Natalie Maines Still Isn't Ready To Make Nice--Even When She Probably Didn't Intend To Be Mean In The First Place. Oh Well!

By Pete Freedman Mon., Dec. 8 2008 at 1:09 PM

Categories: DFW Music News

This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one: Natalie Maines, of the one-time Dallas-based Dixie Chicks, is in the news again, this time because she's, like, totally getting sued by this guy who is upset at claims that Maines, who's no stranger to controversy, once made that basically suggested that he killed his 8-year-old step-son and his step-son's two friends (also 8 years old.)

Can't imagine why he's up in arms over Maines' accusation (which, to be fair, was more of an argument in defense of the three men who were convicted of the murders than anything), but now Terry Hobbs, the man Maines pointed her finger at, is pretty upset about it. So much so that he's suing the sassiest, most outspoken Dixie Chick! For defamation! (Or so reports Idolator this morning, via CMT)

My thoughts on this matter? Well, glad you asked. See, I have two...

1) Maines' using her celebrity to call out an otherwise innocent man and well, kinda, sorta accuse him of murder is pretty much exactly why people who hate Bono say "Musicians should stick to music, not politics!" even though most people can agree that Bono's efforts against poverty and global warming are probably pretty OK, for the most part. Probably because he's not calling any one particular person out for murder--instead HE'S CALLING US ALL OUT, COLLECTIVELY FOR KILLING OUR PLANET AND/OR AFRICA. Which, now that I see it in all caps, might be worse.

2) The good thing is, we can cross our fingers and hope that Maines now writes a hit single called "I'm Not Ready To Pay Reparations". Hey, it could happen. --Pete Freedman