Dixie Chicks
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
With 1992s Little Ol Cowgirl, the Chicks began slowly moving toward a more contemporary sound, a transformation that in part resulted in the exit of Macy; with Lynch assuming lead vocal duties, the remaining trio resurfaced in 1993 with Shouldnt a Told You That. Shortly after the Chicks signed with Sonys newly revived Monument imprint in 1995, Lynch left the group as well -- according to a December 10, 1998, feature in the Dallas Observer, both she and Macy were likely victims of Seidel and Erwins desire to foster a more youthful image; the magazine goes on to call the group the country version of Menudo, hiring and firing based on age. Soon named as Lynchs replacement was then 21-year-old lead vocalist Natalie Maines, the daughter of steel guitar legend Lloyd Maines.
The lineup switch brought with it a new contemporary wardrobe and an equally modernized country sound; still, few predicted the enormous success of the Dixie Chicks 1998 major-label debut, Wide Open Spaces. After the albums advance first single, I Can Love You Better, became the groups first Top Ten hit, both Theres Your Trouble and the title track went on to top the country charts. Within a year of Wide Open Spaces release, the record had gone quadruple platinum, and the Dixie Chicks had become superstars -- not only did they take home Best Vocal Group honors and the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association, but they were also named Favorite New Country Artist at the American Music Awards. Wide Open Spaces additionally earned a Grammy for Best Country Album on its way to becoming the best-selling duo or group album in country music history.
Fly followed in 1999, immediately returning the Dixie Chicks to the upper reaches of the country charts with the lead single, Ready to Run. Goodbye Earl was also a smash single for the group. In May 2002, the Dixie Chicks joined Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Cher, and Celine Dion for the Fifth Annual VH1 Divas Show in Las Vegas. Three months later, the girls were back in the game with release of their sixth album, Home, their first for their own Sony imprint, Open Wide Records. Top of the World Tour: Live and its accompanying DVD arrived in 2003, followed by the chart-topping album, Taking the Long Way, in 2006.
