Dixie Chicks Movies

Between 1998 and 2002, it seemed the Dixie Chicks could do no wrong. Their first major-label album, Wide Open Spaces, was a smash hit, topping the country charts and eventually selling 12 million copies, while their subsequent albums Fly and Home respectively moved ten and six million units. Their concert tours were consistent sellouts, making them the most commercially successful female group in the history of the recording industry.
However, things took an unexpected turn for the Dixie Chicks in March 2003; with the United States expected to invade Iraq in a matter of days, the group's Texas-born singer Natalie Maines said during a concert in England, "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas." While the spontaneous quip earned cheers during the show, the Dixie Chicks soon found themselves at the center of a firestorm of controversy at home -- radio stations pulled their music from playlists, conservative political commentators organized boycotts and protests against the groups, and during shows the Chicks became the targets of death threats. As Maines and her bandmates Emily Robison and Martie Maguire weathered the storm, they had things of their own to deal with, including marriages, childbirth, and making a new album with producer Rick Rubin. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck teamed up to follow the Dixie Chicks as they recorded their 2006 album Taking the Long Way, fought back against the accusations lobbed against them, and struggled to hold on to their personal lives in the midst of intense media scrutiny. Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing (titled for a comment shouted at them by a fan) was the result; the film became the first documentary to enjoy its world premiere as a Gala Presentation at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Directed by Steve Goldmann, Our Country chronicles the development of country music from its origins in the last century all the way up to modern times. This IMAX feature is packed with footage of country musicians, and includes music ranging from Jimmie Rodgers to Lyle Lovett and Dolly Parton. Proving that country music is not just a phenomenon of the south, 100 years worth of classic hits are performed in locations as diverse as the Appalachian mountains, the California deserts, and the canyons of Utah, as well as the legendary Grand Ole Opry. Other noted musicians in Our Country include Loretta Lynn, Earl Scruggs, Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill, Crystal Gayle, Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson, and the Dixie Chicks. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

In 2003, country-bluegrass phenoms the Dixie Chicks weathered political controversy to mount one of the most successful arena tours in North American history, select moments of which are captured here for video release. Dixie Chicks: Top of the World Tour features 18 songs including "Goodbye Earl," "Travelin' Soldier," and "Cowboy Take Me Away." ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Following up on her 2000 opus Suspicious River, Lynne Stopkewich directs this documentary about the final Lilith Fair. Launched in 1997 by Sarah McLachlan and a host of other female singer/songwriters, the concert series quickly became one of the most popular, and profitable, tours of the late '90s. Stopkewich, along with her crew, tagged along during the 2000 tour, traveling to 42 shows across the continent. Rising early and crashing late -- often in the bus as it drives to the next destination, Stopkewich's crew quickly gets a taste of the rigors of life on the road. Along the way, they interview fans, crew, tech staff, and the stars. Apart from such documentary footage, Lilith also features performances from McLachlan, Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders, Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, and sundry other. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi