In light of the recent global uprising against anti-Blackness and racism, the Dixie Chicks have made the major decision to change their name, choosing instead to just be known as The Chicks.
The country trio debuted in 1989 as a bluegrass group but quickly switched out to a more mainstream country sound, rising to the top of the genre with songs like "Travelin' Soldier" and "Not Ready to Make Nice." It didn't take long before Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer, and Martie Maguire were considered some of the most famous country singers in the industry; the group has since won several Country Music Awards, Grammys, and even topped the Billboard charts on multiple occasions.
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Unfortunately, the group's glittering musical legacy was tainted because of the connotation of its name — "Dixie" is a nod to the Mason-Dixie line which famously separated the free states of the North from the states in the South that were still dependent on the labor and oppression of Black people. So the country trio's apparent pride in the notion was clearly problematic.
But after more than 30 years of being the Dixie Chicks, the women have officially remerged as The Chicks.
"We want to meet this moment," the band explained on their site and various social media accounts, referring to the increased sociopolitical conscious going on in the world. And even before their name change, The Chicks have always been politically-conscious — who can forget how they were practically blacklisted from the country music scene after publicly criticizing President George W. Bush in 2003? I mean, it only cost them their careers.
Their reintroduction as The Chicks is accompanied by the release of a brand new single titled "March March," only their third song in 14 years. The track and its visuals are a rallying cry against the status quo, inspired by the uprising going on right outside of our front doors, and it's the second single on their upcoming album Gaslighter.
"Watchin' our youth have to solve our problems," The Chicks sing on the new track. "I'll follow them, so who's comin' with me?"
We'll have to wait a little while longer to see what else The Chicks have cooking in the studio — Gaslighter's release date has been pushed back due to the coronavirus — but we're liking what we're hearing (and seeing) so far.