Dixie Chick Controversy Hits The South Carolina House

Yahoo Launch ^ | 3/20/03, 6 p.m. ET | Nancy Brooks

[Ed_NYC]

The Dixie Chicks controversy has made it all the way to the South Carolina House. Representative Catherine Ceips introduced a resolution Wednesday (March 19) calling for the country music group to perform for South Carolina troops and their families as a way of apologizing for criticizing President George W. Bush.

Ceips said she received many angry phone calls from people in her district, which includes the U.S. Naval Hospital, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, and the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort.

Ceips told the house, "A free concert for troops would be a good way for Maines to show she's sorry and could address concerns of people who say they don't want the group to perform in South Carolina at all. I think it's an olive branch to the Dixie Chicks."

The measure passed the House on a 50-35 vote.

The controversy stems from negative remarks Maines made about the president during a concert performance in London on March 10. Even though Maines did apologize for the statement, radio stations across the country have been boycotting the Dixie Chicks' music, and fans have been publicly destroying the trio's CDs.

The Dixie Chicks' Nashville publicist said that the trio has no comment on Ceips's resolution or on performing any free concerts for U.S. troops.

-- Nancy Brooks, Nashville

[Taft in '52]

If they want to retain an audience, the Vichy Chicks should switch to New Age music. You call their stuff conntry-western music? They can't hold a candle to Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Wanda Jackson, or even Patsy Montana.

[Beck_isright]

Better yet, let's make them do a free concert at Gitmo. That should be torture enough to make them all talk or commit suicide.

V

[arly]

the sleezebag ditzy chicks have no right being near any of our fighting troops!.... send them to baghdad to entertain sodom and his republic guard!

[maxwellp]

They are not worthy to peform for Marines. And if they do, I hope the Marines stay away. They spoke their piece - fine. Now let all Americans speak their piece, including our great Marines - Goodbye Dixie Twits - go sing in France.

[Flashlight]

You call their stuff conntry-western music?

Sure, why not? No less country than Garth Brooks, Reba McIntyre, Travis Tritt, LeAnn Rimes, Patty Loveless, Sawyer Brown, you name it.

If you have to sound just like Hank Williams to be considered country, than Hank Williams, Jr. is nowhere near country.

Their music is basically three-chords, with "real life", "simple pleasures", "honky-tonk", or "heartbrake" themes, with heavy use of fiddles, banjos, dobros or steel guitars. If that's not country, I'm not sure why.

... They can't hold a candle to Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Wanda Jackson, or even Patsy Montana.

Oh, sure they can, and, well, do them one better because they can build on what those pioneers started.

It's no accident that the Chicks sold, what, 10 million records(?) or so in the few years that they hit it big. Natalie Maines' voice is easily as good as that of any country singer in history (as is LeAnn Rimes' voice also, by the way).

Maines, like Rimes, know intuitively just how much emotion to put into each word - and they know what's just enough, and not too much. They're first-rate even among their peers.

Just listen to the Chicks' "Travelin' Soldier" (or for that matter, almost any Chicks song). Maines effortlessly puts such simple but amazingly sincere emotion into her lead vocal, just thinking about it gives me chills. "...one name called, and nobody really cared..., just a pretty little girl, bow in her hair..."

I sure wonder what the heck they're all thinking about this controversy. And what kind of reception they'll get when they tour the U.S.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

That should be torture enough to make them all talk or commit suicide.

Once you've destroyed their careers, it wouldn't surprise me if one of them commits suicide. Will you be happy then?

[Beck_isright]

If anyone commits suicide for any reason they deserve the tag "LOSER" anyways. So get a grip on reality, as your post wins my nomination for "liberal let's make everyone feel the same whiney french type post" of the day.

[Ron H.]

The Dixie Chicks goes Co-ed

[caisson71]

Maybe 3 seconds considering they would probably need only 6 folding chairs for the audience.

[grumple]

One free concert? I favor a free world tour with Bush as special guest ala Clinton and the stones.

I disagree here...

Free concerts never showed anyone they were sorry...

The broad hasn't even offered up a sincere apology, yet has posted some rebellious quote from someone else about free speech or some crap on their web site..

Record sales are way down, and damage control is way up...

And what's happening in reality is these people want to say they are sorry, but since they still don't get it, they still don't know how...

let em waste away in margueritaville searching for their lost shaker of salt...

[Sloth]

Would they also provide free rotting vegetables, or would the audience have to bring their own?