favorite Dixie Chicks song, an anthem for battered women called "Goodbye Earl." Natalie Maines husband, Adrian Pasdar of Heroes, appears in the video.

 

[snapcat]

Update from CNN ...

(CNN) -- The Grammy Awards were nice to the Dixie Chicks, who won five awards at the 49th annual honors -- including album of the year for "Taking the Long Way," song of the year (a songwriter's award) and record of the year for "Not Ready to Make Nice."


"I think people are expressing their freedom of speech tonight," said lead singer Natalie Maines, who ignited controversy in 2003 by criticizing President Bush. "I'm very humbled."


The Chicks -- Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison -- shared the song of the year award with co-writer Dan Wilson, formerly of Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare.


"I, for the first time in my life, am speechless," said Maines after the song of the year honor. "Not Ready to Make Nice" was a response to the controversy; after Maines' comments, the Chicks' songs were pulled from a number of country music stations and the group was pilloried by former fans.


The Chicks, who were nominated for five Grammys, won all five. Others included best country performance by a duo or group with vocal and best country album for "Taking the Long Way."


"We wouldn't have made this album without everything we went through, so we have no regrets," said Robison.


The group performed "Not Ready to Make Nice" earlier in the show after being introduced by Joan Baez -- no stranger to controversy herself.

 

[Mr.BiGuy]

Aww, I guess Toby Keith was'nt fit to win a Grammy.heh

Congrats to the Dixie Chicks. That'll show all those inbred country hicks that rejected them for their opinions.

 

[Sausy]

Re: Dixie Chicks Win 4 Grammys, Bush Turns Off TV and Goes to Bed

Hell is about to freeze over.I'm going to say some nice things about the Dixie Chicks.No,I am not turning into a neo-progressive,but looking at them accepting with class and humility and passionate thanks their Album of the Year award(Once I saw Don Henley pump his fist....I knew that Justin Timberlake wasn't getting it )and the absolute love and sincerity for the support of their husbands and family,I felt they had not deserved the piling on against them even I had done.I still think that the tactic they used,blasting the president of the United States in front of a friendly crowd of British fans who similarly hated Bush wasn't a wise thing to do,or a brave thing....doing it in front of their own American fans,in Red State America...would have demonstrated more courage and principle.How are you courageous when you say something virtually the whole crowd is going to say Amen to....and not think you were going to escape without any consequences at home?

But they are an incredibly talented group who go beyond the traditional country genre into richer,more innovative directions.This certainly grew them past their original country base...and they excelled.What they said about Bush really now 70% of Americans think,they were just ahead of the curve.If I knew then about how things were going to transpire in Iraq and overall ,I would have begged them to say it here.They should have just followed their instincts and criticized the president here,say that the emperor has no clothes and stay true to their principles.

They suffered enough,and the campaign against them went too far.They showed American pluck and determination and set themselves right back...tough times make tough,determined resolve,and came back better than ever.I may not buy any of their CDs,but if I hear a Dixie Chick song playing,I will listen and enjoy,not leave the room or turn it off or change it.Well done ladies,you deserve your 5 Grammies!

 

[snapcat]

From DailyKos ...

...
The Dixie Chicks vs. Bill O'Reilly: An Update

by KingOneEye

Sun Feb 11, 2007 at 08:52:55 PM PST

There is seemingly no subject on which professional know-it-all, Bill O’Reilly, does not consider himself to be an expert (and no subject on which he actually is). Last March, wearing his music biz (dunce) cap, he predicted that the Dixie Chicks’ soon-to-be-released CD, "Taking The Long Way," was destined to fail.


He said at the time that it would sell "2 million tops."


Let’s see how he’s doing.


Cross-posted at...
News Corpse, The Internet's Chronicle Of Media Decay.

• KingOneEye's diary :: ::

Taking The Long Way:

• is certified double platinum.
• finished the year 9th in overall sales.
• is still on the Billboard Album 200.
• is still on the Billboard Country 25.
• nominated for won 5 Grammys.

For those not in the biz, double platinum means sales of 2 million. So they have already reached what O’Reilly thought would be their peak (in just 7 months).


They are assurred of blowing past that number considering that they are still on the charts and the Grammys nods will boost sales as well. If they win Having won, all the better. Plus, they will be performing in the Grammy broadcast on February 11.


So this is proof that O’Reilly is a fraudulent moron with a talent for being wrong and embarrassing himself. Not exactly a revelation, but still.....


Update: The Dixie Chicks won in all categories for which they were nominated.


And for good measure, Rick Rubin won for Producer of the Year in part for his production of the Chicks. And their live performance on the Grammy telecast may have been one of the most emotionally charged, and well received, in the program's history.


I just wanted to rub this in.

Grammy Recap:

• Song Of The Year - Not Ready To Make Nice
• Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal - Not Ready To Make Nice
• Best Country Album - Taking The Long Way
• Record Of The Year - Not Ready To Make Nice
• Album Of The Year - Taking The Long Way
• Rick Rubin - Taking The Long Way (Dixie Chicks) (A)

 

[skibby]

Hey, sometimes its possible to enjoy music from people whose politics you despise. I really enjoy a lot of Toby Keith's music and think he's a dickhead. I don't see why it's so hard for some folks to allow the Dixie Chicks to be played on country radio. You don't have to like them, you just have to be tolerant of people whose opinions are different than yours.