Dixie Chicks

Biography: In the late '90s, the Dixie Chicks rose from relative obscurity to become the best-selling country act of 1998. But this trio from Dallas is by no means an "overnight success," having paid their dues for nearly a decade playing in a variety of venues such as barbeque joints, nursing homes, grocery stores and street corners. Fiddler Martie Seidel and dobro/guitarist Emily Robison, with original vocalists Laura Lynch and Robin Macy, released their bluegrass-heavy indie debut, Thank Heavens for Dale Evans, in 1990 and got national attention when they were asked to perform at President Clinton's 1993 inauguration. They released two more independent albums, though Macy left in 1992 and Lynch was replaced with Natalie Maines, daughter of noted Texas steel guitarist and producer Lloyd Maines in 1995. The reconfigured trio signed to Sony's Monument imprint in 1997 for the release of Wide Open Spaces, the best-selling country album of 1998. The album sold more than six million copies, making it the biggest selling debut ever by a country group. They also took home a Grammy that year for "Best Country Album." The Dixie Chicks followed up in 1999 with the equally successful Fly, which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, spawned two bit hits, "Ready to Run" and "Goodbye Earl," sold more than 2.8 million copies and won the group their second "Best Country Album" award at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. When it came time to record their third LP, the Dixie Chicks got involved in an ugly legal battle with their record label, Sony, over royalty payments. In the end, the Dixie Chicks were awarded an undisclosed amount of money and given their own record label, Open Wide Records, a decision that many lauded as coup for artist rights. In 2002, the Dixie Chicks took part in the Fifth Annual VH1 Divas show in Las Vegas, along with Mary J. Blige, Cher and Celine Dion. Then came their long-awaited album, Home, a blue-grass heavy, acoustic record that features songs written by Patty Griffin and Bruce Robison as well as Dixie Chick's originals and a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide."… Expand