Dixie Chicks win five Grammy awards, Hollyweird quote hilariousness ensues

The mediots couldn’t be happier that the no-longer-country-musicians Dixie Chicks won all five awards they were nominated for last night at the 49th annual Grammy Awards.

The theme of the day in the MSM is “vindication for the Chicks”, as though the Grammy awards they won make up for the fact that their record sales have dropped considerably, as have their ticket sales, and radio stations don’t want to play their music because their listeners don’t want to hear it. The awards last night weren’t a vindication for the Chicks, because the people who rejected them were not their like-minded lefty ‘deep thinkers’ in the entertainment industry who voted for them to win, but the bread and butter of any entertainer who wants to be successful: their fans. While the Chicks did have the 9th best-selling album last year, the 1.9 million copies they sold is a far cry from their previous album sales, and as noted here before, ticket sales for the Chicks have not been good.

While the media is busy spinning this story like a top, Lorie Byrd takes a look at some curious quotes made from controversial Chicks frontgal Natalie Maines, as well as former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart last night. Too funny.

Allah has video of the Chicks from last night.

More: LOL @ K.Lo!:

Did anyone else find it ironic that Al Gore was praising “the music community” for their devotion to protecting the environment just after the Grammys got needlessly dumped on with what looked like a ton or so of paper…?

Update: Greg Tinti nails it:

The only thing The Chicks winning tonight tells us is that Hollywood is so f’n’ predictable that it’s unreal.

Yep.

Others blogging about this: The American Mind, James Joyner, Hyscience, Betsy Newmark, Sundries Shack

Prior:

23 Responses to "Dixie Chicks win five Grammy awards, Hollyweird quote hilariousness ensues"

tommy in nyc says:

February 12, 2007 at 10:39 am

Well ST I don’t really really pay much attention to the Dixie Chicks because if you l;isten to country music in this first place I think you’re a knucklehead to begin with (just kidding
Severian says:

February 12, 2007 at 10:40 am

I may have sold only 100 CDs, and my royalties are in the toilet, but I gots my Grammy!
Mary Katharine Ham says:

February 12, 2007 at 11:35 am

The Silencing of the Dixie Chicks Continues Unabated

They won five Grammys last night. I didn’t even hear any of their album, I don’t think. All I know is “they’re not ready to make nice,” or something. Eh.
Lorie Byrd finds the vapid musician quote of the night.

I think people are paranoid,”…
G-Monster says:

February 12, 2007 at 2:03 pm

I could be wrong but, sounds like the fix was in. Someone at the grammys decided to make a political statement.

I think this takes away from the grammy’s and is unfair to the musicians that really deserved the awards. I will put the grammys on my list of bogus awards.

Hopefully the artists that were cheated out of thier awards understand what this was all about. I don’t know who they were competing against, but it would be interesting to measure record sales and see who the real winner was.
G-Monster says:

February 12, 2007 at 3:23 pm

I just watched a short clip on hotair. Al Gore is giving out an award with Queen Latifah. What does Al Gore have to do with music. I think it’s quite obvious my above statement is true regarding the grammy’s being politically motivated and not an awards show.

I think if I ever win a grammy, I will put it right next to my bicycle safety award from the third grade. On second thought, I’d throw it away, as I wouldn’t want it taking away from the importance of my other achievements in life, such as the 5 mile hike I completed as a boy scout.
Jason says:

February 12, 2007 at 5:00 pm

I’m not crazy about the dixie chicks’ music, but I am completely embarrassed about how the country reacted to the singer’s statements. There’s a great film documentary about the whole mess, called “Protesting the Dixie Chicks”:
http://www.myspace.com/protestingthedixiechicks
Rob says:

February 12, 2007 at 6:20 pm

The awards given to the Dixie Chicks were one thing, sending a message.

As you know, these awards were not given by the people. This was not the People’s Music Awards, rather less than 11,000 members of professionals in the music industry. One writer brought up the idea that the vote for the various catagories was so split, that the largest chunk of votes left were the politically active members who had the opportunity to “make a statement” with what amounts to a lackluster album and a really boring song. First of all, there’s no way a song like that would take song of the year at the Grammys unless it had help, through collusion or other means, or jury nullification, just like the O.J. trial. And for them to win 5 awards if just not only improbable, but impossible! It looks like the Grammys jumped the shark last night, allowing politics to influence the outcome of not one but 5 awards and I personally could never look at them in any kind of positive light again, though that’s been coming for a long time now.

I’ve been a professional musician for over 35 years, a session player on albums and a touring sideman. I’m hearing nothing, and I repeat nothing, but disbelief at what happened last night. Some are asking for an investigation to see if there was indeed any wrong doing in the “winning” of these awards. And all along, Natalie and the world still actually think that they really won those awards.

Sad. Hope they never realize what really happened. They were used!
G-Monster says:

February 12, 2007 at 6:36 pm

I think Rob has a point. Someone should investigate the grammy awards from last night and see if there is any wrong doing.
Greg Tinti says:

February 12, 2007 at 7:42 pm

ST: Good point on their so-called vindication. One story I read called it “a defiant comeback.” Really, not so much since a comeback implies bringing back fans not the industry. It’s all political and little to do with actual musical acclaim.

Although I was pretty happy about the Red Hot Chili Peppers taking home 4 awards.
sanity says:

February 12, 2007 at 8:04 pm

They are so loved, they are making a comeback….where? With who?

Despite their Grammy haul, Dixie Chicks still on the outs with country radio

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Country radio still isn’t ready to make nice with the Dixie Chicks.
With a haul of Grammys Sunday, the Texas trio topped their comeback from their 2003 Bush-bashing comment that turned them from superstars to pariahs – but Music Row isn’t welcoming them back into the country- music fold.

“Most country stations aren’t playing the Chicks, and they aren’t going to start now,” said Jim Jacobs, owner of WTDR-FM, a country radio station in Talladega, Ala.

The awards might have the opposite effect, sparking another radio backlash against the group. Country broadcasters said Monday that the group’s five Grammys show how out of touch the Recording Academy is from the average country fan.

“I think (the listeners) are outraged,” said Tony Lama, program director for KXNP in North Platte, Neb. “This is rural, conservative America. They are just disgusted.”

….

“If you’re trying to offer an olive branch to country radio, that’s not the way to do it,” said Ken Tucker, Billboard country music correspondent. “The Chicks are celebrating being the outlaws.”

The Grammy for best country album almost never goes to a mainstream Nashville act.

Bluegrass siren Alison Krauss and Union Station won the award last year for “Lonely Runs Both Ways,” and Loretta Lynn won in 2005 for “Van Lear Rose.” Neither got airplay on country radio.

….

“If you’re talking about who’s selling out 15,000-seat auditoriums, those acts are not awarded at the Grammys year after year,” McShay said.

Consider the Country Music Association awards handed out a few months ago in Nashville: Entertainer of the year went to Kenny Chesney; the other big winners were radio favourites Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts.

….

The Dixie Chicks peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard country charts with “Not Ready to Make Nice.” That ought to disqualify them from winning best country album, said Jacobs, the Alabama radio station owner.

“How do you win country music album of the year, when country music radio is not playing you?” he said.

Link

Interesting question, if country stations aren;t playing your music, how do you win country album of the year?

If the DC music is now playing for a different genre, then perhaps they should have won the award for that genre, not country, especially if country stations are not even giving them air time.
Lorica says:

February 12, 2007 at 8:10 pm

Aren’t these the same doorknobs that gave Jethro Tull the “Heavy Metal” album of the year??? I remember as Ian Andersen accepted the award, he basically said, you people are idiots. I think that sentiment still holds true today. – Lorica
ferrarimanf355 says:

February 12, 2007 at 9:26 pm

“Interesting question, if country stations aren;t playing your music, how do you win country album of the year?”
If most country music stations are owned by the right-leaning Clear Channel, then I can understand why they aren’t playing it…
sanity says:

February 12, 2007 at 9:44 pm

But they aren’t and your attempt to obfuscate is a swing and a miss.

Not even a nice try, really a pathetic attempt to say most country stations are owned by the right.

Stations live and die by their audiences, no audiences to listen to them, no advertisers will support the station.

106.7 here in Metro Detroit is a country station, recently bought, they changed the format from the heavy metal it was before. One of the things they ran during the whole DC thing was if the listeners wanted to have the station play their music, call in and let them know. An overwhelming majority said they did not want to hear them.

Country music fans tend to be more of the red state mentality than the blue.
sanity says:

February 12, 2007 at 9:47 pm

Though I am more of a smooth jazz type, I like listening to a variety – no rap though, can’t stand it.

Latest song I am addicted to though is Miranda Lambert’s – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Al says:

February 13, 2007 at 11:53 am

Call me old-fashioned and crazy, but I believe music should be emotional art, fun, and a celebration of life, love and country. High brow maybe, but that’s what drew me to country music. Sure it’s fun to be a rebel and cutting edge in music – that was the attraction of the DC at first. Kind of a dumpy trio, but sassy with a fun sound. That is, until she opened her big, political mouth. Then she became bitter and nasty with her barage of spite. Especially tacky was her behaviour to Toby Keith and the flack caused by her insult of the song he wrote for his Dad, Angry American. And not only did she have to dump on him but, Reba McIntyre, Dolly Parton and the country music industry and its fans. What I saw then was a spiteful, arrogant, jealous, rock performer wannabe who gave country music a bad name. The political left wants to protect and reward her for her Bush hatred, but I’m glad the DC are gone off the airwaves because that kind of hate and nastiness shouldn’t be rewarded. These grammys seem more of a political statement than anything else.
sanity says:

February 13, 2007 at 12:16 pm

Last time I saw a mouth like this it had a hook in it.

ST, can you kill my previous post, the link didn’t come through, this one did. Thanks.
Severian says:

February 13, 2007 at 12:45 pm

Last time I saw a mouth like this it had a hook in it.

Nice girl, nice girl, now I know why tigers eat their young!
Al says:

February 13, 2007 at 1:33 pm

LOL, very good guys!

Although, I’d put a disclaimer on that picture before it’s opened by the unsuspecting in case someone has a weak heart or just ate.
Leaning Straight Up says:

February 15, 2007 at 9:07 pm

The Dixie Chicks win, and assume that everything is all better. Uh, no…Sorry…

Let me preface this first by summarizing the whole controversy and stating a couple things.
The whole mess started in 2003. During the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, several weeks after their Grammy success, the Dixie Chicks performed in concert…
George says:

February 16, 2007 at 9:40 pm

Who cares what Natalie Maines thinks about the president? So she doesn’t like the president, why is this such a personal issue with people? Yeah, she has no tact, gloating with increasing arrogance at the Grammys with each proceeding win was a bit sickening but the country music establishment’s criticism of the Grammy victories is enormously hypocritical. After all, the country music establishment had no problem with banishing the Dixie Chicks for their politics (which has nothing to do with their musical merit) and then criticize the academy for rewarding the Dixie Chicks for their politics on the basis that their victory wins have nothing to do with musical merit. Which isn’t even proven anyway since I thought they won a grammy in 2003 for Home and since Taking the Long Way is a fine record in its own right regardless of politics while the country music establishment freely admit that their banishment from country music airwaves is their political viewpoint.
Bruce says:

February 18, 2007 at 1:03 am

All I can say about the liberal lovefest at the 49th annual Grammy awards is that it pays to have friends in high places if you’re the Dixie Chicks. This is the outcome of:

Playin’ Politics With the Dixie Chicks
Dr BlT (c)2007
http://www.drblt.net/music/DixieChicks.mp3
Dr BLT says:

February 22, 2007 at 10:17 am

This may not bring me a Grammy, but it’s all that the Dixie Chicks’ Grammy-award-winning song, Not Ready to Make Nice would inspire in me:

Not Ready to Make Rice
Dr BLT
words and music by Dr BLT
http://www.drblt.net/music/MakeRice.mp3
Ronald Wilson Reagan says:

February 23, 2007 at 3:21 pm

What’s been lost in all the grammy hoopla is the fact that the biggest female music act OF ALL TIME managed to isolate and infuriate more than half their core audience. Their stupidity and arrogance is breathtaking. They Dixie dimmwits can spin it any way they want, but the truth is they are finished as a major act. By this time next year they will be yesterday news. And the funny thing is all they had to do was shut the f… up and it all would have gone away soon after the Bush remark. Pride cometh before the fall…..

Comments are closed.