Robin Lynn Macy Lead vocals, harmony, guitar

On this site:

• Introduction To The Site
  The "splash screen," including a very brief introduction to the history of the Dixie Chicks. It features details of where to buy the independent releases and even where to hear them played over the air and online! This page also includes links (with descriptions) to the main sections of the site:
  
  • The Timeline
  • The Discography, which now has a separate section for their post-Natalie releases, and also features a whole page for the 1991 Christmas single.
  • Dixie Chicks Stories (now on four pages: Through 1990, 1991-1994, 1995-1997, and 1998 and later
  • The Dixie Chicks Links
  • Links to Local Country Stations

• Chick Chat Archive
  Before they hit the big time -- and one time after -- the Dixie Chicks sent a newsletter to their loyal fans. The irregularly published Chick Chat was a facinating stream-of-conciousness look into the lives of a group of talented young ladies (and gentlemen) struggling with life on the road. Several issues were provided by Jay Rury, whose violin shop features Laura Lynch's stand-up bass on display.

  Issues transcribed on this site:

  • Summer 1992
  • Autumn 1992
  • Winter 1992
  • December 1993
  • Spring 1994
  • Fall 1994
  • Spring 1995
  • Fall 1995
  • Winter 1997
  • The Final Mailing, January 1998

• Update Notification
  As the fans of the original Dixie Chicks make the connection between the old bluegrass-oriented group and the "new" group with the No. 1 hits, I discover more and more information about the group's origins and evolution. If you'd like to be informed of updates to this site, then please subscribe to my announcement-only mailing list, hosted by eGroups.com. I'll be sending a short message once or twice a month detailing the latest additions.

  The list is spam-free, and I've set it up so that only I can view the subscription list. To subscribe online (and view past messages), use this link, or send a blank email message to originalchicks-subscribe@egroups.com. (To unsubscribe, send a message to the unsubscribe address)

  When the site's volume picks up again, like it did when it was at dixiechicks.com, I may be able to have contests! If I do, here are the semi-official common-sense rules.

• Track-by-track Reviews
  My thoughts on the individual songs, and my opinions on their "New Chicks" prospects. Not all "Old Chicks" songs are created equal, but the pre-Sony discography could be a great source of hits for the "New Chicks." What better way to preserve these songs than to bring them back as Top 10 hits?

  Discs detailed:

  • Thank Heavens For Dale Evans
  • Little Ol' Cowgirl
  • Shouldn't A Told You That

• Sounds CENSORED!
  "Cease And Desist," they said, and I had no choice but to comply. The sound samples from Little Ol' Cowgirl and Thank Heavens For Dale Evans have been removed from my site, even though they've inspired several fans to search out and find the Dixie Chicks' original three indie CD releases.

  More details:

  • For details and links to media reports (including the Dallas Observer feature article), visit the Cease And Desist page.
  • The original Cease And Desist Letter, and my Response
  • An excellent rebuttal of the Observer article, from the Dixie Chicks fan discussion list, is included: In Defense of the "New Chicks"
  • Am I a bad boy? Check out the growing collection of sound samples (in that evil ol' .mp3 format) on the Special Treats page!

• The Dixie Chicks Coloring Book
  If you're frustrated by the few pictures I've found of Laura Lynch -- how is it that she is always turned away or blocked by something? -- then you won't want to miss this. The "Rockin' DC Ranch Coloring Book" shows the Chicks as they were in the "cowgirl" days, complete with hats, horses, and all of those "cowgirl frills" that Natalie Maines just can't stand. It's a wonderfully drawn glimpse into the Chicks' pre-Shania look.

• Robin Lynn Macy -- before and after the Dixie Chicks
  A talented songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, Robin Macy not only helped found the Dixie Chicks but even gave them their name -- a fact never mentioned in the official Sony bio. Robin was also active in the Dallas music scene both before and after her three years with the Cowgirl Band.

  Danger in the Air, featuring Robin Lynn Macy (center). From the 1990 release, Airtight.

  • Danger in the Air (1988-1990)
    This local band, with Robin on lead vocals and four guys on strings, played frequently at Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse, a well-known and still active North Texas folk venue. They issued two self-published cassette releases... you'll find the details here and nowhere else. Also includes the Liner Notes from both releases.

  • Domestic Science Club (1993-1996)
    Although she said "it seemed as if it would take a miracle" to get her on stage again, Robin teamed up with Texas songstress Sara Hickman and friend Patty Lege (credited with Thank Yous in the liner notes of the first two Dixie Chicks albums) to record a CD that was originally going to be given out as a Christmas present to the singers' close friends. But one of the friends was a DJ with some format flexibility, and the self-titled disc was released on the Discovery label. Another release followed in 1996 (it's available at CDnow).

    Detailed info on both release coming soon; meanwhile, visit the Treats section of my Sounds page for more info and samples from that rare first release. A rough version of the page for the first release is now available.

• Liner Notes
  Transcriptions of the liner note "thank yous" from all four Dixie Chicks releases, with some explanations of who and what they're talking about.

• The Dixie Chicks' Greatest Hits
  What if Sony got permission from Crystal Clear to create a Greatest Hits collection encompassing all four of the Chicks' releases? Maybe it would look like this, my dream collection of Chick Hits. This page also includes song lists for all four albums, as well as my dream CD.

• Country Chart Links
  From its release until its peak at #6, I tracked the success of the Dixie Chicks' first national hit, "I Can Love You Better". In the process, I found dozens of radio stations, national publications, and just plain folks who maintained "Top N" lists (where N is a number between 5 and 250). Now, I'm sharing this information with the world on my Charts page, along with my comments on the more notable sites.

• Who did we let Emily marry?
  There are those in the world -- including several on Nici's Dixie Chicks discussion list -- who take things way too seriously. This new page is not for them.

  Texas singer/songwriter Charlie Robison married Emily Erwin in May 1999 in a private service on a ranch in West Texas. The fan discussion list was so happy for the new couple, and we even put together a scrapbook for them. But does the largely teenage crowd on the list know who Charlie is?

  In the spirit of taking things completely out of context, I've put together a little page that won't go over well with some of the more idealistic "New Chicks" fans. You see, Charlie Robison writes songs about the grittier side of the Texas experience. Anyone who expected Emily's husband to be another Tim McGraw might be a bit shaken up.

  Learn a little bit about Emily's black sheep husband -- but for cryin' out loud, don't take it so seriously!

• All-Inclusive Chicks In The News!
  When the Dixie Chicks' management sent their lawyers after my Old Chicks sounds, it sparked a wave of unexpected publicity... from notes in online Nashville insider columns to a feature article in the local Dallas Observer I've put together a page of online "press clippings," including links to the sources and to the articles themselves, where they exist. As Nashville insider Stacy Harris pointed out, "there's no such thing as bad publicity!"

• Transcribed Articles
  Not everthing written about the Dixie Chicks is available online. Here are some articles I've manually transcribed for your review. Please note that these are generally reproduced without permission and remain the property of the respective copyright owners.
  • People Magazine, September 28, 1998
    What is the threshold of fame? Perhaps a feature article in People Magazine would count? The well-written article gives several hints into the group's past as well as its bright present -- I've transcribed the piece and added my own comments in the margins.

  • Australia's Country Update, November 1998
    In an interview of Emily Erwin in Australia's Country Update, Emily Erwin discusses the past and the future of the band with an openness that hasn't always made it into the North American press. Was Emily's Entertainment Weekly quote (where she dismissed the old sound as not "pure" enough) taken out of context? After you read her interview with Country Update, you can decide for yourself!

  • Dallas Life Magazine, March 1992
    A fellow long-time fan of the Dixie Chicks sent me this great article that details the Chicks' struggles to reach the big time on an indie label as they entered the studio to record their second release, Little Ol' Cowgirl. Six months later, the CD was released to critical acclaim and some airplay... but Robin Lynn Macy had left the group. I'll add "notes in the margins" when I find time!

  • The Dallas Morning News, September 1998
    The local paper's review of the Chicks' homecoming concert at the 1998 State Fair Of Texas. I made it to this concert -- the last time I've seen the Chicks in person -- but didn't make it to the end as my whole family was overcome by the heat. They promised to play next year's fair at night... but as of July 1999, the Chicks were not on the Fair's list of artists scheduled to play.

And if you find me feeling lonesome
Don't be ashamed to call my name
And if I seem a bit uneasy
You know that I've only got myself to blame
-- Dixie Chicks, "I've Only Got Myself To Blame", on the CD "Shouldn't A Told You That"

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Last update: 07/15/1999 by Robert Brooks
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