Dixie Chicks Speak On Being Blacklisted After Statement About George W. Bush: “I Think We Needed A Break – Maybe Not 14 Years”

The Dixie Chicks recently appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and opened up about making a comeback after being blacklisted for 14 years over their comments on George W. Bush.

On March 10, 2003, the Dixie Chicks were performing at a concert in London, nine days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when lead singer Natalie Maines told the audience: “We don’t want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” Maines’s statement garnered a positive reaction from the then British audience, but it eventually became the detriment of their success.

Now, the music group is reemerging with new music and discussing their break from the industry. “We have nine kids, and we’ve been raising our children,” Maines explained. “I know for me … when they got to the age for school and to have their own lives and their own friends, I just wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and make their lives about them and not about me.”

Co-singer, Emily Strayer, then brought up Maines’ 2003 statement about Bush. “I want to be honest. I think after the whole controversy — and that feels like eons ago — but we were pretty worn out at the same time. I don’t know; I think we needed a break — maybe not 14 years.” #MartieMaguire chimed in,” We needed to get mad again and have something to write about,” Maguire said.

DeGeneres then asked how the group felt about being one of the first victims of cancel culture. “I think we were one of the first people to feel that cancel culture and I think what we said back then — what I said back then — would not even be a thing today because it was really mild compared to what people say today, So, on one hand, everyone has this platform where they can say whatever they want to say. But, on the other hand, this platform can move really quickly and, yeah, ruin people’s lives,” said Maines.

DeGeneres called the issue a “sad reality” and ended the convo with: “I think we need to get back to where we all just celebrate our differences, and we all have different opinions, and it’s OK to have strong opinions. As long as you’re not hurting somebody else, you can speak your opinion.”