The Dixie Chicks, formed in the late ‘80s, forged on for 10 years in relative obscurity before finally hitting it big. The group has experienced its fair share of lineup changes since its origin as four Dallas cowgirls performing on street corners. The group spent time playing clubs and other small venues in pursuit of making it big. The Dixies introduced people to their blend of country, folk and bluegrass with the 1990 indie-label release Thanks Heavens for Dale Evans. On their follow-up, Little Ol' Cowgirl, the group began to refine their sound, which led to the first departure of a member. The group continued on as a fairly unknown trio for most of the ‘90s.Towards the end of the decade, some members were spurned from the group in an effort to create a younger image, while artistic differences also played their part. The addition of singer Natalie Maines and an image makeover shortly before their 1998 breakthrough effort, Wide Open Spaces, seemed to put the group over the top. The Dixies experienced their first top ten hit off Wide Open Spaces and even saw the song "There's You Trouble" climb to the top of the country charts. The album earned the band several awards, including a Grammy for Best Country Album. The record remains the best-selling duo or group record in country music history.The Dixies have continued to release albums with great success since their breakthrough effort. In 2002, the group joined the Las Vegas VH1 Divas Show along with the likes of Cher and Mary J. Blige. Their most recent effort, Taking the Long Way, was a chart-topper and showed that the group is still going strong nearly a decade after their big break. The Dixies have endured through controversy and maintained consistent success as one of the premiere female country bands out there.
