says. “There are all these awful pre-
dictions, but does that mean we just
throw in the towel? No. We have to
try, and it has to start at the govern-
ment level.”
It occurs to me that it wasn’t just
Maines that night in London. These
three women—these three talented,
outspoken women—are formidable.
Almost two decades ago, all three
decided they wouldn’t issue an apol-
ogy for their beliefs in order to salvage
album sales and skyrocketing careers.
Not only do they not hesitate to wield
their strength, but they use all means
at their disposal to exercise it. The per-
sonal is political in everything they do.
So where does that leave them?
Emerging from a long hiatus with
their microphones turned to full vol-
ume is where. It is the next day. We
are backstage at the Allure photo
shoot. I want to know if they still
feel like they are part of the country-
music world.
“No, absolutely no,” says Maines.
“When we started doing this music,
I liked the people in our industry. We
always waved that country flag when
people would say it wasn’t cool. And
then to see how quickly the entire
industry turned on us...
“I was shocked that people thought
that we were different than what we
were,” she continues. “I always felt like
we were so genuine.”
Soon enough, our time together is
over. Their hair and makeup is done.
The photographer is waiting. And the
three introverts are due on set.
be...an accountant. A dentist. A maga-
zine writer. The conversation is a whole
different thing when you’re a rock star.
“I would never be like, ‘Let’s listen to
Mom’s album!’” says Maines. “But Slade,
my oldest, tells me, ‘You know what
your best song on Taking the Long Way
is?’ I’m like, ‘You’re listening to that?’”
“My kids’ friends had to tell them
[I was one of the Dixie Chicks],”
Strayer says. “They just think you’re
lame when you’re in your sweatpants
driving them to school.... I picked her
up one day after the tour, and she
goes, ‘Mom, can you please just one
day pick me up in your stage outfit?’
Oh, my God, can you imagine?” says
Maguire.
Like any parents with children com-
ing of age, these women foist both
hope and onus on the generation that
follows. “I actually feel like there’s a shift
happening right now,” says Maguire.
“I’m amazed when I hear my daugh-
ters with their friends. They’ll just talk
openly about, ‘Yeah, he used to be a
girl and now he’s a boy.’ It gives me a lot
of hope.... It’s so matter of fact. It’s like
they’re saying blue and yellow makes
green. I love that.”
“It’s the young people that are going
to save the world,” says Strayer, maybe
joking, maybe not entirely. “I’ve been
buying all the reusable this, that, and
the other, and I think it’s just starting.”
Maguire takes it a step further, and
somehow when she speaks about
the climate crisis, it feels personal.
“We’ve never been at this point, but
there is no choice but to try,” she
everybody can play drums? I’m like,
‘Really?’” She picks up phantom drum-
sticks and does a very convincing job
of playing the drums with no rhythm.
“My daughter’s picking up the
fiddle,” Strayer continues. “And she
plays the banjo. That feels really good,
because maybe it wouldn’t have...”
Been that way if she didn’t have a role
model? It wouldn’t have...been realis-
tic for a young woman to think playing
the banjo was a viable career? Or it
wouldn’t have...been possible for a girl
to dream about going into the spotlight
with a violin in her hand?
None of them wants to take credit
for it, but it’s undeniable that the Dixie
Chicks laid the groundwork for women
to walk onstage and contribute more
than their voices and their looks.
“At the Grammys, how many per-
formances were with women play-
ing instruments?” asks Maguire. “Is it
still surprising that a female can play
an instrument proficiently?” Maines
agrees: “I don’t know about you guys,
but when I see a girl rip a guitar solo,
I’m blown away. It’s still very rare.”
Do they ever get used to being rec-
ognized in public? Strayer squints and
pretends to be a person on the street
asking, “Are you Sandra Bullock?”
“At least you don’t get ‘What’s the
difference between a violin and a fid-
dle?’” says Maguire.
“I never want to leave my house,
ever. I hate going out,” says Maines.
“I’m an introvert.”
“I’m such an introvert,” says Maguire.
“Natalie wears the same thing every
day,” says Strayer, and then, “Natalie,
we need to burn the Miley Cyrus
hoodie.”
“Never! Besides, I have three.”
Introverts, being recognized, going
onstage, singing their stories raw on a
new album—it puts the idea of getting
older in a new light.
“We were joking last night. We were
like, ‘Okay, who is Sharon Osborne’s
plastic surgeon?’” says Strayer. “She
looks great.”
“Oh, I wasn’t joking,” says Maines.
“Whoever [is] her plastic surgeon, I’m
calling.”
“Ultherapy—have you heard of that?
Ultherapy?” (Maguire.)
“Ulthera?” (Strayer.)
“Ultherapy? Old therapy? Is that
real? Old-lady therapy?” (Maines.)
Anyone with children will arrive at
a point at which you realize you were
your kid’s age when you decided to
Sister Act
Left: Calzedonia tights. Details, see
allure.com/credits.
Milestones
At the 2003 Grammy
telecast, the Dixie
Chicks collected the
award for best country
album (top). They
went on to sweep the
2006 Grammys,
winning album and
record of the year,
among other honors.
In 2016, their genre-
busting performance
with Beyoncé at the
CMA Awards slayed
the night (bottom).
FRANK M
ICELOTTA
/GETTY IMAGES. IMAGE GROUP LA/WALT DISNEY TELEVISION VIA GETTY IMAGES.
