By Kelli Gustafson – RogersPlace.com
Kicking off the DCX MMXVI Tour earlier this summer, the Dixie Chicks will hit the stage at Rogers Place tomorrow, as one of their scheduled 50 tour stops in Canada and the U.S.
On Thursday, September 29, the multi-platinum selling act will bring their contemporary country sound to Edmonton, marking the first time in 10 years the Chicks have headlined a tour across North America.
First announcing their Rogers Place date during Spring 2016, tickets for the Edmonton tour date included a $1 donation to the Red Cross Alberta Fires Appeal in an effort to raise funds to benefit those affected by the devastating wildfires that swept through Northern Alberta in early May, 2016.
Known for being politically conscious, expressed both on stage and through their lyrics, the top-selling all-female band have not only entertained fans worldwide, but have inspired conversations on social and political issues.
Founding members — and sisters — Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, initially formed the band in 1989. Focused on a bluegrass sound and inspired by their Texas roots, the band adopted its name from American rock band Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken.”
With current lead singer Natalie Maines, the Dixie Chicks embraced their more contemporary country sound which they are most well-known for today, expanding in popularity and pushing past an exclusive country fan base.
Releasing “There’s Your Trouble” and title track “Wide Open Spaces” in 1998, the band achieved enormous commercial success, selling the more CDs at the time than any other country music group combined, with the album reaching diamond status by 2003.
Hailed as one of the most influential bands over the past 20 years, the Dixie Chicks have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and won 13 Grammy Awards.
Other popular tracks include “Cowboy Take Me Away,” “Long Time Gone,” and “Not Ready to Make Nice.”
Opening for the Dixie Chicks at Rogers Place will be singer-songwriter Elle King. Recognized for her single “Ex’s & Oh’s” — a US Top 10 Single with two Grammy nominations — King’s sound incorporates pop, soul, blues, country and rock.
No stranger to the music festival scene, King also incorporates her guitar and banjo skills with her distinct soulful, country and classic rock flare.
Daughter of comedian Rob Schneider and former model London King, the 27-year-old artist maintains a humbling presence through her wit and down-to-earth charisma — both on stage and as expressed through her lyrics.