171-500: The Country Music Association Awards , also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs , are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony features performances and award presentations by popular country music artists, with occasional appearances from pop and rock artists. The CMA Awards were first presented in 1967, and televised for
342-520: A Duo or Group with Vocal. The Academy of Country Music also awarded the band as Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duet or Group in 1999; they would win the former again in 2000 and 2001. On August 31, 1999, the Dixie Chicks released their next Monument album, Fly , which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts, selling over 10 million copies and making the Dixie Chicks the only country band and
513-577: A Rainy Night " by Eddie Rabbitt (these two back-to-back at the top in early 1981); and " Islands in the Stream ", a duet by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers in 1983, a pop-country crossover hit written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees . Newton's "Queen of Hearts" almost reached No. 1, but was kept out of the spot by the pop ballad juggernaut " Endless Love " by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie . The move of country music toward neotraditional styles led to
684-701: A better contract, and an increase in royalty payments , with Sony still responsible for marketing and distribution of albums. During the time that they worked with Sony to reconcile their differences, the Dixie Chicks debuted their quiet, unadorned song "I Believe in Love" on the America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon following the September 11 attacks . The three women found themselves home, in Texas, each happily married, planning families, and writing songs closer to their roots, without
855-453: A broken foot, opened the envelope to reveal the winner. When he saw that John Denver had been chosen, Rich pulled out his lighter and burned the envelope, sarcastically declaring that the winner was "my friend, Mr. John Denver". Many saw Rich's actions as a protest towards pop artists crossing over into country music and it remains one of the most discussed moments in CMA history. During a time when
1026-511: A chance to branch out, because we loved those kinds of music but felt limited by our instruments." Within the next year, Sony Music Nashville came to Austin to see the revamped band and signed them as the first new artist on the newly revived Monument Records label. Their debut single " I Can Love You Better " was released in October 1997 and reached the Top 10 on Billboard Hot Country Songs , while
1197-452: A collection of musicians that came to be known as the outlaw movement revolutionized the genre of country music in the early 1970s. "After I left Nashville (the early 70s), I wanted to relax and play the music that I wanted to play, and just stay around Texas, maybe Oklahoma. Waylon and I had that outlaw image going, and when it caught on at colleges and we started selling records, we were O.K. The whole outlaw thing, it had nothing to do with
1368-526: A commercially fallow period. This subgenre was notable for borrowing from 1950s pop stylings: a prominent and smooth vocal, backed by a string section (violins and other orchestral strings) and vocal chorus. Instrumental soloing was de-emphasized in favor of trademark "licks". Leading artists in this genre included Jim Reeves , Skeeter Davis , Connie Smith , the Browns , Patsy Cline , and Eddy Arnold . The "slip note" piano style of session musician Floyd Cramer
1539-501: A country music artist signed outside of the United States. The artist must have furthered the popularity of country music as well as brought attention to the country music format in their territory. This award was first presented in 2003 and has been presented annually since, with the exception of 2015. The Global Country Achievement Award has been most frequently won by Australian artists. This award recognizes outstanding achievement by
1710-427: A cultural fad had died down after the late 1970s (with Jennings noting in 1978 that it had gotten out of hand and led to real-life legal scrutiny), many western and outlaw country music artists maintained their popularity during the 1980s by forming supergroups , such as The Highwaymen , Texas Tornados , and Bandido . Country pop or soft pop, with roots in the countrypolitan sound, folk music, and soft rock ,
1881-585: A formative influence on the genre. Blues modes from blues music have been used extensively throughout its history as well. Once called " hillbilly music", the term country music gained popularity in the 1940s. The genre came to encompass western music , which evolved parallel to hillbilly music from similar roots, in the mid-20th century. Contemporary styles of western music include Texas country , red dirt , and Hispano- and Mexican American -led Tejano and New Mexico music , which still exists alongside longstanding indigenous traditions . In 2009, in
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#17328527824482052-524: A great artist is". On March 10, 2003, the Dixie Chicks performed at the Shepherd's Bush Empire theater in London, England . Maines told the audience the band did not support the imminent Allied invasion of Iraq and were ashamed that President George W. Bush was from Texas. The remark triggered a backlash in the United States. The Dixie Chicks were blacklisted by thousands of country radio stations, and
2223-512: A group of courageous entertainers who were blacklisted for exercising their right of free speech is now itself being blacklisted by corporate America." At a December 2007 rally in Little Rock, Arkansas , Maines expressed support for the West Memphis Three , three men convicted of a 1993 triple murder who many believe innocent. Maines cited a recent defense filing implicating Terry Hobbs,
2394-475: A little bit of that, a little bit of black and a little bit of white ... just loud enough to keep you from thinking too much and to go right on ordering the whiskey." East Texan Al Dexter had a hit with "Honky Tonk Blues", and seven years later " Pistol Packin' Mama ". These "honky tonk" songs were associated with barrooms, and was performed by the likes of Ernest Tubb , Kitty Wells (the first major female country solo singer), Ted Daffan , Floyd Tillman ,
2565-406: A major record label and struggled to expand their fan base beyond Texas and Nashville. Their manager, Simon Renshaw, approached the executive Scott Siman , best known for his work with Tim McGraw , and he signed them to a developmental deal with Sony Music Entertainment 's Nashville division. The deal was finalized with Sony over mid-1995, and Lynch was replaced by Maines. Lynch's departure left
2736-561: A marked decline in country/pop crossovers in the late 1980s, and only one song in that period— Roy Orbison 's " You Got It ", from 1989—made the top 10 of both the Billboard Hot Country Singles " and Hot 100 charts, due largely to a revival of interest in Orbison after his sudden death. The only song with substantial country airplay to reach number one on the pop charts in the late 1980s was " At This Moment " by Billy Vera and
2907-481: A more contemporary country sound, as the band used more session musicians , and developed a richer sound with larger and more modern arrangements. Macy and Maguire each wrote two of the album's songs, with Lynch co-writing one song with Maguire. Displeased with the change in sound, Macy left in late 1992 to devote herself to a "purer" bluegrass sound, remaining active in the Dallas and Austin music scenes. During this period,
3078-493: A music video directed by Seanne Farmer, in tribute to social justice movements. They also introduced John Silva as their new manager, with publicity by Cindi Berger of R&CPMK. On July 17, 2020, Columbia released the Chicks' first new studio album in 14 years, Gaslighter , produced by Jack Antonoff . The first single, " Gaslighter ", was released on March 4. On August 20, the Chicks performed " The Star-Spangled Banner " at
3249-511: A part of the Outlaw country movement. Originating in the bars, fiestas, and honky-tonks of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas, their music supplemented outlaw country's singer-songwriter tradition as well as 21st-century rock -inspired alternative country and hip hop -inspired country rap artists. Outlaw country was derived from the traditional western, including Red Dirt , New Mexico , Texas country , Tejano , and honky-tonk musical styles of
3420-704: A performance at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey . Country singer and guitarist Keith Urban appeared at selected shows. The Dixie Chicks appeared in the 2010 music documentary Sounds Like a Revolution about protest music in America. They sang "You" on the March 2011 release of Rare Bird Alert , a Steve Martin bluegrass album, accompanied by the Steep Canyon Rangers . In March 2011, Maines made
3591-508: A policy barring ads dealing with "public controversy". Ads were rebuffed by the CW as well, but local affiliate stations of all five major broadcasters, including NBC and CW, ran promotional spots for the film in New York and Los Angeles, the two cities where it opened that day. The film's distributor Harvey Weinstein said, "It's a sad commentary about the level of fear in our society that a movie about
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#17328527824483762-450: A radio broadcaster outside the United States who has made important contributions for the development of country music in their country. Up to three recipients may be named in any year. Each recipient must represent a different territory. The first ceremony in 1967, which was not televised, was co-hosted by Sonny James and Bobbie Gentry . Vince Gill hosted the awards from 1992 to 2003. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have co-hosted
3933-474: A result of traditionalist backlash within separate genres. In the aftermath of the British Invasion , many desired a return to the "old values" of rock n' roll. At the same time there was a lack of enthusiasm in the country sector for Nashville-produced music. What resulted was a crossbred genre known as country rock . Early innovators in this new style of music in the 1960s and 1970s included Bob Dylan , who
4104-516: A role in the larger country music, with western wear , cowboy boots , and cowboy hats continues to be in fashion for country artists. West of the Mississippi River , many of these western genres continue to flourish, including the Red Dirt of Oklahoma , New Mexico music of New Mexico , and both Texas country music and Tejano music of Texas . During the 1950s until the early 1970s,
4275-428: A series of hugely successful songs blending country and folk-rock musical styles. By the mid-1970s, Texas country and Tejano music gained popularity with performers like Freddie Fender . During the early 1980s country artists continued to see their records perform well on the pop charts. In 1980 a style of "neocountry disco music" was popularized. During the mid-1980s a group of new artists began to emerge who rejected
4446-460: A short speech on the issue, but they ignored her request and she took matters into her own hands. At the 1992 ceremony while presenting an award, Mattea wore three red ribbons and one green ribbon and announced the names of her friends who had succumbed to AIDS and delivered an impassioned speech that created a discussion and elevated AIDS awareness among the Nashville community. Mattea went on to become
4617-479: A significant shift in sound from earlier country music. The song was written by actual truckers and contained numerous references to the trucker culture of the time like "ICC" for Interstate Commerce Commission and "little white pills" as a reference to amphetamines . Starday Records in Nashville followed up on Dudley's initial success with the release of Give Me 40 Acres by the Willis Brothers . Rockabilly
4788-606: A solo recording of the Beach Boys hit " God Only Knows " for the final episode of the HBO series Big Love . In July 2011, Strayer and Maguire said that new music involving Maines is in the works. That October, following a series of wildfires destroying homes and businesses throughout Texas, the Dixie Chicks played the Concert for Wildfire Relief in Austin. During the set, Maines stated that there
4959-408: A staunch advocate for the cause, releasing the album Red Hot + Country two years later to raise funds for AIDS charities. On May 8, 1999, George Jones released " Choices ", a song written by Mike Curtis and Billy Yates , that featured an accompanying music video which depicted his struggles with substance abuse. The song subsequently became a Top 30 hit for Jones and was nominated for Single of
5130-487: A style of "neocountry disco music" was popularized by the film Urban Cowboy . It was during this time that a glut of pop-country crossover artists began appearing on the country charts: former pop stars Bill Medley (of the Righteous Brothers ), "England Dan" Seals (of England Dan and John Ford Coley ), Tom Jones , and Merrill Osmond (both alone and with some of his brothers ; his younger sister Marie Osmond
5301-425: A two-disc release titled Love Rocks , with their song from the album Home "I Believe in Love". On March 16, 2006, the Dixie Chicks released the single " Not Ready to Make Nice " in advance of their upcoming album. Cowritten with Dan Wilson , it addressed the political controversy that had surrounded the group for the previous three years. Strayer said, "The stakes were definitely higher on that song. We knew it
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5472-485: A video portraying the nefarious deed, with actor Dennis Franz playing the murdered husband.) In an interview, Maines commented about Sony worrying about the reference to "mattress dancing" in "Sin Wagon", refusing to discuss it in interviews. She said, "Our manager jokes, 'You can't say mattress dancing, but they love the song about premeditated first degree murder'! She continues, " ... so it's funny to us that "mattress dancing"
5643-491: Is a subgenre that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to adult contemporary music . It started with pop music singers like Glen Campbell , Bobbie Gentry , John Denver , Olivia Newton-John , Anne Murray , B. J. Thomas , the Bellamy Brothers , and Linda Ronstadt having hits on
5814-505: Is known for its ballads and dance tunes (i.e., " honky-tonk music ") with simple form, folk lyrics, and harmonies generally accompanied by instruments such as banjos , fiddles , harmonicas , and many types of guitar (including acoustic , electric , steel , and resonator guitars). Though it is primarily rooted in various forms of American folk music , such as old-time music and Appalachian music , many other traditions, including Mexican , Irish , and Hawaiian music , have had
5985-402: Is out and murder is in!" After the commercial success of their first two albums, the band became involved in a dispute with their record label, Sony , regarding accounting procedures, alleging that in at least 30 cases Sony had used fraudulent accounting practices, underpaying them at least $ 4 million (£2.7m) in royalties on their albums over the previous three years. Sony held out, and
6156-499: The 2006 Toronto International Film Festival , Cabin Creek Films, the production company of documentarian Barbara Kopple , premiered Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing . The documentary follows the Dixie Chicks over the three years since the 2003 London concert remark and covers aspects of their musical and personal lives in addition to the controversy. An ad for Shut Up and Sing was turned down by NBC on October 27, 2006, because of
6327-596: The Adult Contemporary chart with their 2002 cover of Fleetwood Mac 's " Landslide ". Days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq , Maines told a London audience that the Dixie Chicks did not endorse the war and were ashamed of US President George W. Bush being from Texas. The remarks triggered boycotts in the US and a backlash from fans. After a hiatus, the Dixie Chicks recorded Taking the Long Way in 2006, an album informed by
6498-641: The Bakersfield sound . It has the tempo of country rock and the emotion of honky-tonk, and its lyrics focus on a truck driver 's lifestyle. Truck-driving country songs often deal with the profession of trucking and love. Well-known artists who sing truck driving country include Dave Dudley , Red Sovine , Dick Curless , Red Simpson , Del Reeves , the Willis Brothers and Jerry Reed , with C. W. McCall and Cledus Maggard (pseudonyms of Bill Fries and Jay Huguely, respectively) being more humorous entries in
6669-669: The C2C: Country to Country festival held in London and Dublin during March 2014. In June 2015, a European tour was scheduled to commence in Antwerp on April 16, 2016; the DCX MMXVI World Tour initially included dates for Switzerland , The Netherlands , Scandinavia , the UK and Ireland, however in November 2015, the tour was extended into North America, with over forty shows scheduled across
6840-746: The Confederate flag described as "the Dixie Swastika" on social media in June 2020. They were also inspired by the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, saying it "definitely lit a fire in us to be on the right side of history". They received the blessing of the Chicks , a New Zealand duo, to share the name. Alongside the name change, the Chicks released the protest song "March March" with
7011-725: The First National Band ), the Grateful Dead , Neil Young , Commander Cody , the Allman Brothers Band , Charlie Daniels , the Marshall Tucker Band , Poco , Buffalo Springfield , Stephen Stills ' band Manassas and Eagles , among many, even the former folk music duo Ian & Sylvia , who formed Great Speckled Bird in 1969. The Eagles would become the most successful of these country rock acts, and their compilation album Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) remains
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7182-502: The Grand Ole Opry and Garrison Keillor 's radio show A Prairie Home Companion . The Dixie Chicks began building a fan base, winning the prize for "best band" at the 1990 Telluride Bluegrass Festival and opening for established country music artists, including such names as Garth Brooks , Reba McEntire , and George Strait . In 1992, the Dixie Chicks' next Crystal Clear Sound release, Little Ol' Cowgirl , moved towards
7353-817: The Great Depression . However, radio became a popular source of entertainment, and "barn dance" shows featuring country music were started by radio stations all over the South, as far north as Chicago, and as far west as California. The most important was the Grand Ole Opry , aired starting in 1925 by WSM in Nashville and continuing to the present day. Some of the early stars on the Opry were Uncle Dave Macon , Roy Acuff and African American harmonica player DeFord Bailey . WSM's 50,000-watt signal (in 1934) could often be heard across
7524-637: The Gulf Coast , with the Dixie Chicks' home state of Texas directly in the wake of the disaster. In September, the Dixie Chicks debuted their song " I Hope " in the telethon Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast . It was released as a download with proceeds to benefit hurricane relief through Habitat For Humanity and the American Federation of Musicians Gulf Coast Relief Fund. In October 2004,
7695-480: The Maddox Brothers and Rose , Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams ; the music of these artists would later be called "traditional" country. Williams' influence in particular would prove to be enormous, inspiring many of the pioneers of rock and roll, such as Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis , Chuck Berry and Ike Turner , while providing a framework for emerging honky tonk talents like George Jones . Webb Pierce
7866-573: The Mountain City Fiddlers Convention , held in 1925, helped to inspire modern country music. Before these, pioneer settlers, in the Great Smoky Mountains region, had developed a rich musical heritage. The first generation emerged in the 1920s, with Atlanta's music scene playing a major role in launching country's earliest recording artists. James Gideon "Gid" Tanner (1885–1960) was an American old-time fiddler and one of
8037-512: The Ozarks . As Webb Pierce put it in 1956, "Once upon a time, it was almost impossible to sell country music in a place like New York City. Nowadays, television takes us everywhere, and country music records and sheet music sell as well in large cities as anywhere else." The Country Music Association was founded in 1958, in part because numerous country musicians were appalled by the increased influence of rock and roll on country music. Beginning in
8208-533: The lead single " Texas Hold 'Em ", classified in country music genre. Country music Country (also called country and western ) is a music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and the Southwest . First produced in the 1920s, country music is primarily focused on singing stories about working-class and blue-collar American life. Country music
8379-541: The music of Hawaii . The U.S. Congress has formally recognized Bristol, Tennessee as the "Birthplace of Country Music", based on the historic Bristol recording sessions of 1927. Since 2014, the city has been home to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum . Historians have also noted the influence of the less-known Johnson City sessions of 1928 and 1929, and the Knoxville sessions of 1929 and 1930. In addition,
8550-526: The " I Can't Stop Loving You " single, and recording the landmark album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music . Another subgenre of country music grew out of hardcore honky tonk with elements of western swing and originated 112 miles (180 km) north-northwest of Los Angeles in Bakersfield, California , where many " Okies " and other Dust Bowl migrants had settled. Influenced by one-time West Coast residents Bob Wills and Lefty Frizzell , by 1966 it
8721-635: The "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" as well as the Country Music Association's most coveted award for females, "Female Vocalist of the Year". In response George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Jean Shepard and other traditional Nashville country artists dissatisfied with the new trend formed the short-lived "Association of Country Entertainers" in 1974; the ACE soon unraveled in the wake of Jones and Wynette's bitter divorce and Shepard's realization that most others in
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#17328527824488892-553: The 14-track album. Macy co-wrote two of the album's 14 tracks, with Maguire also serving as co-writer for the title track. A Christmas single was released at the end of the year – a 45 RPM vinyl record titled Home on the Radar Range with "Christmas Swing" on one side and the song on the flip side named "The Flip Side". The record titles were significant; during that period of time, the bandmates dressed up as " cowgirls ", and publicity photos reflected this image. They also appeared at
9063-597: The 1920s, were popularized by films made in Hollywood. Some of the popular singing cowboys from the era were Gene Autry , the Sons of the Pioneers , and Roy Rogers . Country music and western music were frequently played together on the same radio stations, hence the term country and western music, despite country and western being two distinct genres. Cowgirls contributed to the sound in various family groups. Patsy Montana opened
9234-468: The 1950s to the mid-1960s, western singer-songwriters such as Marty Robbins rose in prominence as did others, throughout western music traditions, like New Mexico music 's Al Hurricane . The late 1960s in American music produced a unique blend as a result of traditionalist backlash within separate genres. In the aftermath of the British Invasion , many desired a return to the "old values" of rock n' roll. At
9405-399: The 1980s. Country music propelled Kenny Rogers’ career, making him a three-time Grammy Award winner and six-time Country Music Association Awards winner. Having sold more than 50 million albums in the US, one of his Song "The Gambler," inspired several TV films, with Rogers as the main character. Artists like Crystal Gayle , Ronnie Milsap and Barbara Mandrell would also find success on
9576-534: The 2003 controversy. Taking the Long Way debuted at number one on both the U.S. pop albums chart and the U.S. country albums chart , selling 526,000 copies in the first week (the year's second-best such total for any country act) and making it a gold record within its first week. The Dixie Chicks became the first female band in chart history to have three albums debut at No. 1. Neither "Not Ready to Make Nice" or second single " Everybody Knows " reached top 35 on Hot Country Songs. In June 2006, Emily Strayer noted
9747-565: The Beaters, an R&B song with slide guitar embellishment that appeared at number 42 on the country charts from minor crossover airplay. The record-setting, multi-platinum group Alabama was named Artist of the Decade for the 1980s by the Academy of Country Music. Country rock is a genre that started in the 1960s but became prominent in the 1970s. The late 1960s in American music produced a unique blend as
9918-478: The Birchmere , Virginia in 1992, Eric Brace of The Washington Post wrote that "record label executives will be kicking themselves soon enough ... These Chicks have what it takes to make the big time, yet no major label has taken the plunge to sign them." Lynch became lead singer on the Dixie Chicks' third Crystal Clear Sound album, Shouldn't a Told You That (1993). They were still unable to attract support from
10089-466: The COVID-19 Pandemic, the Country Music Association announced that the 55th CMA Awards on November 10, 2021, would require ticketed audience members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear appropriate face coverings. Albums and songs released between July 1 of the previous calendar year and June 30 of the award show's year are eligible for consideration. More than 7,300 individuals from
10260-503: The Carters recorded some 300 old-time ballads, traditional tunes, country songs and gospel hymns, all representative of America's southeastern folklore and heritage. Maybelle Carter went on to continue the family tradition with her daughters as The Carter Sisters ; her daughter June would marry (in succession) Carl Smith , Rip Nix and Johnny Cash , having children with each who would also become country singers. Record sales declined during
10431-432: The Chicks had fueled the extreme responses to their performance. Many artists including Dierks Bentley and Karen Fairchild defended the performance while others did not, including Alan Jackson who reportedly left the arena. Over the years numerous publications, websites, and magazine on country music have accused the association of discriminating African-American country artists, and particularly black female artists in
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#173285278244810602-517: The Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, and the Dixie Chicks received a number of honors from other sources for their accomplishments. The band headlined their first tour, the Fly Tour , with guest artists including Joe Ely and Ricky Skaggs appearing at each show, and also joined Sarah McLachlan , Sheryl Crow , and other female artists on the all-woman touring Lilith Fair . That November, Maguire divorced Seidel. The source of
10773-601: The Country Music Association trade group vote for the nominees and winners through three rounds of balloting. Annual awards are given in the following twelve categories: Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, New Artist (previously known as the Horizon Award until 2008), Vocal Group, Vocal Duo (introduced in 1970), Single, Album, Song, Musical Event (split off from the Vocal Duo award in 1988 as Vocal Event), Music Video (introduced in 1985), and Musician. The distinction between
10944-530: The Dixie Chicks , which was an acoustic concert primarily composed of the material from Home ; VH1 Divas Las Vegas alongside Cher , Céline Dion , Shakira , Anastacia , Stevie Nicks , Mary J. Blige , Cyndi Lauper , Whitney Houston and host Ellen DeGeneres ; and a CMT three-hour television special, the 40 Greatest Women of Country Music . Ranked No. 13 out of 40, they were "selected by hundreds of artists, music historians, music journalists and music industry professionals—looking at every aspect of what
11115-566: The Dixie Chicks and Toby Keith was eventually abandoned because of scheduling conflicts. In 2010, Maguire and Strayer released their first album as Court Yard Hounds , with Strayer singing lead vocals. Lloyd Maines said that the Dixie Chicks were "definitely still an entity". Beginning on June 8, 2010, the Dixie Chicks joined the Eagles on their stadium-based Eagles 2010 Summer Tour , visiting cities such as Toronto , Boston , Chicago, Philadelphia , Washington , St. Louis and Winnipeg with
11286-416: The Dixie Chicks joined the Vote for Change tour, performing at concerts organized by MoveOn.org in swing states , raising funds for political groups opposing Bush. In 2005, Maguire, Strayer, and Maines joined 31 other recording artists, including Dolly Parton , Christina Aguilera , Yoko Ono , and Mandy Moore supporting relationships of all kinds, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, on
11457-491: The Dixie Chicks moved to Columbia Records for Home (2002). These albums achieved multi-platinum sales in the United States, Canada, and Australia, along with several charting singles on the American Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. Their successful US singles were " There's Your Trouble ", " Wide Open Spaces ", " You Were Mine ", " Cowboy Take Me Away ", " Without You ", and a cover of Bruce Robison 's " Travelin' Soldier ". The Dixie Chicks also reached number one on
11628-441: The Dixie Chicks performed again at Shepherd's Bush Empire, site of "The Incident", Maines joked that she wanted to say something the audience had not heard before, but instead said, "Just so y'all know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas," to much laughter and applause. In 2006, Taking the Long Way was the ninth-best-selling album in the United States. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2007,
11799-583: The Dixie Chicks' commercial success during this time came from various factors: they wrote or co-wrote about half of the songs on Wide Open Spaces and Fly ; their mixture of bluegrass , mainstream country music , blues , and pop songs appealed to a wide spectrum of record buyers, and where the women had once dressed as "cowgirls" with Lynch, their dress was now more contemporary. "Cowboy Take Me Away" from Fly became another signature song , written by Maguire to celebrate Emily's marriage with country singer Charlie Robison , which took place three months before
11970-496: The Dixie Chicks' manager, Simon Renshaw, retired after having managed them since 1995. They signed with Ian Montone and Rick Yorn at Monotone/LBI Entertainment. On June 25, 2020, the band changed their name to the Chicks, dropping the word " Dixie ". The change followed criticism that the word had connotations of slavery in the United States . The band said they had picked "that stupid name" as teenagers, and had wanted to change it for years. They decided to change it when they saw
12141-438: The Duo and Event awards is that the former is presented to two artists who normally perform together, while the latter was specifically created to honor one-off collaborations. Nine awards are also given to radio broadcasters for Station of the Year and Personality of the Year (divided into four categories each, based on market size), as well as National Personality of the Year to the host of a nationally syndicated show. Since 2012,
12312-473: The Erwin sisters as the two remaining original members. Also in 1995, Maguire married pharmaceutical representative Ted Seidel. Accounts of Lynch's departure vary. At the time, the sisters said she had been considering leaving for over a year as she was weary of touring and hoped to spend more time with her daughter. Lynch offered to stay for the first recordings on the new album, but the sisters thought it would send
12483-518: The Grand Ole Opry. That was the ordination of bluegrass music and how Bill Monroe came to be known as the "Father of Bluegrass." Gospel music , too, remained a popular component of bluegrass and other sorts of country music. Red Foley , the biggest country star following World War II, had one of the first million-selling gospel hits (" Peace in the Valley ") and also sang boogie, blues and rockabilly. In
12654-575: The International Touring Artist Award, this award recognizes outstanding achievement by a U.S.-based artist who has demonstrated the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the United States during the eligibility period. The Dixie Chicks were the first artists to receive the award twice. 2008 is the only year in which there were multiple winners. Named in honor of Jeff Walker , this award recognizes outstanding achievements by
12825-678: The Judds . The Chicks The Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks ) are an American country band from Dallas , Texas. The band consists of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin , guitar) and Emily Strayer (vocals, guitar, banjo, Dobro ). Maguire and Strayer, both née Erwin, founded the band in 1989, with bassist Laura Lynch and vocalist and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy. They performed bluegrass and country music , busking and touring
12996-737: The Lane " for Okeh Records on June 14, 1923. Vernon Dalhart was the first country singer to have a nationwide hit in May 1924 with " Wreck of the Old 97 ". The flip side of the record was "Lonesome Road Blues", which also became very popular. In April 1924, "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis became the first female musicians to record and release country songs. The record 129-D produced by Columbia features Samantha playing fiddle and singing Big-Eyed Rabbit while Eva Davis plays banjo. The other side features Eva Davis playing banjo while singing Wild Bill Jones. Many of
13167-525: The Long Way hit No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the country album charts and "Not Ready to Make Nice" re-entered the charts at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The music video for "Not Ready to Make Nice" was nominated for the 2007 CMT Music Video Awards in the categories of Video of the Year and Group Video of the Year. The group was nominated for the 2007 Country Music Association 's award for Top Vocal Group, but lost to Rascal Flatts . At
13338-483: The Long Way, which received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year , and its single " Not Ready to Make Nice ", which received the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year . In addition, the band has received ten Country Music Association awards and eight Academy of Country Music awards. By July 2020, with 33 million certified albums sold and sales of 27.9 million albums in
13509-450: The South, as far north as Chicago, and as far west as California. The most important was the Grand Ole Opry , aired starting in 1925 by WSM in Nashville and continuing to the present day. During the 1930s and 1940s, cowboy songs, or western music, which had been recorded since the 1920s, were popularized by films made in Hollywood, many featuring Gene Autry , who was known as king of the "singing cowboys," and Hank Williams . Bob Wills
13680-664: The Southwestern United States, it was the Rocky Mountains , American frontier , and Rio Grande that acted as a similar backdrop for Native American , Mexican , and cowboy ballads, which resulted in New Mexico music and the development of western music , and it is directly related to Red Dirt, Texas country, and Tejano music styles. In the Asia-Pacific , the steel guitar sound of country music has its provenance in
13851-524: The Straw " by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson on June 30, 1922, for Victor Records and released in April 1923. Columbia Records began issuing records with "hillbilly" music (series 15000D "Old Familiar Tunes") as early as 1924. The first commercial recording of what is widely considered to be the first country song featuring vocals and lyrics was Fiddlin' John Carson with " Little Log Cabin in
14022-541: The Texan steel guitarist Lloyd Maines (who had played on both albums) introduced them to his daughter, Natalie , an aspiring singer. He thought his daughter would be a good replacement for Macy, and had passed her demo tape , which had won her a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music , to the Erwin sisters. Her distinctive voice was a match for Maguire's soprano and Strayer's alto harmonies . Reviewing their show
14193-804: The US, the Chicks had become the best-selling all-woman band and best-selling country group since Nielsen SoundScan began recording sales in 1991. The Chicks were founded as the Dixie Chicks in 1989 in Dallas , Texas, an area with country music roots. The original lineup consisted of El Paso native Laura Lynch on upright bass , Californian Robin Lynn Macy on guitar, and the multi-instrumentalist sisters Martie and Emily Erwin , respectively born in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and raised in Dallas. The Erwin sisters, who were later married and both changed their names twice (Martie to Martie Seidel, then Martie Maguire; Emily to Emily Robison, then Emily Strayer). The band name
14364-606: The United States and Canada. The tour was extended to Australia and New Zealand, and was followed by a live album and video, DCX MMXVI Live . On the 50th anniversary of the Country Music Association Awards on November 2, 2016, the Dixie Chicks performed alongside Beyoncé on her song "Daddy Lessons". A studio version of the performance was released to digital outlets the following day. They also collaborated with Taylor Swift on her song " Soon You'll Get Better " from Swift's 2019 album Lover . On May 3, 2018,
14535-609: The United States, country music was the most-listened-to rush-hour radio genre during the evening commute, and second-most popular in the morning commute. The main components of the modern country music style date back to music traditions throughout the Southern United States and Southwestern United States , while its place in American popular music was established in the 1920s during the early days of music recording. According to country historian Bill C. Malone , country music
14706-401: The United States. Home also won Grammy awards, and other noteworthy accolades as before, though it fell short of reaching the diamond record status of the first two albums. Natalie Maines said afterward, "I want to check the record books and see how many fathers and daughters have won Grammys together." By 2002, the Dixie Chicks were featured on three television specials: An Evening with
14877-579: The West Coast. Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family are widely considered to be important early country musicians. From Scott County, Virginia , the Carters had learned sight reading of hymnals and sheet music using solfege . Their songs were first captured at a historic recording session in Bristol, Tennessee , on August 1, 1927, where Ralph Peer was the talent scout and sound recordist. A scene in
15048-450: The Year at the 1999 CMA Awards, with the CMA inviting him to perform a shortened version at the ceremony. Jones felt insulted that the CMA requested he remove part of the song and declined the invitation. Alan Jackson , who was slated to perform his current single " Pop a Top ", was offended that the CMA had denied Jones the opportunity to sing the full song, and so during his performance, he stopped his own band mid-song and proceeded to sing
15219-431: The album's release. However, a few of their songs brought controversy within their conservative country music fan base, and two songs caused some radio stations to remove the Dixie Chicks from their playlists: " Sin Wagon ", from which the term "mattress dancing" takes on a new twist, and " Goodbye Earl ", a song that uses black comedy in telling the story of the unabashed murderer of an abusive husband. (The band later made
15390-423: The appeal of the Nashville sound, many traditional country artists emerged during this period and dominated the genre: Loretta Lynn , Merle Haggard , Buck Owens , Porter Wagoner , George Jones , and Sonny James among them. In 1962, Ray Charles surprised the pop world by turning his attention to country and western music, topping the charts and rating number three for the year on Billboard's pop chart with
15561-482: The backlash. " Not Ready to Make Nice " became their biggest crossover single, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 . After a second hiatus, Maguire and Strayer recorded as a duo called Court Yard Hounds . The Dixie Chicks reunited to tour in the 2010s. In 2020, they removed " Dixie " from their name due to negative connotations, and released their first album in 14 years, Gaslighter . The Chicks have won 13 Grammy Awards , including five in 2007 for Taking
15732-482: The band a broader appeal. Renshaw sent staff producer Blake Chancey , best known for his work with Deryl Dodd , to Austin to work with the band. After Maines joined the band, the instrumental lineup was essentially the same, though Maines was not an acoustic bassist. Instead, she played acoustic and electric guitar, and occasionally electric bass guitar or Tacoma Papoose guitar in concert. She sang lead vocals, with Maguire and Strayer singing backing vocals. Strayer
15903-465: The band members received death threats. Their single " Landslide ", a Fleetwood Mac cover, fell from number 10 to 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 in one week and left the chart a week later. The backlash also damaged sales of their next album and tour. Maines issued an apology, saying her remark had been disrespectful; in 2006 she rescinded the apology, saying she felt Bush deserved no respect. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita battered
16074-506: The band. The Country Music Association awarded them the Horizon Award for new artists in 1998, given to those who have "demonstrated the most significant creative growth and development in overall chart and sales activity, live performance professionalism and critical media recognition". At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1998, the group was nominated for Grammy Award for Best New Artist, while Wide Open Spaces won Best Country Album and "There's Your Trouble" won Best Country Performance by
16245-572: The basic ensemble consisted of classical guitar , bass guitar , dobro or steel guitar, though some larger ensembles featured electric guitars , trumpets , keyboards (especially the honky-tonk piano, a type of tack piano ), banjos , and drums . By the early 1950s it blended with rock and roll , becoming the rockabilly sound produced by Sam Phillips , Norman Petty , and Bob Keane . Musicians like Elvis Presley , Buddy Holly , Jerry Lee Lewis , Ritchie Valens , Carl Perkins , Roy Orbison , and Johnny Cash emerged as enduring representatives of
16416-424: The bluegrass festival circuits and small venues for six years without attracting a major label . In 1992, Lynch replaced Macy as the lead vocalist. After releasing three independent albums, the Dixie Chicks signed to Monument Records Nashville in 1997, by which point Maines had joined. They achieved success with their albums Wide Open Spaces (1998) and Fly (1999). After Monument closed its Nashville branch,
16587-401: The ceremonies from 2008 to 2018. For the 2019 ceremony, Carrie Underwood hosted alongside Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton . McEntire returned to host the 2020 ceremony with Darius Rucker . Luke Bryan hosted the 2021 show solo. Bryan returned to host the 2022 ceremony with Peyton Manning . Bryan and Manning returned to host the 2024 ceremony with Lainey Wilson Only two artists have won
16758-521: The ceremony features a Lifetime Achievement Award . Vince Gill, and Alan Jackson are the only individuals to win Entertainer of the Year, Male/Female Vocalist of the Year or Group/Duo of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year all in the same year. Defunct categories Industry Honors Radio awards The Country Music Association Award for International Achievement is presented to international artists and executives. Formerly presented as
16929-459: The chorus of "Choices", which went on to earn a standing ovation from the audience. At the 50th CMA Awards in 2016, the Chicks returned to the CMA stage for the first time since their comments about George Bush resulted in them being blacklisted from the industry. They were joined by Beyoncé to perform a medley of " Daddy Lessons " from her 2016 Lemonade album and their own 2002 hit " Long Time Gone ". While many viewers and critics praised
17100-464: The country charts. Between 1972 and 1975, singer/guitarist John Denver released a series of hugely successful songs blending country and folk-rock musical styles (" Rocky Mountain High ", " Sunshine on My Shoulders ", " Annie's Song ", " Thank God I'm a Country Boy ", and " I'm Sorry "), and was named Country Music Entertainer of the Year in 1975. The year before, Olivia Newton-John, an Australian pop singer, won
17271-436: The country music arena alone, setting a record for the best-selling duo or group album in country music history. As of 2003, the 12 million copies sold in the United States of Wide Open Spaces made it a RIAA-certified diamond album. In 1998, the Dixie Chicks sold more CDs than all other country music groups combined. The commercial success of Wide Open Spaces also led to the first of several industry award nominations for
17442-465: The country. Many musicians performed and recorded songs in any number of styles. Moon Mullican , for example, played western swing but also recorded songs that can be called rockabilly . Between 1947 and 1949, country crooner Eddy Arnold placed eight songs in the top 10. From 1945 to 1955 Jenny Lou Carson was one of the most prolific songwriters in country music. In the 1930s and 1940s, cowboy songs, or western music, which had been recorded since
17613-812: The cowboy ballads, New Mexico , Texas country and Tejano music rhythms of the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico , reached its peak in popularity in the late 1950s, most notably with the song " El Paso ", first recorded by Marty Robbins in September 1959. Western music's influence would continue to grow within the country music sphere, western musicians like Michael Martin Murphey , New Mexico music artists Al Hurricane and Antonia Apodaca , Tejano music performer Little Joe , and even folk revivalist John Denver , all first rose to prominence during this time. This western music influence largely kept
17784-826: The door for female artists with her history-making song "I Want To Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart". This would begin a movement toward opportunities for women to have successful solo careers. Bob Wills was another country musician from the Lower Great Plains who had become very popular as the leader of a " hot string band ," and who also appeared in Hollywood westerns . His mix of country and jazz , which started out as dance hall music, would become known as western swing . Cliff Bruner , Moon Mullican , Milton Brown and Adolph Hofner were other early western swing pioneers. Spade Cooley and Tex Williams also had very popular bands and appeared in films. At its height, western swing rivaled
17955-664: The earliest stars of what would come to be known as country music. His band, the Skillet Lickers , was one of the most innovative and influential string bands of the 1920s and 1930s. Its most notable members were Clayton McMichen (fiddle and vocal), Dan Hornsby (vocals), Riley Puckett (guitar and vocal) and Robert Lee Sweat (guitar). New York City record label Okeh Records began issuing hillbilly music records by Fiddlin' John Carson as early as 1923, followed by Columbia Records (series 15000D "Old Familiar Tunes") ( Samantha Bumgarner ) in 1924, and RCA Victor Records in 1927 with
18126-408: The early 1960s, however, it was rare for a country band not to have a drummer. Bob Wills was one of the first country musicians known to have added an electric guitar to his band, in 1938. A decade later (1948) Arthur Smith achieved top 10 US country chart success with his MGM Records recording of " Guitar Boogie ", which crossed over to the US pop chart, introducing many people to the potential of
18297-613: The early country musicians, such as the yodeler Cliff Carlisle , recorded blues songs into the 1930s. Other important early recording artists were Riley Puckett , Don Richardson , Fiddlin' John Carson , Uncle Dave Macon , Al Hopkins , Ernest V. Stoneman , Blind Alfred Reed , Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers and the Skillet Lickers . The steel guitar entered country music as early as 1922, when Jimmie Tarlton met famed Hawaiian guitarist Frank Ferera on
18468-569: The early eighties: Nelson charted " Always on My Mind " (#5, 1982) and " To All the Girls I've Loved Before " (#5, 1984, a duet with Julio Iglesias ), and Newton achieved success with " Queen of Hearts " (#2, 1981) and " Angel of the Morning " (#4, 1981). Four country songs topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1980s: " Lady " by Kenny Rogers , from the late fall of 1980; " 9 to 5 " by Dolly Parton , " I Love
18639-524: The electric guitar. For several decades Nashville session players preferred the warm tones of the Gibson and Gretsch archtop electrics, but a "hot" Fender style, using guitars which became available beginning in the early 1950s, eventually prevailed as the signature guitar sound of country. Country musicians began recording boogie in 1939, shortly after it had been played at Carnegie Hall , when Johnny Barfield recorded "Boogie Woogie". The trickle of what
18810-481: The end of World War II with "mountaineer" string band music known as bluegrass , which emerged when Bill Monroe , along with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs , were introduced by Roy Acuff at the Grand Ole Opry. Gospel music remained a popular component of country music. The Native American , Hispano, and American frontier music of the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico , became popular among poor communities in New Mexico , Oklahoma , and Texas ;
18981-442: The event. In August, a re-routed tour schedule was scheduled with a greater emphasis on Canadian dates, where Taking the Long Way had gone five-times- platinum . As part of the tour, the Dixie Chicks became the first major band to hire a designated blogger "all-access" to keep up with them in their promotional activities and tour. During the tour, the group members generally refrained from any explicit verbal political comments. When
19152-541: The first Wednesday of November. However, since then the awards have been rescheduled for later in the month to avoid conflict with a possible game seven of Major League Baseball 's World Series , since the 2016 ceremony aired the same night as Fox ’s eventual telecast of game seven of the 2016 Series , which beat the CMA Awards in the ratings. In June 2021, the Country Music Association announced that they would extend its broadcast contract with ABC through 2026. Following
19323-520: The first all-country radio station was established in Lubbock, Texas . The music of the 1960s and 1970s targeted the American working class, and truckers in particular. As country radio became more popular, trucking songs like the 1963 hit song Six Days on the Road by Dave Dudley began to make up their own subgenre of country. These revamped songs sought to portray American truckers as a "new folk hero", marking
19494-406: The first famous pioneers of the genre Jimmie Rodgers , who is widely considered the "Father of Country Music", and the first family of country music the Carter Family . Many "hillbilly" musicians recorded blues songs throughout the 1920s. During the second generation (1930s–1940s), radio became a popular source of entertainment, and "barn dance" shows featuring country music were started all over
19665-731: The first time the following year. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium on October 20, 1967; the Entertainer of the Year award went to Eddy Arnold that night. The second annual CMA awards were presented in October 1968; NBC taped the ceremony and televised it a few weeks later. Since then, the awards have been televised live, usually in October or November, by NBC from 1969 through 1971, by CBS from 1972 through 2005, and by ABC beginning in 2006. Starting in 1968 they were held at Nashville 's Grand Ole Opry (initially at Ryman Auditorium , and from 1974 through 2004 at
19836-454: The former crossing over to the US pop charts. Other country boogie artists included Moon Mullican , Merrill Moore and Tennessee Ernie Ford . The hillbilly boogie period lasted into the 1950s and remains one of many subgenres of country into the 21st century. By the end of World War II , "mountaineer" string band music known as bluegrass had emerged when Bill Monroe joined with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs , introduced by Roy Acuff at
20007-469: The group won all five categories for which they were nominated, including the top awards of Song of the Year and Record of the Year , both for "Not Ready to Make Nice", and Album of the Year , for Taking the Long Way . Maines interpreted the wins as being a show of public support for their advocacy of free speech. It had been 14 years since an artist had swept those three awards. After the Grammys, Taking
20178-411: The industry lacked her passion for the movement. During the mid-1970s, Dolly Parton , a successful mainstream country artist since the late 1960s, mounted a high-profile campaign to cross over to pop music, culminating in her 1977 hit " Here You Come Again ", which topped the U.S. country singles chart, and also reached No. 3 on the pop singles charts. Parton's male counterpart, Kenny Rogers , came from
20349-549: The initial blending of the two polar opposite genres, other offspring soon resulted, including Southern rock , heartland rock and in more recent years, alternative country . In the decades that followed, artists such as Juice Newton , Alabama , Hank Williams, Jr. (and, to an even greater extent, Hank Williams III ), Gary Allan , Shania Twain , Brooks & Dunn , Faith Hill , Garth Brooks , Dwight Yoakam , Steve Earle , Dolly Parton , Rosanne Cash and Linda Ronstadt moved country further towards rock influence. In 1980,
20520-445: The lack of support from other country music performers: "A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do. ... A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism." Maines said, "The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand
20691-406: The late 1950s and 1960s. Songs such as the 1963 Johnny Cash popularized " Ring of Fire " show clear influences from the likes of Al Hurricane and Little Joe , this influence just happened to culminate with artists such as Ray Price (whose band, the "Cherokee Cowboys", included Willie Nelson and Roger Miller ) and mixed with the anger of an alienated subculture of the nation during the period,
20862-407: The late 2000s and early 2010s. Most of the best-selling country songs of this era were those by Lady A , Florida Georgia Line , Carrie Underwood , and Taylor Swift . Hip hop also made its mark on country music with the emergence of country rap . The first commercial recordings of what was considered instrumental music in the traditional country style were " Arkansas Traveler " and " Turkey in
21033-552: The latter part of the western heyday in country music, many of these genres featured popular artists that continue to influence both their distinctive genres and larger country music. Red Dirt featured Bob Childers and Steve Ripley ; for New Mexico music Al Hurricane , Al Hurricane Jr. , and Antonia Apodaca ; and within the Texas scenes Willie Nelson , Freddie Fender , Johnny Rodriguez , and Little Joe . As Outlaw country music emerged as subgenre in its own right, Red Dirt, New Mexico, Texas country, and Tejano grew in popularity as
21204-417: The mid-1950s, and reaching its peak during the early 1960s, the Nashville sound turned country music into a multimillion-dollar industry centered in Nashville, Tennessee . Under the direction of producers such as Chet Atkins , Bill Porter , Paul Cohen , Owen Bradley , Bob Ferguson , and later Billy Sherrill , the sound brought country music to a diverse audience and helped revive country as it emerged from
21375-585: The more polished country-pop sound that had been prominent on radio and the charts in favor of more traditional "back-to-basics" production. During the fifth generation (the 1990s), neotraditionalists and stadium country acts prospered. The sixth generation (2000s–present) has seen a certain amount of diversification in regard to country music styles. It has also, however, seen a shift into patriotism and conservative politics since 9/11 , though such themes are less prevalent in more modern trends. The influence of rock music in country has become more overt during
21546-400: The movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? depicts a similar occurrence in the same timeframe. Rodgers fused hillbilly country, gospel, jazz, blues, pop, cowboy, and folk, and many of his best songs were his compositions, including " Blue Yodel ", which sold over a million records and established Rodgers as the premier singer of early country music. Beginning in 1927, and for the next 17 years,
21717-489: The music of the folk revival and folk rock from influencing the country music genre much, despite the similarity in instrumentation and origins (see, for instance, the Byrds ' negative reception during their appearance on the Grand Ole Opry ). The main concern was largely political: most folk revival was largely driven by progressive activists, a stark contrast to the culturally conservative audiences of country music. John Denver
21888-419: The music, it was something that got written in an article, and the young people said, 'Well, that's pretty cool.' And started listening." (Willie Nelson) The term outlaw country is traditionally associated with Willie Nelson , Jerry Jeff Walker , Hank Williams, Jr. , Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Joe Ely . It was encapsulated in the 1976 album Wanted! The Outlaws . Though the outlaw movement as
22059-585: The national fiddle championships held at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas . In 1990, Penny Cook, the daughter of then-Texas senator John Tower , gave the Dixie Chicks $ 10,000 to record an album. Later that year, the Dixie Chicks released their debut studio album Thank Heavens for Dale Evans on a local independent label called Crystal Clear Sound. The album was named after actress and singer-songwriter Dale Evans . The group paid $ 5,000 for
22230-1022: 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." The two singles were more successful in Europe, peaking at Nos. 13 and 11 respectively and remaining on the European Country Charts for more than 20 weeks each. The Accidents & Accusations Tour began in July 2006. Ticket sales were strong in Canada and in some Northeastern markets, but notably weak in other areas. A number of shows were canceled or relocated to smaller venues due to poor sales, and in Houston , Texas, tickets never even went on sale when local radio stations refused to accept advertising for
22401-524: The new Grand Ole Opry House ). In 2005, the awards show was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City . Since 2006, they have been held at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena . In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the 54th CMA Awards were held at Nashville's Music City Center . Since 2017, the ceremony has been held on the second Wednesday of November. Prior to 2017, the awards were generally held on
22572-459: The new lineup recorded the rest of their debut album. Wide Open Spaces was released on January 23, 1998. Over the space of a year, the next three singles from Wide Open Spaces reached first place on Hot Country Songs: " There's Your Trouble ", " You Were Mine ", and the title track . The album added a widespread audience to their original following, entering the top five on both country and pop charts with initial sales of 12 million copies in
22743-422: The only female band of any genre to hold the distinction of having two back-to-back RIAA certified diamond albums. Nine singles were released from Fly , including country No. 1s " Cowboy Take Me Away " and " Without You ". Dixie Chicks albums continued to place in the list of the 50 best-selling albums in American history over a half-decade after they were released. Fly again won Grammy awards and honors from
22914-553: The opposite direction, aiming his music at the country charts, after a successful career in pop, rock and folk music with the First Edition , achieving success the same year with " Lucille ", which topped the country charts and reached No. 5 on the U.S. pop singles charts, as well as reaching Number 1 on the British all-genre chart. Parton and Rogers would both continue to have success on both country and pop charts simultaneously, well into
23085-402: The performance, it garnered criticism from some country traditionalists, who stated that Beyoncé, a pop/R&B artist, had no place at a country music awards show. The comments polarized opinions, with some noting that they could be seen as a racist attack, as previous collaborations with non-country artists had not received the same amount of criticism and some suggesting that old grudges against
23256-534: The pop charts with their records. In 1975, author Paul Hemphill stated in the Saturday Evening Post , "Country music isn't really country anymore; it is a hybrid of nearly every form of popular music in America." During the early 1980s, country artists continued to see their records perform well on the pop charts. Willie Nelson and Juice Newton each had two songs in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 in
23427-614: The popularity of big band swing music. Drums were scorned by early country musicians as being "too loud" and "not pure", but by 1935 western swing big band leader Bob Wills had added drums to the Texas Playboys . In the mid-1940s, the Grand Ole Opry did not want the Playboys' drummer to appear on stage. Although drums were commonly used by rockabilly groups by 1955, the less-conservative-than-the-Grand-Ole-Opry Louisiana Hayride kept its infrequently used drummer backstage as late as 1956. By
23598-438: The post-war period, country music was called "folk" in the trades, and "hillbilly" within the industry. In 1944, Billboard replaced the term "hillbilly" with "folk songs and blues," and switched to "country and western" in 1949. Another type of stripped-down and raw music with a variety of moods and a basic ensemble of guitar, bass, dobro or steel guitar (and later) drums became popular, especially among rural residents in
23769-436: The pseudonym "Thumper Jones", wanting to capitalize on the popularity of rockabilly without alienating his traditional country base. Cash and Presley placed songs in the top 5 in 1958 with No. 3 "Guess Things Happen That Way/Come In, Stranger" by Cash, and No. 5 by Presley "Don't/I Beg of You." Presley acknowledged the influence of rhythm and blues artists and his style, saying "The colored folk been singin' and playin' it just
23940-447: The rest of the entertainment industry were wearing red ribbons to signify solidarity and promote awareness of the AIDS epidemic , in an attempt to steer clear of controversy, the CMA instead encouraged guests to wear green ribbons to signify environmental awareness. This did not sit well with Kathy Mattea , who had lost several friends to the disease, and she requested the CMA's help in drafting
24111-408: The same time there was a lack of enthusiasm in the country sector for Nashville-produced music. What resulted was a crossbred genre known as country rock . Fourth generation (1970s–1980s) music included outlaw country with roots in the Bakersfield sound , and country pop with roots in the countrypolitan , folk music and soft rock . Between 1972 and 1975 singer/guitarist John Denver released
24282-410: The second-best-selling album in the US with 29 million copies sold. The Rolling Stones also got into the act with songs like " Dead Flowers "; the original recording of " Honky Tonk Women " was performed in a country style, but it was subsequently re-recorded in a hard rock style for the single version, and the band's preferred country version was later released on the album Let It Bleed , under
24453-474: The selection of nominations and award winners. Through the years US nonprofit civil rights organization Color of Change president Rashad Robinson accused the ceremony who didn't recognize African Americans country musicians and the history of the genre. At the 58th CMA Awards the nominating committee was accused of racism and not recognizing the legacy in the country genre of black artists after snubbing Beyoncé eighth studio album Cowboy Carter , as well as
24624-463: The stepfather of one of the victims, and posted similar comments in a letter on the Dixie Chicks website. In November 2008, Hobbs sued Maines and the Dixie Chicks for defamation as a result of her statements. On December 2, 2009, a U.S. federal judge dismissed the defamation case on the grounds that Hobbs had not shown the statements were made with actual malice . A proposed April 2008 commercial spot to promote Al Gore 's " We Campaign " involving both
24795-404: The style. Beginning in the mid-1950s, and reaching its peak during the early 1960s, the Nashville sound turned country music into a multimillion-dollar industry centered in Nashville, Tennessee ; Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves were two of the most broadly popular Nashville sound artists, and their deaths in separate plane crashes in the early 1960s were a factor in the genre's decline. Starting in
24966-659: The subgenre. Dudley is known as the father of truck driving country. During the mid-1980s, a group of new artists began to emerge who rejected the more polished country-pop sound that had been prominent on radio and the charts, in favor of more, traditional, "back-to-basics" production. Many of the artists during the latter half of the 1980s drew on traditional honky-tonk, bluegrass, folk and western swing. Artists who typified this sound included Travis Tritt , Reba McEntire , George Strait , Keith Whitley , Alan Jackson , John Anderson , Patty Loveless , Kathy Mattea , Randy Travis , Dwight Yoakam , Clint Black , Ricky Skaggs , and
25137-461: The text of the opening track and first single, " Long Time Gone ", was a pointed criticism of contemporary country music radio, accusing it of ignoring the soul of the genre as exemplified by Merle Haggard , Johnny Cash , and Hank Williams . "Long Time Gone" became the Dixie Chicks' first Top 10 hit on the U.S. pop singles chart and peaked at No. 2 on the country chart, becoming a major success. Approximately six million copies of Home were sold in
25308-467: The three states of Texhomex , those being Tex as , Okla ho ma , and New Mex ico . It became known as honky tonk and had its roots in western swing and the ranchera music of Mexico and the border states, particularly New Mexico and Texas, together with the blues of the American South. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys personified this music which has been described as "a little bit of this, and
25479-481: The title "Country Honk". Described by AllMusic as the "father of country-rock", Gram Parsons' work in the early 1970s was acclaimed for its purity and for his appreciation for aspects of traditional country music. Though his career was cut tragically short by his 1973 death, his legacy was carried on by his protégé and duet partner Emmylou Harris ; Harris would release her debut solo in 1975, an amalgamation of country, rock and roll, folk, blues and pop. Subsequent to
25650-457: The top four awards in a single year: Entertainer of the Year , Album of the Year , Male Vocalist/Female Vocalist/Group/Duo of the Year and Song of the Year : Vince Gill, in 1993 and Alan Jackson, in 2002. When presenting the Entertainer of the Year award at the 1975 ceremony, Charlie Rich , who appeared to be intoxicated after drinking backstage and was allegedly taking pain medication for
25821-505: The trio walked away, with Sony suing the group for failure to complete their contract. The Dixie Chicks responded with their own $ 4.1-million lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment on August 27, which added clout to claims made by singers Courtney Love , Aimee Mann , and LeAnn Rimes against the recording industry. After months of negotiation, the Dixie Chicks settled their suit privately, and were awarded their own record label imprint, Open Wide Records, which afforded them more control,
25992-437: The trucking song subgenre following the success of Six Days on the Road and asked Red Simpson to record an album of trucking songs. Haggard's White Line Fever was also part of the trucking subgenre. The country music scene of the 1940s until the 1970s was largely dominated by western music influences, so much so that the genre began to be called "country and western". Even today, cowboy and frontier values continue to play
26163-474: The usual pressures of the studio technicians from the major labels. The songs they didn't write were solicited from songwriters who wrote with a less commercial emphasis. The result was that Home , independently produced by Lloyd Maines and the Dixie Chicks, was released August 27, 2002. Unlike the Dixie Chicks' two previous records, Home is dominated by up-tempo bluegrass and pensive ballads; and Emmylou Harris added her vocals to "Godspeed". In addition,
26334-405: The way I'm doin' it now, man for more years than I know." Within a few years, many rockabilly musicians returned to a more mainstream style or had defined their own unique style. Country music gained national television exposure through Ozark Jubilee on ABC-TV and radio from 1955 to 1960 from Springfield, Missouri . The program showcased top stars including several rockabilly artists, some from
26505-425: The wrong message to Sony; they all agreed she would leave before the new album. In a 1996 interview, Lynch said, "It can't really be characterized as a resignation. There are three Dixie Chicks, and I'm only one." In 2003, Lynch said she had no regrets about leaving. With the addition of Maines, the new lineup had a more contemporary sound, as well as a new look, leaving their cowgirl dresses with their past, giving
26676-473: The year of rockabilly in country music. Rockabilly was an early form of rock and roll , an upbeat combination of blues and country music. The number two, three and four songs on Billboard's charts for that year were Elvis Presley , " Heartbreak Hotel "; Johnny Cash , " I Walk the Line "; and Carl Perkins , " Blue Suede Shoes ". Reflecting this success, George Jones released a rockabilly record that year under
26847-584: Was "introduced to the world as a Southern phenomenon." Migration into the southern Appalachian Mountains , of the Southeastern United States , brought the folk music and instruments of Europe and the Mediterranean Basin along with it for nearly 300 years, which developed into Appalachian music . As the country expanded westward, the Mississippi River and Louisiana became a crossroads for country music, giving rise to Cajun music . In
27018-731: Was "zero hesitation" when the group was asked to do the show. In July 2013, the Court Yard Hounds released their second album, Amelita . That month, the band replaced Lady Antebellum as headliners at Canada's Craven Country Jamboree , and later performed at the Ottawa Bluesfest and the Cavendish Beach Music Festival . In October, the Dixie Chicks resumed touring for the Long Time Gone Tour through various cities across Canada and Europe. The tour incorporated
27189-438: Was already an established country star) all recorded significant country hits in the early 1980s. Sales in record stores rocketed to $ 250 million in 1981; by 1984, 900 radio stations began programming country or neocountry pop full-time. As with most sudden trends, however, by 1984 sales had dropped below 1979 figures. Truck-driving country music is a genre of country music and is a fusion of honky-tonk , country rock and
27360-563: Was an important component of this style. The Nashville Sound collapsed in mainstream popularity in 1964, a victim of both the British Invasion and the deaths of Reeves and Cline in separate airplane crashes. By the mid-1960s, the genre had developed into countrypolitan . Countrypolitan was aimed straight at mainstream markets, and it sold well throughout the later 1960s into the early 1970s. Top artists included Tammy Wynette , Lynn Anderson and Charlie Rich , as well as such former "hard country" artists as Ray Price and Marty Robbins . Despite
27531-593: Was another country musician from the Lower Great Plains who had become very popular as the leader of a " hot string band ," and who also appeared in Hollywood westerns . His mix of country and jazz , which started out as dance hall music, would become known as western swing . Wills was one of the first country musicians known to have added an electric guitar to his band, in 1938. Country musicians began recording boogie in 1939, shortly after it had been played at Carnegie Hall , when Johnny Barfield recorded "Boogie Woogie". The third generation (1950s–1960s) started at
27702-584: Was initially called hillbilly boogie, or okie boogie (later to be renamed country boogie), became a flood beginning in late 1945. One notable release from this period was the Delmore Brothers ' "Freight Train Boogie", considered to be part of the combined evolution of country music and blues towards rockabilly . In 1948, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith achieved top ten US country chart success with his MGM Records recordings of " Guitar Boogie " and "Banjo Boogie", with
27873-634: Was known as the Bakersfield sound . It relied on electric instruments and amplification, in particular the Telecaster electric guitar, more than other subgenres of the country music of the era, and it can be described as having a sharp, hard, driving, no-frills, edgy flavor—hard guitars and honky-tonk harmonies. Leading practitioners of this style were Buck Owens , Merle Haggard , Tommy Collins , Dwight Yoakam , Gary Allan , and Wynn Stewart , each of whom had his own style. Ken Nelson , who had produced Owens and Haggard and Rose Maddox became interested in
28044-536: Was most popular with country fans in the 1950s; one of the first rock and roll superstars was former western yodeler Bill Haley , who repurposed his Four Aces of Western Swing into a rock and roll band in the early 1950s and renamed it the Comets . Bill Haley & His Comets are credited with two of the first successful rock and roll records, " Crazy Man, Crazy " of 1953 and " Rock Around the Clock " in 1954. 1956 could be called
28215-399: Was now contributing to the band's sound, adding guitar, accordion , sitar , and papoose to her mastery of the five-string banjo and dobro , while Maguire began adding guitar, viola, and mandolin chops more frequently to her expert fiddle. The sisters welcomed the change; Maguire said, "It's very rootsy, but then Natalie comes in with a rock and blues influence. That gave Emily and [me]
28386-413: Was perhaps the only musician to have major success in both the country and folk revival genres throughout his career, later only a handful of artists like Burl Ives and Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot successfully made the crossover to country after folk revival fell out of fashion. During the mid-1950s a new style of country music became popular, eventually to be referred to as rockabilly. In 1953,
28557-454: Was produced by Rick Rubin who had worked with hard rock acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and System of a Down , as well as idiosyncratic singers such as Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond . The band felt they had nothing to lose by a newer approach, and possibly quite a bit to gain. The three Chicks co-wrote every song on the album, alongside various other songwriters, including Neil Finn of Crowded House . The album contains references to
28728-453: Was special because it was so autobiographical, and we had to get it right. And once we had that song done, it freed us up to do the rest of the album without that burden." She said writing the song had become their "therapy", since they had to hold in so many stored emotions for so long. Thus, the band considered the album not so much political as very personal. Taking the Long Way was released in stores and online on May 22, 2006. The album
28899-515: Was taken from the album Dixie Chicken by Lowell George of Little Feat . They initially played predominantly bluegrass and a mix of country standards . All four women played and sang, though Maguire and Strayer provided most of the instrumentation while Lynch and Macy shared lead vocal duties. Maguire primarily played fiddle , mandolin , and viola, while Strayer's specialties included five-stringed banjo and resonator guitar . In 1987, Maguire had won second place, and in 1989, third place in
29070-574: Was the first to revert to country music with his 1967 album John Wesley Harding (and even more so with that album's follow-up, Nashville Skyline ), followed by Gene Clark , Clark's former band the Byrds (with Gram Parsons on Sweetheart of the Rodeo ) and its spin-off the Flying Burrito Brothers (also featuring Gram Parsons), guitarist Clarence White , Michael Nesmith ( the Monkees and
29241-452: Was the top-charting country artist of the 1950s, with 13 of his singles spending 113 weeks at number one. He charted 48 singles during the decade; 31 reached the top ten and 26 reached the top four. By the early 1950s, a blend of western swing, country boogie, and honky tonk was played by most country bands, a mixture which followed in the footsteps of Gene Autry , Lydia Mendoza , Roy Rogers , and Patsy Montana . Western music, influenced by
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