Dixie Chicks could bring political edge to Grammys

Reuters (Rooters!) ^ | Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:19am ET | Dean Goodman

[Thrusher]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Grammys could take a rare step into the political arena on Sunday if the Dixie Chicks win the coveted album-of-the-year award, as observers of the music industry's biggest honors are predicting.

The Texas country trio is reveling in its new outsider status after picking a fight with President George W. Bush in 2003, and watching its popularity plummet as the Republican-leaning country music establishment snubbed the chart-topping group.

The Chicks' first album since the brouhaha, "Taking the Long Way," yielded five Grammy nominations, including three for the wry single "Not Ready to Make Nice." The acclaimed album was the ninth-biggest seller in the United States last year, even if its commercial success fell short of its predecessors.

Grammy voters love underdogs and comeback stories, which could help the Dixie Chicks add to their collection of eight Grammys. But politically charged music arising from such turbulent times as Vietnam and Watergate has traditionally been ignored at awards time.

Indeed, for a liberal-leaning recording industry full of rebels and other creative misfits, there has been little acknowledgment in recent years that an unpopular conservative president is embroiled in a war that has cost the lives of more than 3,120 U.S. military personnel and over 50,000 Iraqis.

"I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

[geo40xyz]

Have never been a grammys fan BUT when I saw the ad which included the bitch-chicks I decided that I will NOT be watching grammys once MORE.

[Tzimisce]

Where don't the Dixie Chicks make a scene?

[bmwcyle]

They bring a stupid fat blonde.

[PogySailor]

"I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

More from the "Freedom From Consequences" crowd.

[LibSnubber]

"Dixie Chicks could bring political edge to Grammys"

COULD? What a friggin joke. The fact that those losers got five nominations alone proves the grammys are political. Scr*w the grammys and the chicks. I've got better things to do.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

"Anyone who wishes to watch that drivel is welcome to it."
I'm a professional musician, and I haven't watched for years. Pure cr@p!

[PA Engineer]

"I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

Ok. Let me see if I got this figured.

Love is Hate
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Free Speach is Censorship

I'm happy I finally figured that one out.

[FreeAtlanta]

The only way the left and the idiots like the chicks would turn against the islamist is if the Muslims attack the grammys or some other hollywood "pat ourselves on the back" event, and killed off some famous singers or actors.

Then, the left would pile on board asking for the complete destruction of militant Islamic countries.

[Rocko]

I suppose if Milli Vanilli can get a Grammy, so can these bimbos.

[Thrusher]

The only way the left and the idiots like the chicks would turn against the islamist is if the Muslims attack the grammys or some other hollywood "pat ourselves on the back" event, and killed off some famous singers or actors.

Then, the left would pile on board asking for the complete destruction of militant Islamic countries.

I respectfully disagree. They'd blame it all on George Bush, and quadruple their lunatic rants against him.

We'd have pictures of Hollywood actors and actresses, blood and soot tastefully apply to make them appear injured but not so much as to detract from their good looks, with "Bush Causes Death of Hollywood" captions.

[OKIEDOC]

What relevance does the Chixie Dicks have to what really goes on in the world.

Just three old gals who are not all that pretty and can qualify for Airhead benefits from the extreme fringe of the Dimocrat party.

[Sue Perkick]

LOL! The government didn't whack the Chix. They whacked themselves. Country music is finished with 'em. Pop music will never want 'em. Buh bye.

[Bernard]

Official Evil Free Republic Blacklist Mailing List of Doom (which I am still not on, apparently -- what up with that?).

Now that you have mentioned it out loud, you can never be allowed. The first rule of Fight Club is never mention Fight Club.

Besides, I'm holding out for the Dixie Chicks to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. The Grammies is just a small step for them.

[Sue Perkick]

Maybe they will just come on stage & ululate.

[fruitintheroom]

Go to tennessean.com (apparently any article referencing that URL can't be posted here for some legal reason).

Scroll down past halfway and on the right (under Entertainment) is the headline "Country stars won't do their own songs."

Very interesting article.

[Polybius]

The Texas country trio is reveling in its new outsider status .........

What do they mean "outsider"? The MSNBC home page has features on them regularly, something they do not do for any other musical group.

If I started spouting highly publicized anti-Bush rhetoric, I could tape myself singing in the shower, mail it in and the left-wing entertainment industry would have me in the running for a Grammy Award.

[Grammy]

"The Grammys could take a rare step into the political arena on Sunday....."

It is not a rare step. It is precisely that step that caused Mr G and I to drop out of that organization years ago. We even got a call from the president of the RIAA when we wrote them a letter complaining about the political statements he had made during the show. He denied being political, but that is probably because he didn't recognize that there were other viewpoints than his (as in conservative viewpoints). Sort of like the alphabet stations thinking they are fair and balanced.

[freekitty]

Once in for all. These gals are cowards. They went to a foriegn country and denounced the US. There is nothing else that needs to be said.

[popdonnelly]

Like I really need to hear the ramblings of a high school dropout on foreign policy.

[William Terrell]

But politically charged music arising from such turbulent times as Vietnam and Watergate has traditionally been ignored at awards time.

Can we say "Holly Near"?