It's a First: Chicks Cancel Concert

By Stephen M. Silverman

Monday June 02, 2003 10:00 AM EDT

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Yahoo Buzz
• E-mail

Natalie Maines is once again in trouble for opening her mouth. But this time, it's not political.

She and her fellow Dixie Chicks were forced to cancel a sold-out concert in Cleveland Sunday night because Maines, 29, had a sore throat, the Associated Press reports.

It marks the first time ever that the Chicks have called off a scheduled gig.

"Natalie is not feeling very well. Her throat has some damage to it," said sister Chick Emily Robison, 30. (The third Chick is Martie Seidel, 33.) "She's sick right now and the doctor said, 'If you sing tonight, you're just going to make it worse.'"

The Texas trio, of course, got into a bit of a stew back in March, when Maines told a London audience, on the eve of the war with Iraq, that she and the rest of the group were "ashamed" to be from the same home state at President Bush. Maines later apologized for the remark, yet some fans refused to forgive and forget.

Even so, the Chicks' U.S. concert tour has been a sold-out smash, which is why the Cleveland cancellation -- only 15 minutes before the 7:30 showtime -- stung.

The performance has been rescheduled for June 11.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Maines is currently feuding with singer Toby Keith, 41, who, in reference to Maines's London comment about Bush, started showing in his concerts an altered photo of Maines posing with Saddam Hussein.

Maines retaliated by wearing a T-shirt during the May 21 telecast of the Academy of Country Music Awards bearing the four letters "F.U.T.K." The Sun-Times says the "T.K." stands for Toby Keith.