Natalie Maines Compares a Return to Country Music to ‘Going Back to Your Abusive Husband’

At this point, singer Natalie Maines is probably better known for the things she says than the songs she sings. Her opinionated personality helped fuel her band, the Dixie Chicks' huge success, and pretty much single handedly undid the all-female trio. Now Maines is at it again, calling the treatment she's received from country music fans to spousal abuse.

It's no exaggeration to say the Dixie Chicks were the hottest group in country music in 2003 when Maines’ comments about President George W. Bush at a London, England concert happened. Sympathizing with Britain's disgust with Bush's decision to invade Iraq, Maines announced on stage,

“Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.”

That was the beginning of the end of the Dixie Chicks' reign. The backlash from that episode brought the group's career to an abrupt halt, and the band underwent an onslaught of harassment, up to, and including, death threats. While the band still saw success with their 2006 CD ‘Taking the Long Way’, and the fitting song 'I'm Not Ready to Make Nice', and they have a handful of Grammy Awards to show for it, the band never fully recuperated on the country music charts or in the minds of country fans. Currently, the state of the Dixie Chicks is uncertain.

Maines appeared at the MusiCares Person of the Year event in Los Angeles last week, and Katie Cook from CMT asked her what she thinks of country music these days, and added that many fans still love her and her band. Natalie responded:

“You still love me [laughs]. Lots of people don’t love me. You know what? It’s kind of like going back to your abusive husband. I’m just not feeling it. I’m sorry.”

When Cook responded, “We won’t hit you anymore,” the singer responded with another laugh and, “Ah, yeah, right. That’s what they all say."

While the Dixie Chicks' future is uncertain, the band has been announced as a replacement for Lady Antebellum at the 2013 Craven Country Jamboree in Canada. And the stubborn Maines isn't ready to disappear. Her her debut solo CD - a rock album - is scheduled for release on May 7th.