Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, is ready to make her mark as a solo artist.
While the Dixie Chicks will play festivals across Canada this summer, Maines released solo album on Tuesday after a period of laying low since the group's 2006 album release "Take the Long Way Home."
The album featured the single "Not Ready to Make Nice," Maines' lyrical response to hate messages she received following her 2003 anti-Bush comments while performing with the Dixie Chicks. Together the Dixie Chicks have sold 30 million albums.
But even after earning five Grammy awards with her bandmates for the album, the country singer stepped out of the spotlight. Her seven-year regrouping period manifested "Mother," released Tuesday on Columbia Records.
Maines dives in to acoustic folk rock realms with "Mother," enlisting the help of singer, songwriter Ben Harper to co-produce the release. While her Dixie Chicks bandmates Emily Robinson and Martie Maguire have continued to perform in a side project, the Courtyard Hounds, all will play together May 16 for a benefit concert for the Boston Public Television station KLRU. Neither Robinson or Maguire appear on Maines' album which strays away from the group's traditional bluegrass sound.
NPR offered a preview of the album boasting covers such as Pink Floyd's "Mother," The Jayhawks' "I'd Run Away," Patty Griffin's "Silver Bell" and a version of Jeff Buckley's "Lover, You Should've Come Over" last week.
Harper and Maines will tour together this summer, according to billboard.com. See the two perform "Mother" below.
