Kamala Harris Accepts Presidential Nomination at Democratic National Convention

Chicago – The 2024 Democratic National Convention concluded Thursday with Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting the party's presidential nomination. The finale also featured a performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by The Chicks, formerly known as "The Dixie Chicks."

The group changed their name in 2020, stating on their website, "We want to meet this moment," signed by members Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer. The name change was driven by the association of "Dixie" with Confederate states. Around the same time, they released "March March", a song featuring protest footage and listing names like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

In a July 2020 interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," the band revealed they considered changing their name to "M.E.N.," jokingly transitioning "from chicks to MEN." Maines shared that they had long wanted to rebrand, using "DCX" and "The Chicks" interchangeably, finally making the change in June 2020.

Political Statements and History

The group is known for their political stances. During a 2022 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen", Maines quipped, "I might actually make out with George Bush today... it would be a huge love fest if I saw George Bush right now because of where we’re at with this current president."

Despite their popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band was shunned by country radio in 2003 after Maines criticized then-President George W. Bush. They told Cohen they hadn't encountered the Bush family since but had met them previously.

Contributing: Morgan Hines & Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.