17 years ago one of the biggest controversies in country music erupted after all-girl band, The Chicks, made statements at a concert that did not sit well with much of the American people.
The Dixie Chicks spoke out against the invasion of Iraq in 2003 when no one else would.
They paid for it with their career.
Shaming. Radio bans. Boycotts. Blacklisted. Death threats.
They came back even stronger, not ready to make nice.#InternationalWomensDay #WomenInMusic pic.twitter.com/1EZAe1HWsf— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) March 8, 2018
On March 10th, 2003 – The Chicks were out on tour in London, performing for a crowd of thousands and they were at the height of their popularity. It was just nine days before the United States would invade Iraq.
Lead vocalist Natalie Maines said this to the audience: “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.”
Following the boycott, backlash, and intense controversy that exploded after these statements, The Chicks wrote and released a song titled, “Not Ready to Make Nice” that addressed how they felt about the controversy.
To provide an answer to the statements and controversy started by the band, U.S. Marine David Thibodeaux wrote his own lyrics to the same tune in a song he calls, “Not Ready To End The Fight.”
Just 23 years old at the time he wrote the song, Thibodeaux addresses many of the talking points surrounding the controversy, the Iraq war, and how he cannot forgive them for what they’ve said and the angst caused by their words.
Watch this powerful response to the intense 2003 controversy below.