'Chicks' doc shows no regrets

Until their new album was released a few months ago,The Dixie Chicks had completely dropped off the radar. Now that Taking The Long Way has gone platinum, it's safe to say that lead singer Natalie Maines' comment about President Bush didn't hurt their careers all that much. A new film about the Chicks, directed by two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple, is showing at the Toronto International Film Festival. It documents their work on the new album and how their lives were changed by the backlash to Maines' comments. The film, titled Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing, has received minor coverage, while President Bush is making quit a splash at the festival with multiple films featuring him.
In March of 2003, in front of a London audience, Maines spoke out against the President and his decision to invade Iraq, saying that she was "ashamed that the President was from Texas" (the Chicks' home state). After that the band faced protests, lower ticket sales, radio boycotts, a death threat that attracted concern from the FBI, and general ostracism by the country music community. Apparently the Red Cross even rejected a $1 million donation from the band. Blue collar heroes such as singer Toby Keith and Larry the Cable Guy publicly criticized the Chicks; in his act, The Cable Guy said about Maines: "That little fat one better shut up". President Bush was quoted about the negative reaction of fans to Maines' statement, saying that "Freedom of speech is a two way street".

Maines and her bandmates, Emily Robinson and Martie Maguire, have lost many supporters since the day they chose to speak out about something other than music. But they have also gained many new fans who applaud their independence, myself included. For more on the film, follow the link to Phil Gallo's review at Variety.