Drinking it in

‘The Chicks’ have weathered controversy, become top-selling American female act

Good intentions aside, pinky promises don’t always work out. For some, though, the declaration is binding for life.

The latter scenario is the case for The Chicks — Natalie Maines and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer — who together seemingly have overcome cold days in July while being on “Top of the World.”

Such was the case nearly 20 years ago when the tested country band — then known as the Dixie Chicks — proved it could overcome all challenges. What became an international story involved Maines criticizing the war in Iraq while being ashamed President George W. Bush was from the Lone Star State.

Looking at what transpired through a modern lens of social media and our current political environment, the entire incident arguably was quite quaint. Today, such a news item would be considered, well, a Tuesday.

“Yeah, imagine I had the nerve to speak badly about the president,” Maines said.

Maguire laughed, “Now we’re ashamed that a whole other handful of people are from Texas.”

Despite the fact the band at the time found itself in the crosshairs of the country — as well as country music, which then pulled the Dixie Chicks from the airwaves — the outfit soldiered on to great heights.

Not only have The Chicks

won 13 Grammy Awards and countless other trophies, but the threesome is the biggest-selling U.S. female band of all time with more than 30.5 million albums moved.

That includes the multiplatinum 2006 album “Taking the Long Way.” What fans didn’t know at the time was it would be nearly 14 years before The Chicks released its next studio effort.

That wait ended in 2020 with their fifth studio album, “Gaslighter,” which was co-produced by Jack Antonoff. The presence of

the uber-producer, awardwinning singer and songwriter played a huge role in the studio.

“You can kind of go in any direction with him, so it was really freeing,” Strayer said.

Maines added, “He seemed to be a true fan of ours. He truly knew what we do and didn’t put any limitations on our instrumentation and whatever the genre of music we’re supposed to be. That was refreshing. It really just opened up and was limitless.”

The act will support the album with a show June 27 at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls.

Speaking of Antonoff, who recently announced his engagement to actress Margaret Qualley, will The Chicks be collectively picking out a wedding gift from the registry or individually buying presents? (While the question was asked off the cuff, hearing the trio debate the idea was revealing.)

“We have to think about that,” Maines said.

“We collectively did at Christmas,” Maguire said. “Also, we can get him something nicer if we all go in.”

Strayer added, “It’s too much pressure to make sure your gift is on par with Martie and Natalie. It’s much easier to kind of all go in together.”

Perhaps therein lies why these friends — early into their fourth decade of working together — are, well, still working together. Sure, there have been plenty of “Wide Open Spaces” offering freedom during their career, but it’s obvious a special bond exists among The Chicks.

“There’s a myth out there for a while that girl groups couldn’t stay together,” Maguire said. “Or maybe just guys said that, but that’s not why there aren’t a lot of female acts. I don’t know. I mean, I think we truly love each other. We’ve been through major highs and major lows and realize we’re all very grounded people.

“Nobody ever got big egos. We’re all very selfdeprecating people, like to laugh at ourselves and not take ourselves too seriously. I think we have a high level of respect for each other’s gifts and strengths that we bring. So it’s just this magic partnership that doesn’t come along every day. Personalities are hard. Where somebody is strong, somebody else is weak. We just kind of fit together like a puzzle.”

Maines added, “It’s just a lot of luck. It’s crazy how we get along. Their mom brought them together but maybe the universe brought me into this.”

As for bringing their fans new music, will The Chicks wait another 14 years before releasing its next studio effort?

“No, it won’t be that long,” Maines said.

Strayer laughed, “Pinky promise.”

SUBMITTED The Chicks have 13 Grammy Awards to their credit.