Dixie Chicks feel backlash at CMT show

The Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 4/8/03 | Craig Seymour

[Gothmog]

Sometimes forgiveness is hard to come by, as the Dixie Chicks learned Monday night during CMT's annual Flameworthy Video Music Awards.

The trio, currently experiencing a heated backlash for criticizing President Bush during a London concert, didn't attend the event, which is like country's MTV Awards. But at least one presenter tried to put in a good word for them.

"We're in the South, a place of sin and redemption and hopefully forgiveness," said comedian Brett Butler. "So maybe in a couple of weeks, we'll just all try to forgive the Dixie Chicks."

Her words were met with a wall of boos.

Not only that, but the Chicks, one of country's all-time top-selling acts, failed to win any of the four awards for which they were nominated. This is especially significant since the Flameworthies are voted on by fans on CMT's Web site. (Voting closed April 5.) The group/duo category served as an especially biting example of anti-Chicks sentiment.

Though the Chicks' latest album, "Home," has sold more than 3 million copies, the group was beaten by country boy band Rascal Flatts, which has moved less than 500,000 units of its current set, "Melt."

The debate over the Chicks' comments is just one example of how country has emerged as the genre most immediately impacted by the war in Iraq. The current No.1 country song is Darryl Worley's pro-war ballad, "Have You Forgotten," which he performed to a standing ovation during the show. The tune plays like a Bush administration policy paper in linking 9/11 with the situation in Iraq. "And you say we shouldn't worry about bin Laden/Have you forgotten," Worley sang to the cheering crowd.

Others seemed to deliberately avoid commenting on the war. Sheryl Crow, who has worn anti-war clothing and accessories at other award shows this year, simply donned a black Johnny Cash T-shirt when performing "Picture," her hit duet with Kid Rock.

Predictably, the most outspoken artist on the war was firebrand Toby Keith, who co-hosted the program with the seemingly inflatable Pamela Anderson. Early in the evening, he struck a subdued, conciliatory note: "Whether you're for it or against it, let's support the guys and girls who are over there."

But by the end of the night he was performing a medley of Merle Haggard's "Fightin' Side of Me" with his own chest-thumping 9/11 anthem, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," amid blazing pyrotechnic blasts and showers of confetti.

When "Courtesy" won best video, Keith said, "I'd like to dedicate this great award to Mr. Rumsfeld [Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld] and [General] Tommy Franks and all the people putting it down for us over there. . . . God bless the USA, baby."

[wku man]

No reason to get defensive, dude. My tastes are pretty eclectic, too. I like rock and roll, and uh, well...rock and roll, and...did I mention rock and roll? Just kidding. I also like classical and blues, and the older I get, the more I find country palatable. I can't stand the twangy, corn-pone, tears in my beer stuff, though. I really like Junior Brown.

You may have a point about the credits. I have mostly CDs, but just looked at my vinyl copy of 2, and there's no credit given to Willie Dixon. Your point, bro.

Floyd, The Who, The Stones, Jimi, etc...I, too, count them among my all-time favorites, but we part ways when it comes to (c)rap. I've always thought that (c)rap was created to give those who couldn't sing their way out of a paper bag a chance to make a record. Just my humble opinion, though.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Flashlight]

Does anyone know if it will be rebroadcast?...

Count on CMT to rebroadcast the show a lot (check the CMT website for their schedule - if the show's not on there, keep checking back every week or so).

The show was *awesome*, maybe the best country tv shows ever. Standout perfomances from Tim McGraw, Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain with Alison Krause and Union Station, Daryl Worley, and Toby Keith with an unbelievable finale.

[Flashlight]

You're in luck. The show is being rebroadcast tonight.


Flameworthy Video Music Awards


CMTV 74 Apr 10 09:30pm 150 Mins.
Shania Twain, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson and Rascal Flatts perform.

[petitfour]

Yesterday, my children were watching something on Nickjr, and a commercial featuring the Dixie Chicks came on. Nickelodeon is having some kind of kids choice awards where children vote for their favorite artists. They're really pushing the Dixie Chicks. I guess Viacom just doesn't get it. I have quit watching CMT for the most part (well, i'm watching war coverage mostly) because they don't seem to care what viewers think. Rosie (I have no talent) O'Donnell is hosting these awards. Maybe somebody could start a thread for FREEPing the Nick.com poll.

[MadeInOhio]

I knew about Chapin Carpenter but what are the left-wing rap sheets on Tillis, Montgomery, Van Shelton and Stuart?

As you can tell I'm not a big follower of country music, but I assumed the Nashville creative community largely reflected the conservative drift of their constituencies.

If what you're saying is the case (and I'm not saying I dispute it) I'm surprised we haven't heard of more anti-Bush, anti-GOP outbursts by the C&W libs you cited.

[GraniteStateConservative]

They were public Gore 2000 supporters.

[GraniteStateConservative]

After the election, they smartly shut up.

[Heinz 57]

I just jumped in and don't know if someone has alreday mentioned these musicians. You may want to check out 8 seconds by Chris Le Doux, Steve Earle ( I heard yesterday that he was bad mouthing GW or something, but I don't know for sure. If so I'll scratch him off my list), David Lee Murphy, Asleep at the Wheel (they're more Western Swing than C&W). There are others too.

If you want a little harder, there is Jason and the Scorchers. They are not C&W at all but more like Scorpions/Black Sabbath meets Ernest Tubb. They are a Punk Metal Band from Nashville. A good choice if you want to run, lift weights or just drink beer and grit your teeth.

[wontbackdown]

Tonight in the Diane Sawyer interview one of the Dixie Chicks referred to their fans as "closed-minded redneck conservatives".

Well, if she means that THIS conservative gal turns red from high blood pressure when I hear President Bush offended, I guess I am pretty closed-minded!

[kcvl]

The song "Travelin' Soldier," which was No. 1 on Billboard's country charts around the time Maines made the remark, tumbled completely off the charts afterward.


In Entertainment Weekly, Maines said she went through a range of emotions once the backlash started.

"It sort of felt like how people say it is when someone dies, how you go through every stage -- angry, disappointed, confused. Some days I just feel proud."

Maines also said when she saw rescued soldier Jessica Lynch's parents on television, she became "really emotional to think they might think we're not happy for them and that we don't support their daughter."

Robison said the controversy hasn't fractured the group as some might have assumed.

"Natalie's comments came from a place of frustration that we all shared -- we were apparently days away from war and still left with a lot of questions," Robison said.

[Sam Cree]

"high blood pressure when I hear President Bush offended, I guess I am pretty closed-minded!"

I think to the Left, of which the Dixie Chunks are evidently a part, when they talk about closed minds, they are talking about people who believe in certain absolutes. Leftists pretend that everything is grey, IMO, because they wish to destroy our American traditions of individual freedom so they can substitute their egalitarian communism or socialism.

So, yeah, great point, it is good to have our minds made up on certain things, even if that means the Left refers to us as "close minded."