There was a time when the Chicks were best known for their music, but since 2003—when they dissed George W. Bush on a London stage and were all but tarred and feathered by the Nashville establishment—their mere presence has been an inherently political thing. For years, the brand was the public face of left-leaning country music, and though these days they are joined by the likes of Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Mickey Guyton, and the Hill-McGraw couple, the Chicks were the original proudly, loudly liberal country artists.
So it was a no-brainer to have them perform at the Democratic National Convention, which they did this Thursday. The trio of Texas natives—Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer—sang the national anthem before Kamala Harris, now officially the Democratic presidential nominee, took the stage for her keynote address. It was the Chicks’ second time doing so; they also introduced then-nominee Joe Biden at the virtual convention in 2020. This time around, the group took to the Chicago stage around 8 p.m., singing in a three-part harmony that was formidable, if slightly dissonant (not unlike the slate of speakers to come). The national anthem kicked off a group of orators that included Kerry Washington, D. L. Hughley, former secretary of defense Leon Panetta, and, finally, presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Most of those were overshadowed, however, by the rampant rumor that Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, or some other “very special” surprise guest would appear. None did.
The lack of Beyoncé might be the musical moment everyone remembers from this convention, but there were plenty more—many of them involving country artists. Maren Morris sang her song “Better Than We Found It” on Wednesday night, and Mickey Guyton was the week’s first celebrity musical guest, belting out “All American” on night one. Jason Isbell also performed that night, singing “Something More Than Free” before the image of an American flag–painted barn.
Less than three months out from the election, the Democratic party seems to be making a deliberate play to appeal to country music fans, or at least to reclaim the genre. With some finessing—and, we imagine, some songs loudly played during rallies in swing states—maybe country will become associated with a more liberal form of patriotism, and less so with the right.
It’s a smart cultural strategy by the Dems, and it takes advantage of a unique time for country music. The past decade has seen the genre’s fan base grow broader and more inclusive. Beyoncé, who has spent most of 2024 in leather and rhinestones, helped kick things off in 2016, when she performed with the Chicks at the Country Music Association Awards. The Nashville establishment was allegedly so rude and unwelcoming that the experience motivated Queen Bey to press her way further into the genre—which she did with her album Cowboy Carter this spring. Lead single “Texas Hold ’Em” made Beyoncé the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart, a glass ceiling–breaking event that the Harris campaign certainly hopes to emulate.
The Chicks have topped that chart with six different singles, though all came before the George W. Bush diss heard ’round the world. Since then, they have often used their platform to lend country bona fides to a song, artist, or even politician that might need the boost. Quite frankly, in 2024, it would have been more weird if the Democratic Party hadn’t asked them to perform.
