I support the Dixie Chicks and am proud of their success. I have known beautiful and outspoken Natalie since she was born although I don't know her well. Her Father, Lloyd Maines, is the best steel guitar player in the world. He's one of the best record producers in Texas. I managed the Joe Ely Band when they first started out. Lloyd was in the band. We are all from Lubbock, Texas.

Our newspaper, radio stations, and record stores are really down on Natalie here in Lubbock. The talk show callers are vicious. The Maines family have received death threats. We have a Walk of Fame for locally born celebrities. Natalie Maines has zero chance of being included. This week she was on the cover of Time, on 60 Minutes, National Public Radio, Good Morning Ameria, and all over the news. They are the top selling female vocal group of all time.

One song, Lubbock or Leave, It makes fun of Lubbock and our red-necked hperconservative culture. There are TV and newspaper articles about this controversy each day in Lubbock. Talk show callers express vicious anger.

For three generations the Maines family have been supernaturally gifted West Texas musicians.

Natalie Maines is one of the best vocalists alive today.

She is certainly the single best publiicist and media person working a product in the global market this year. Go Natalie !

How about a song about laughing all the way to the bank.? Or that funny word billioniare.

The Dixie Chicks are going to start their tour in Jolly Old England where she has a history of cracking wise. I love this. Johnny Hughes

Country music doesn't do much for me but the whole "boycott/ban the band for having a political view that I broadly disagree with" thing was pathetic. Music is about personal expression and point of view; effectively censoring an artist for having a (relatively tame, compared to some) political viewpoint is just laughable.

I DONT DRINK TEA... SO SUCKIT...

In the words of Larry the Cable Guy (paraphrased)

"The Dixie Chicks base (country music fans) is mostly in the rural south, primarily republican conservatives. When you tell these people that you are ashamed of the (republican conservative) president then it's just like getting on a bullhorn in the middle of a trailer park and saying that Walmart sucks."

Personally, I liked them more after she said that. She does have a killer voice (check out her guest spot on "Strong Enough" from the Sheryl Crow Live in Central Park album.)