The Dixie Chicks Dropped the "Dixie" Part in June 2020 — Here's Why They Made the Change

The artists formerly known as the Dixie Chicks are not without their controversy. After the release of their first album, the Chicks sued Sony claiming the company engaged in fraudulent accounting practices and, as such, owed the group over $4 million. When the record label stood its ground, the Chicks left, which resulted in Sony countersuing them for failure to complete their contract. This was later settled privately.

What many people remember the most is what singer Natalie Maines said in 2003 regarding the invasion of Iraq. During a show, she said they were ashamed that then–President Bush was from Texas. This resulted in a huge backlash with radio stations refusing to play their music, and CD-burning protests.

Almost two decades later the band made another statement when they decided to remove "Dixie" from their name. Why did the Dixie Chicks change their name?

Although it's painful, cast your minds back to May 2020. The world was two months into a global pandemic that was both terrifying and heartbreaking. Tensions were already running high when a Black man by the name of George Floyd was brutally murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Protests erupted across the United States as people called out for justice.

According to NPR, a month later the Dixie Chicks quietly announced they were now going by The Chicks. It was less of a declaration and more of a subtle yet significant update. This change was made by way of a new song and video featuring the upgrade. The song, titled "March March," includes references to "current and past public protests involving racial justice, police brutality, gun violence, climate change and LGBTQ rights," per NPR. And by dropping "Dixie," the band appeared to be distancing themselves from any association with the Civil War–era South.

The video highlighted dozens of victims of racially motivated crimes as well as Black people who were victims of police brutality. For more than 60 seconds, the names of people like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, and Amadou Diallo flashed across the screen.

Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer, and Martie Maguire have never said anything publicly about the name change other than one sentence on the band's redesigned website: "We want to meet this moment."