This from The Boston Globe
In 2003, Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines told fans in London that she and her bandmates were ashamed that President Bush was from their home state. In response, Clear Channel Communications struck the group from play lists at its country radio stations.
The music-business insiders who gave the Dixie Chicks five Grammy Awards Sunday night — including three for their song Not Ready to Make Nice — aren’t the same people who shunned the Texas trio four years back. But the Chicks’ resurgence, coupled with other rumblings of discontent within the world of country music, shows how much the nation’s mood has shifted since March 2003.
You know, I said then and I still say I agree Natalie. I told everyone I knew around the country in 1999 and 2000 that George W was a mistake. I guess the lesson I learned from this whole episode is that putting too many stations into the hands of too few lends itself to a shutting down of unpopular voices, especially voices unpopular with the people who control the mikes. This whole experiment in media consolidation has and is a major mistake that we may not recover from.
I watched the Grammy Awards on Sunday and even with the “Chicks” sweep, I was unimpressed with the show. For some reason I would think the “Music Industry” would at least get the sound right. For some reason about half of the performances seemed to be coming out of a well. I am not sure what they should do differently, but at least they should hire someone who can broadcast decent sounding and mixed music. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Source: Another voice: Revenge of the Chicks | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle