The Dixie Chicks are ready to make nice.
The platinum-selling, Grammy-winning country trio is dropping the “dixie” in their name after facing criticism over the term — a commonly used nickname to describe the Civil War-era South. The group announced the move as nationwide protests emerged in the wake of George Floyd’s death, prompting a movement to remove Confederate statues and memorials of other historical figures linked to racism.
The group announced its name change by releasing a new video and updating their social media presence as “The Chicks.”
Although representatives for the band confirmed the name change to the New York Times on Thursday, the three women of the group — Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire, who gained a reputation for being outspoken figures in the conservative world of country music after criticizing then-President George W. Bush in 2003 on the eve of the American-led invasion in Iraq — did not directly address the name change themselves.
At the top of their new website as “The Chicks,” the band wrote that “we want to meet this moment.” The new video, titled “March March,” spotlights current and historical protests for women’s rights, gay rights, environmental causes and Black Lives Matter.
“If your voice held no power, they wouldn’t try to silence you.” – unknown#MARCHMARCH pic.twitter.com/n4hJTaYSri
— The Chicks (@thechicks) June 25, 2020
The country trio’s move comes after country group, Lady Antebellum, renamed themselves “Lady A” earlier this month. In their announcement, the group said “our hearts have been stirred with conviction, our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday.”
