Natalie Maines

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Natalie Maines

Natalie Louise Maines (born on October 14, 1974 in Lubbock, Texas) is an American country music singer and songwriter, who achieved success as the lead singer for the female country music band Dixie Chicks.

Biography

Career

Maines' first commercially released work was background vocals on Pat Green's debut album, Dancehall Dreamer, produced by her father Lloyd Maines and released in 1995.

In late 1995, at the age of 21, Maines joined the all-female country music band Dixie Chicks in place of founding lead singer Laura Lynch. The band has been performing since 1989. Maines is the lead singer and also plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, papoose and omnichord.

Maines co-wrote four tracks for the Dixie Chicks' first three albums, including the #1 hit "Without You" and the popular "Sin Wagon." Maines eventually became a primary songwriter on all 14 tracks of her band's 2006 album Taking the Long Way, including "Not Ready to Make Nice," for which the band won the songwriting Grammy award, Song of the Year. Maines considers the songwriting she did for Taking the Long Way "pure therapy."[1]

Maines has continued to sing backup vocals for several songs on other artists' albums including "Snowing on Raton" on Pat Green's 1997 album George's Bar; "Abilene" on Sheryl Crow's 2002 album C'mon C'mon; "El Cerrito Place" on Charlie Robison's 2004 album Good Times; and "How I Go" on Yellowcard's 2006 album Lights and Sounds.

Maines has sung duets with several other artists including "The Wedding Song" with Charlie Robison on his 2001 album Step Right Up; "Too Far From Texas" with Stevie Nicks on her 2001 album Trouble in Shangri-La; and "Mary" with Patty Griffin from the 2005 benefit album Songs for Tsunami Relief: Austin to South Asia.

Maines also sings on Pete Yorn's 2006 album Nightcrawler for the song "The Man."[2]

Personal life

Maines is a 1992 graduate of Lubbock High School. She is the daughter of steel guitar player and country musician, Lloyd Maines.

Maines is married to actor Adrian Pasdar; they have two children, Jackson Slade Pasdar (born March 15, 2001) and Beckett Finn Pasdar (born July 14, 2004). Maines has referred to herself as "Natalie Pasdar." The family has homes in Los Angeles, California and Austin, Texas.

Public statements and controversy

One of Maines' first public encounters with a controversial topic came in 1998, the year that the Dixie Chicks' first major-studio album, Wide Open Spaces, became a hit. Maines appeared as a guest on Bill Maher's TV show Politically Incorrect. The topic of the May 15 show was California Proposition 215, legislation which legalized the use of medicinal marijuana in California. Maines spoke against the legalization, citing the need for further research proving that the drug provides medical benefits. Her perspective matched that of guest Dr. Drew Pinsky, addiction medicine specialist, and opposed that of guests Woody Harrelson, actor and activist, and Todd McCormick, histiocytosis patient and medicinal marijuana user.[3]

Feud with Toby Keith

Maines had a public feud with fellow country music star Toby Keith over the 2002 chart-topping country hit "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue," as well as a comment Maines made about U.S. President George W. Bush during a March 2003 Dixie Chicks concert.

Maines publicly criticized Keith's song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" in saying, "I hate it. It's ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant. It targets an entire culture - and not just the bad people who did bad things. You've got to have some tact. Anybody can write, 'We'll put a boot in your ass'..."[4]

Keith responded by belittling Maines' songwriting skills: "I'll bury her. She has never written anything that has been a hit..."[5] and "That's what I do -- I write songs..."[6] Keith further stated, "...she said anyone can write 'We'll put a boot in your ass', but, you know...she didn't."[7]

After Maines commented at a March 2003 Dixie Chicks concert that the Chicks didn't want the Iraq War and were ashamed President Bush was from Texas, Keith's 2003 "Shock'n Y'all" tour began displaying a backdrop showing a doctored photo of Maines with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.[8]

On May 21, 2003, Maines wore a t-shirt with "F.U.T.K." written on the front while performing for the Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast.[8] The Dixie Chicks website stated that the acronym stood for "Freedom, Understanding, Truth and Knowledge."[9] However, many people, including awards host Vince Gill, took it to be an insult directed at Keith, presuming the acronym stood for Fuck You Toby Keith.[8]

In August 2003, Keith publicly declared that he was done feuding with Maines, explaining, "You know, a best friend of mine...lost a two-year-old daughter to cancer... [Recently] I saw...a picture of me and Natalie and it said, 'Fight to the Death' or something. It seemed so insignificant. I said, 'Enough is enough'."[10] However, Keith continues to refuse to say Maines' name, and claims that the doctored photo was intended to express his feeling that Maines' criticism was tyrannical and a dictator-like attempt to squelch Keith's free speech.[11]

Iraq War criticism and fallout

See also: Dixie Chicks § Political controversy

During the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, the Dixie Chicks performed on March 10, 2003 at Shepherd's Bush Empire theatre in London, the first concert stop on their "Top of the World Tour." Prior to performing their song Travelin' Soldier, the band gave an introductory monologue during which Maines said:

Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.[12]

A review of the concert by The Guardian abbreviated Maines' comment to read, "Just so you know...we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."[13] This abbreviated statement became widely circulated in the media.

Maines' comment, as abbreviated, provoked controversy and anger from some country music fans, and the Dixie Chicks were subsequently denounced by Bush supporters. Radio stations boycotted Dixie Chicks' music. Scattered protests at which people destroyed Dixie Chicks' CDs occurred. Concerns arose that the Dixie Chicks impending US leg of the "Top of the World Tour," slated to start May 1 in South Carolina, would see a lack of fans.[14]

On March 14, Maines issued a statement reading: "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect." Maines continued by expressing her discontent regarding the impending war, "We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American."[15]

At the first US concert after Maines' comment, she is quoted as saying from the stage, "They told me that you may not come, but I knew you'd come because we have the greatest fans in the whole wide world."[14]

The Dixie Chicks received death threats during the uproar. A particularly "scary" threat came prior to their July 6, 2003 concert in Dallas, Texas; Maines received a death threat from "somebody who obviously thought they had a plan." Security was heightened for the trip to and from the concert venue as well as at the arena.[16] Due to these threats, metal detectors were installed for concerts where possible.[17][1]

On May 21, 2006, while promoting the release of the album Taking the Long Way, Maines reconsidered her 2003 apology to President Bush, saying, "...I don't feel that way anymore. I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever...If people are going to ask me to apologize based on who I am...I don't know what to do about that. I can't change who I am."[18]

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on June 15, 2006, Maines again stirred up controversy by stating "The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism; Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country... I don't see why people care about patriotism."[19]

Two 2006 documentaries, Protesting the Dixie Chicks [1] and Shut Up And Sing [2], deal with the controversy surrounding Maines' comment and the ensuing fallout.

In 2007, the Dixie Chicks won three Grammys for "Not Ready to Make Nice" and two Grammys for Taking the Long Way, sweeping all five Grammys for which they were nominated. This was seen by some as vindication for the Dixie Chicks, who were shunned by country radio programmers after Maines' remarks about President Bush. As the Dixie Chicks accepted the album of the year award, Maines' said, "I think people are using their freedom of speech with all these awards. We get the message."[20]

External links

Wikinews has related news:

References

  1. ^ a b Burkeman, Oliver. (25 March 2006). Dixie Chicks turn death threats to song The Guardian. Accessed 18 March 2007.
  2. ^ Billboard. (29 August 2006). Nightcrawler Album Review Accessed 18 March 2003.
  3. ^ Politically Incorrect. (15 May 1998).Transcript Accessed 17 March 2007.
  4. ^ LA Daily News. (8 August 2002). Natalie Maines (Dixie Chick member) Bashes Toby Keith's Patriotic Anthem Accessed 17 March 2007.
  5. ^ Buzzle.com. (5 June 2003). Dixie Chicks vs. Toby Keith Accessed 17 May 2007.
  6. ^ CMT.com. (6 December 2002). Toby Keith Reacts to Maines' Comments in Upcoming CMT.com Interview Accessed 17 March 2007.
  7. ^ Gilbert, Calvin. (20 June 2003). CMT News Special Explores Maines-Keith Controversy CMT.com. Accessed 17 March 2007.
  8. ^ a b c BBC News. (3 June 2003). Fresh Dixie Chicks row erupts Accessed 17 March 2007.
  9. ^ Wolf, Buck. (26 April 2005). http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WolfFiles/story?id=720819 Hilton vs. Richie: When Celebs Duke It Out - 7. Dixie Chicks vs. Toby Keith] ABC News. Accessed 20 March 2007.
  10. ^ ContactMusic.com (29 August 2003).Tobey Keith Ends Feud with Natalie Maines Accessed 17 March 2007.
  11. ^ Guzman, Rafer. (28 January 2007). Toby Keith, angry American. Accessed 18 March 2007.
  12. ^ Goodman, Amy. (15 February 2007). "Shut Up And Sing: Dixie Chicks' Big Grammy Win Caps Comeback From Backlash Over Anti-War Stance" Democracy Now!. Accessed 24 February 2007.
  13. ^ Clarke, Betty. (12 March 2003). "The Dixie Chicks" concert review Guardian Unlimited. Accessed 22 January 2007.
  14. ^ a b Mattingly, David. (2 May 2003) Fans turn out, cheer Dixie Chicks as U.S. tour opens CNN. Accessed 20 March 2007.
  15. ^ CNN. (14 March 2003). Dixie Chicks singer apologizes for Bush comment Accessed 12 February 2007.
  16. ^ Associated Press. (11 May 2006). Dixie Chicks recall death threat MSNBC.com. Accessed 18 March 2007.
  17. ^ BBC. (24 April 2003). Dixie Chicks 'get death threats' Accessed 18 March 2007.
  18. ^ Tryangiel, Josh. (21 May 2006). Chicks In the Line of Fire Accessed 18 March 2007.
  19. ^ Sweeting, Adam. (15 June 2006). How the Chicks survived their scrap with Bush. The Daily Telegraph. Accessed 18 March 2007.
  20. ^ Moody, Nekesa Mumbi. (12 February 2007). Dixie Chicks lead Grammys with 5 awards Associated Press. Accessed 18 March 2007.
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