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."

[mumbo]

It's not necessarily a "freedom of speech" issue. What got everybody hot here was the fact that she went over to England and shot off her mouth, when we were at war. She can go on Letterman or Leno or Regis or Oprah and say what she said and have to live with it. But it was just a lousy shot at Bush as part of her stage patter, when she was in another country. No one is saying she shouldn't speak her mind, but when all of us travel overseas, we have to keep our wits about us.

Natalie could just have easily said she "loved England" and that she hoped we could all just get along, and there would have been barely a ripple. But the mean-spritedness and location of her remarks is what has got my shorts in a wad!

[seams2me]

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."


ONE more reason, in case I needed one, to love this guy.

[666beast]

great suggestion.

toby keith should go with it.

i think the countryboys just need to rock, jam and groove more.

record country music by all means, but make it up tempo so that i can get down to it.

try and make some jammin' country that i can exercise to and dance to, but that's tough since one doesn't want to be corny.

[arasina]

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.

They just can't stand it that people who like good music and buy CDs are also patriotic and they have to put in a snide comment! Standing ovation for Worley! NOW do you get it?

[CyberCowboy777]

I'll have to get one of those. I can only listen to Classic Country on the AM side around here.

They have those XM's that will connect up to you current stereo? I have about $2,000 into my system and do not want to replace the Eclipse Head unit.

[Charlie OK]

thanks. now how do I get my idea to Toby!? I have had this idea for awhile, as I think it would be huge. HHWCID is such a great tune, and it would fit along perfectly into his musical style, I would think. I guess the next time I see him at a game, I will just yell from the stands!

I saw Garth Brooks at the store the other day. Toby better hope I don't get the message to him first! ;^ )

[Stultis]

Jeanene Garofalo is going to crawl to the White House over broken glass on her knees if/when chem weapons are found in Iraq.

Oh, no, did she really say that? Where do we send our glasses and bottles?

[legman]

Mumbo, did you read my entire post? I don't think we disagree.

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

IT WAS A RERUN....Trailer Trash

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

The Dixie Chicks appearance last night on Letterman was defintitely a rerun, from at least six months ago. Letterman mentioned a woman with a movie coming out in September.

[pnz1]

http://www.tennessean.com/entertainment/news/archives/03/04/31307020.shtml?Element_ID=31307020

This is the local Nashville story..

[CyberCowboy777]

Kid Rock also sings "Country Boys can Survive" and some other Hank Jr. songs.

Hank Jr.'s F-word song is funny - singing to his "son" Kid Rock "We don't use the F-word in Country Music".

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

They are trailer trash. I mean. She looked so much dumber this time around.

[bekka]

MARSHAL TUCKER BAND, and TY NELSON will be doing a COUNTER-CONCERT TO THE DIXIE CHICKS CONCERT on May 1 with Mike Gallagher hosting. The DIXIE CHICKS launch of their North America leg of their current tour is on this same day of this Marshal Tucker concert. In the same community and on the same date that the CHICKS start CLUCKING. How great is that!!

The concert is at Spartenburg Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina. It is a CONCERT TO BENEFIT THE U.S. MILITARY FAMILIES AND TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS. If you are unable to attend you can still show support by purchasing tickets and giving them to military families in the area. For all the information regarding this GREAT IDEA, see:

http://www.have-you-forgotten.org (then click on the Gallagher's Army link); or try
http://www.have-you-forgotten.org/GallaghersArmy.htm (couldn't get that to go through this morning)

You can link to ticket sales site from these sites. Gallagher's site give info on how to get tickets to military families. The tickets are very reasonable. What a great gift for our military families.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Flameworthy Video Music Awards?

[Porterville]

She ain't an artist, she is crap, got in the biz by humpin' Clapton...until he dumped her skank ass.

[Choose Ye This Day]

"We have liberals in the genre, too ... Mary Chapin Carpenter
"I'm sorry to hear that :( Her music is wonderful; a very ‘traditional’ Country sound."


Liberal or not, Chapin's a great musician and one of the best songwriter/storytellers around. I NEVER liked country music until I started hearing MCC (thanks to my Nashville wife).

If I only listened to right-wing musicians or watched right-wing actors, well, I'd probably read a lot more.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I doubt she said that.

[CyberCowboy777]

[swheats]

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."

Tears of joy. These men deserve an award.