Ode to the Dixie Chicks

I have thought about writing this post for quite some time. Today, while on the Metro with nothing to do, I dug out a pen and a tissue from my purse and wrote down how my favorite band makes me feel.

First, I’d like to say that I don’t even enjoy country music—not anymore. At one time in my life it was exciting and great, but now it’s simply too much. However, the Dixie Chicks has surpassed all of that, and over the past five years they have become many things to me.

1. For almost every one of my very best friends, there is a D.C. song I correlate with. For Aimee, there is “Cold Day in July.” For Jo, there is “I Hope” and “Travelling Soldier.” For Micaella, “I hope.” For Beth, “Travelling Soldier.” For Jen, “Taking the Long Way.” For Stephanie, “Lullaby.” Any time I hear one of these songs, I immediately picture myself back with these people, and my heart feels more full.
2. My personal favorite Dixie Chicks song is Landslide. This is mostly due to one of my favorite moments of life. During my Freshman year, on the infamous, annual Quest trip to San Francisco, we were on the third leg of the trip. Aimee was driving Traz (Alcatraz), our newly-dubbed Volvo. Kelsey Roche was the bubbly, singing shotgun, and Jo and I (and someone else I can’t remember) were asleep in the back seat. We had just passed over the California border, and my sister had the Dixie Chicks CD in. It was 5:00 a.m. The sun was rising, and we were going up, over, and around breath-taking, green mountains. In that moment, Landslide came on, and I felt a huge surge of happiness. I tried many times to wake Jo up to show her the beautiful world (and her first glimpse of California), but she was too comfortable and happy sleeping on my shoulder. That is something I both hold against her (that she wouldn’t wake up for her first sight of California, or enjoy my life’s greatest moment with me), and love her more dearly for (that she knew what she wanted, and nothing could take it away from her—after all, she’s quite a strong woman!).
3. The Dixie Chicks has changed me in some ways. In a ministry class in university, we had an assignment to write down the top three things which have affected our views of the world. Many people wrote down more traditional answers, such as The Passion of the Christ film or The Trinity painting, or even Les Miserables. But for me, it was the Dixie Chicks. I feel deeper and more truly me because of some of these songs—either they have shaped who I have become, or they sing to my soul and help me embrace my true nature.
4. Finally, I believe the Dixie Chicks just keeps getting better. It’s certainly true that I grow to love them and their music more all the time—I can listen to it in any mood, anywhere, and feel instantly better. No road trip is complete without the D.C. greatest hits in the stereo. Dozens of moments of my life were made better due to the Dixie Chicks, especially combined with friends, my Volvo, and the sunroof. And, due to writing this post, I have discovered a new album—from two of the three members of the band (the third wasn’t ready to record the album, so it’s temporarily just the sisters) called Court Yard Hounds.

That’s all. Congratulations if you read the whole thing—I’ll give you a pat on the back when I see you!