Dixie Who?

Evidently, there is a chick band who started in the South, playing bluegrass music. They paid their dues and started a rise to the top of the music industry, then one of the singers got her mouth into overdrive and basically culled her band from getting any airtime.

When Maines made her comment on March 10 2003, 10 days before Operation Iraqi Freedom unleashed "shock and awe" over Baghdad, the Dixie Chicks were probably the biggest act in country music. Yet within days, their music vanished from the charts and the airwaves, apoplectic rednecks crushed piles of their CDs with tractors, and the FBI was feverishly monitoring death threats against the trio. It was the most heinous pop-star outrage since Ozzy Osbourne urinated on the Alamo.

Yeah, well, that shit happens when you badmouth the country. These gals are performers and they should know that public perception is what an artist relies on to sell their product. When you piss off your customer base, sales fall into the basement.

Well, it seems as though they are at it again. From the same article:

"The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism," Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. "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."

Well, sweetie, here's the deal. You may not get it, but a whole bunch of folks do get it. I'm a patriot. I argue and fuss and carry on about induvidual political decisions. I participate in this great experiment we call freedom. For the record, I think our president is screwed up on a variety of issues.

But when it comes to the guys in the trenches, when it comes to the Red, White, and Blue, when it comes to My Country, I'll support it, and support the people who sing the songs that support my troops. I vote with my dollars, sweetheart, and I don't buy music that doesn't support the country. Entertainers should entertain. You don't entertain people by pissing them off.

Oh, we folks down here in the South like our women pretty and our entertainers a bit mad. Hank Williams was certainly controversial, but he knew how to entertain. His boy does a pretty good job of keeping us happy. Toby Keith, bless his heart, supports the troops with his time, money and efforts. We buy a lot of his music.

Even lesser known artists know how to pull our heartstrings. Guys like B.B. Major. I don't necessisarily agree with his politics, but he loves our country and I love his music. He doesn't piss me off from the stage. He and I can disagree on a variety of topics, but we agree on a love of the country and a love of great music.

The Dixie Twits just piss me off. And they wonder why I don't buy their records? Grow up, young ladies.