Stars and Strife

Image credit: The Dixie Chicks by James White

Within the country community, you're being pitted against more traditional, flag-waving stars Toby Keith (who gets a big cheer on tour projecting a doctored image of Natalie and Saddam) and Darryl Worley -- with those two winning in a landslide.
MAINES I don't agree with what Toby Keith says, at all. But I like that he speaks up. It may be the safe side of speaking up, because he knows that everyone in the genre is going to agree with him [laughs]. But everyone has the right to say something, and he does. I respect that more than people who say nothing.

You haven't had a lot of support from other country stars.
MAINES It took a while, and we were disappointed by that. But we heard that Faith Hill finally spoke up at the Flameworthy Awards.... We were starting to think, This is gonna be really hard to show up at award shows...
ROBISON Where we're not nominated anymore! [Laughter]
MAINES Yeah, we probably won't be showing up.... People make assumptions, how if you play one type of music, you're a certain way. But we surprised [the rock] audience as much as the country audience. They never in a million years thought that we wouldn't want to go to war. [Pause] Did I say ''we''? Do I need to say ''I''? [Laughter]

Will you address these issues from the stage when you tour?
MAINES You know, if we don't get a lot of boos... If I say anything, it'll just be a thank-you -- just for being fans.

Any thoughts on how this will ultimately play out?
ROBISON I think it will go down in history as a sign of the times. Will we bounce back? Will we end up not on country radio? I don't know. But I do think it's a sign of everyone's just being scared right now -- scared to speak up, scared to question. But our country's based on asking questions. Especially in a time of war. Especially when people's lives are at stake.
MAINES I feel patriotic -- and strong. We will continue to be who we are. People think this'll scare us and shut us up, and it's gonna do the opposite. They just served themselves a huge headache. [Laughter] But that's not a threat!