#‘The Chicks’ sing national anthem at DNC in first major performance under new name

The artists formally known as the Dixie Chicks gave their first nationwide performance as “The Chicks” on Thursday, singing the National Anthem at the Democratic convention.

The country trio sung a powerful cappella rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner via tape at the start of the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention where Joe Biden will formally accept the party’s nomination.

The 13-time Grammy-winning band changed their name in June under political pressure, dropping the “Dixie” which refers to the Maison-Dixon line which separated the free and slave-owning southern states.

Spurned by a nationwide conversation on race after the death of George Floyd, critics said the band name was offensive.

Members Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer, Martie Maguire said they picked “that stupid name” as teenagers and claimed in an interview with Variety that they had wanted to change it for years.