Three years ago on a London stage, Natalie Maines set off a storm of controversy that is following the Dixie Chicks to this day. Whether you love them or hate them, they are back. The new CD is reported to have been a way for the ladies to work thru the emotions and frightening things they faced in the wake of the statement heard around the world. Death threats, CD’s being destroyed and being dropped from country radio are just a few of the things that have happened in the last few years to the Chicks.

Not Ready to Make Nice is the first single off the new CD and it is an in your face type of song. Natalie, Martie and Emily have put their hurt and anger out there for the world to see. Sometimes it seems that the term Freedom of Speech has been forgotten by both sides of the controversy. The Chicks and their fans on one side and the people that don’t agree on the other side. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether on the US soil or abroad, should it really affect their ability to perform or sell CD’s? Not in a perfect world, but we don’t live in a perfect world and it doesn’t look like the controversy is going to die down anytime soon with the Chicks making appearances on 60 Minutes and other places to promote the newest offering. No one can deny their talent, but can the conservative, patriotic crowd of country music move on from the statements made and take the Dixie Chicks back into the fold, we’ll have to wait and see.

The dates and places of the tour are:

7/21 – Detroit, MI
7/22 – Pittsburgh, PA
7/23 – Columbus, OH
7/25 – Philadelphia, PA
7/28 – Albany, NY
7/29 – Boston, MA
8/1 – New York, NY
8/4 – Washington DC
8/13 – Milwaukee, WI
8/15 – Chicago, IL
8/18 – Minneapolis, MN
8/20 – Kansas City, MO
8/22 – St Louis, MO
8/23 – Indianapolis, IN
8/24 – Des Moines, IA
8/26 – Fargo, ND
9/3 – Phoenix, AZ
9/6 – Fresno, CA
9/8 – Sacramento, CA
9/9 – Oakland, CA
9/14 – Los Angeles, CA
9/16 – Las Vegas, NV
9/23 – Omaha, NE
9/24 – Denver, CO
9/26 – Oklahoma City, OK
9/27 – Memphis, TN
9/29 – Dallas, TX
9/30 – Houston, TX
10/1 – Austin, TX
10/3 – Nashville, TN
10/5 – Tampa, FL
10/6 – Jacksonville, FL
10/7 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
10/17 – Atlanta, GA
10/20 – Knoxville, TN
10/22 – Greensboro, NC
10/27 – Ottawa
10/28 – Toronto
11/4 – Edmonton, Alberta
11/5 – Calgary, Alberta
11/8 – Vancouver, British Columbia
11/9 – Portland, OR
11/11 – Tacoma, WA