The Chicks

The superstar country trio comprised of Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire have never shied from speaking their minds on politics.

The band infamously became blacklisted from the country music scene in 2003 after Maines, 47, denounced President George W. Bush during a London concert, voicing her disapproval of the Iraq war and the then-president. Taking a hiatus from making music for a few years, their 2007 record Taking the Long Way won five trophies at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, including album of the year.

The Chicks have sold 27 million albums in the U.S. to date, making them the largest-selling country group of the Nielsen SoundScan era (1991 – present), per Billboard, and won 13 Grammys.

In 2020, the trio formerly known as the Dixie Chicks met the moment again when they dropped the nickname for the Civil War-era South from their band name.

After the rebrand, the Chicks released the anthem “March March,” and with it, a powerful music video featuring footage of protests supporting Black Lives Matter, women’s rights, gay rights and the environment.

Following partnerships with Planned Parenthood and Proclaim Justice on their DCX MMXVI World Tour, the trio opted to work with non-profit REVERB on their 2022 North American tour to raise awareness for environmental issues as well as promote sustainability.

In conversation with Allure in 2020, Maines told the magazine that no matter what, “the politics of this band is inseparable from the music.”