Brief
The Chicks release expanded 20th‑anniversary edition of ‘Taking the Long Way’
The expanded edition arrives as the trio celebrates two decades since the Grammy‑winning album reshaped their place in country music.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Chicks have issued an expanded 20th‑anniversary edition of their 2006 Grammy‑winning album Taking the Long Way, marking two decades since its release.
The reissue arrives amid a broader resurgence of the trio’s profile, including a North‑American tour that features three consecutive shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre in October 2026 (see earlier Felo coverage). The original album, released after the 2003 controversy when lead singer Natalie Maines said she was “ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,” had been dropped by Nashville’s Music Row but gained a new, post‑genre fanbase.
Rolling Stone notes that the anniversary edition is “just reissued as a new, expanded edition,” and highlights that the band continues to use their platform for activism, citing Maines’ recent jokes about Mitch McConnell during tour banter and the song “Gaslighter’s ‘March March’” as examples of ongoing political engagement.
The article also references the enduring impact of the track “Not Ready to Make Nice,” describing it as “one of the fiercest musical go‑to‑hells” that still resonates twenty years later.
Key facts
- The Chicks released an expanded 20th‑anniversary edition of ‘Taking the Long Way’ (rollingstone.com)
- The original album was released in 2006 and won a Grammy (rollingstone.com)
- Natalie Maines’ 2003 comment about the U.S. president led Nashville to drop the trio (rollingstone.com)
- The band is touring in 2026 to celebrate the album’s anniversary, with shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre (rollingstone.com)
Sources
- [1] rollingstone.com — originally reported as “The Chicks Never Abandoned Country Music. 'Taking the Long Way' Is the Proof”
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