On this day (July 25) in 2003, Merle Haggard shared his opinion on the backlash the Chicks were facing after making comments about then-President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq. In doing so, he went against the grain of the country music industry. More importantly, he didn’t sacrifice his beliefs or morals to appease the angry mob.
In March 2003, the Chicks–then known as the Dixie Chicks–were playing the first show on their Top of the World tour at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire theatre in London. While introducing the song “Travelin’ Soldier,” Natalie Maines let the crowd know how they felt about the looming war in Iraq. “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all,” she told them. “We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.”
The backlash was intense. Their single, “Landslide,” was climbing the charts, but dropped like a stone as news of her comments spread. Radio stations refused to play their songs. All three members of the group received death threats. Other country artists didn’t come to their defense. In fact, Toby Keith displayed a doctored photo of Maines with Saddam Hussein.
Merle Haggard Defends the Chicks
Many fans stuck with the Chicks through the backlash. At the same time, former vice president Al Gore said that the backlash was more un-American than Natalie Maines’ comments. Bruce Springsteen also stood up for the group. Very few, if any, figures in the country music world came to their aid, though. Then, there was Merle Haggard.
“I don’t even know the Dixie Chicks, but I find it an insult for all men and women who fought and died in past wars when almost the majority of America jumped down their throats for voicing an opinion,” Haggard wrote on his website. “It was like a verbal witch hunt and lynching.”
Later in the month, Haggard expanded on his statement during an interview with Rolling Stone. “They’ve cut such an honest groove in their career,” he said of the Chicks. “Because they don’t like George Bush, we should take their records off? I really found that sort of scary,” he added. “Are we afraid of criticism? And if so, why? It seems to me, we’re guilty, in this country, of doing everything we’ve always opposed my whole life.”
Haggard went on to say that he was almost afraid to speak out. “It got to the point where my wife said, ‘Be careful what you say.’ Well, that’s really not the America I’m used to.”
Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach
The post 23 Years Ago Today, Merle Haggard Called Out the “Verbal Witch-Hunt” Rocking Country Music appeared first on American Songwriter.
Go To Source | Author: Clayton Edwards
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