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Emily Strayer

Emily Burns Strayer (née Erwin; born August 16, 1972) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter best known as a founding member of the country band The Chicks, formerly the Dixie Chicks. Alongside her sister Martie Maguire, Strayer co-founded the group in 1989 in Dallas, Texas, initially as a bluegrass ensemble before evolving into a commercially dominant country act with hits from albums including Wide Open Spaces (1998) and Fly (1999). Strayer performs on banjo, dobro, guitar, and other string instruments, contributing to the band's distinctive sound and earning shared Grammy Awards, such as Album of the Year for Taking the Long Way (2007), amid a career marked by both massive success and a major industry backlash following the group's 2003 public opposition to the Iraq War. In addition to her work with The Chicks, Strayer has collaborated on the side project Court Yard Hounds with Maguire and maintains a personal life centered in Texas, where she has been married to Martin Strayer since 2013 and is mother to four children.

Early Life

Family Background and Upbringing

Emily Burns Erwin, later known as Emily Strayer, was born on August 16, 1972, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Her parents, Paul and Barbara Erwin, both private-school teachers, relocated the family from Massachusetts to Dallas, Texas, in 1974 when Emily was approximately two years old. The Erwins settled in Addison, a suburban community on the northern outskirts of Dallas, where Emily spent the majority of her childhood in a stable, middle-class household shaped by her parents' educational professions. She grew up with two older sisters, Julia and Martie (later Martie Maguire), in this culturally conservative Dallas-area environment, which reflected broader Southern traditions and values prevalent in the region during the 1970s and 1980s. This family setting emphasized conventional stability over early specialization, with no documented push toward professional pursuits in Emily's formative years, fostering roots in a traditional suburban context before her interests in music emerged.

Musical Training and Early Performances

Emily Strayer, born Emily Burns Erwin, began her musical training with lessons at the age of seven, following the alongside her older sister Martie. This early exposure emphasized classical techniques, which she later adapted to traditions prevalent in their upbringing. By age ten, she expanded to , developing proficiency in multiple string instruments including and through self-directed practice and familial encouragement. In her teenage years, Strayer and Martie formed the bluegrass band Blue Night Express around 1984 with schoolmates Troy and Sharon Gilchrist, performing traditional material at regional festivals and events. The group made appearances such as at the Walnut Valley Festival in , in 1985, where they showcased instrumental skills rooted in bluegrass circuits. These performances allowed Strayer to refine her multi-instrumental abilities in a live setting, transitioning from formal lessons to practical ensemble experience prior to her involvement in larger acts. Following high school graduation from Greenhill School in , Strayer prioritized music pursuits over extended formal education, committing to full-time performance opportunities that built on her foundational training. This path, driven by demonstrated aptitude in instrumentation, marked her shift from amateur contests and youth ensembles to professional development.

Career

Formation of The Chicks and Early Success

In 1989, sisters Martie Erwin and Emily Erwin co-founded the Dixie Chicks in Dallas, Texas, alongside guitarist Robin Lynn Macy and bassist Laura Lynch, forming a bluegrass quartet inspired by the Little Feat song "Dixie Chicken." The group started as a busking act, performing traditional country and bluegrass covers on street corners, at fairs, conventions, and local venues to build an audience. Emily Erwin, who later became known as Emily Strayer, contributed banjo, guitar, and vocal harmonies, drawing from her early training on the instrument which she began playing at age 10. The band released their debut independent album, , in 1992 on Crystal Clear Records, featuring the original quartet's acoustic sound, but it achieved limited commercial traction. Following Macy's departure that year due to creative differences over the band's direction, the group continued as a trio with Lynch taking lead vocals and released in 1993, which similarly garnered modest sales and regional attention without national breakthrough. These early efforts established a foundation in honky-tonks and circuits but highlighted the need for evolution to reach broader audiences. By 1995, after Lynch's exit, the Erwins recruited as lead singer, introducing electric instrumentation and a more progressive pop-country style while retaining core elements. Strayer expanded her instrumentation to include and bass, enhancing the band's harmonies and texture. Signed to Music's Records imprint in 1997, the trio's major-label debut Wide Open Spaces arrived on January 27, 1998, propelling them from niche performers to mainstream contenders with its blend of traditional roots and contemporary appeal, largely driven by Strayer's instrumental prowess and backing vocals.

Peak Achievements and Commercial Dominance

The Dixie Chicks achieved their commercial zenith with the release of Wide Open Spaces in 1998, which sold over 12 million copies in the United States and earned diamond certification from the RIAA for 10 million units shipped. The album produced multiple chart-topping singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including the title track "Wide Open Spaces," which held the No. 1 position for four weeks, and "There's Your Trouble," another No. 1 hit. Followed by Fly in 1999, which also attained diamond status with over 10 million U.S. sales, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and featured hits like "Cowboy Take Me Away," reaching No. 1 on the country chart, and "Goodbye Earl," peaking at No. 19 on the Hot 100 while topping country airplay. Combined, Wide Open Spaces and Fly sold more than 22 million copies in the U.S. alone by the early 2000s, driven by the band's fusion of traditional country instrumentation with pop sensibilities that broadened their appeal beyond genre boundaries. Emily Strayer, then known as Emily Robison, contributed significantly to this era as the band's , providing , , and foundations that underpinned the albums' bluegrass-infused country sound. She co-wrote tracks such as "Sin Wagon" on alongside and Stephony Smith, and "" with sister Martie Seidel, enhancing the group's songwriting depth and authenticity. These instrumental and compositional elements helped solidify the Dixie Chicks' reputation for innovative arrangements, contributing to their status as the best-selling female group in country music history at the time. The 2002 album further exemplified their dominance, debuting at No. 1 on the with first-week sales of 780,000 copies and eventually selling over 5 million units in the U.S. by early 2003. Incorporating stronger and acoustic elements, Home earned the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the in 2003, recognizing its artistic evolution. Concurrent tours, including the Fly Tour, grossed over $25 million across approximately 50 dates, while the band's overall concert revenues in this period reached tens of millions, underscoring their live draw and establishing them as a top-grossing act in country music. By 2003, the Dixie Chicks had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, cementing their preeminence through empirical commercial metrics rather than mere popularity.

Instruments, Songwriting, and Musical Contributions

Strayer is a whose primary instruments include and , with additional proficiency on , , guitar, , , , and . She began musical training on at age seven and took up at age ten, later expanding to other acoustic string instruments through exposure at festivals and early performances. In studio recordings with , Strayer employs layered arrangements of these instruments to provide rhythmic drive and harmonic texture, enhancing the group's -rooted sound with intricate picking patterns on and resonant slides on . Her instrumental approach evolved from the acoustic purity of the band's early configurations to incorporate electric augmentation and production techniques in later albums, adapting traditional tools like the five-string to hybrid country-rock contexts while maintaining fidelity to and Scruggs-style techniques. Strayer rarely features as a , focusing instead on supportive roles that underscore the ensemble's , such as doubling mandolin lines for density or using for melodic fills. This versatility allows her contributions to bridge authenticity with commercial polish, evident in tracks where adds twangy sustain amid fuller band arrangements. Strayer has co-writing credits on several Chicks songs, including "You Were Mine" from the 1998 album Wide Open Spaces, which she composed with her sister Martie Maguire drawing from their parents' divorce. On the 2006 album Taking the Long Way, she co-authored tracks like "The Long Way Around" alongside Maguire, Natalie Maines, and Dan Wilson, emphasizing themes of resilience through collaborative lyricism rooted in personal narrative. In the Court Yard Hounds project, Strayer provided original songs inspired by her 2008 divorce, contributing to the duo's self-titled 2010 debut with introspective compositions that highlight her shift toward more intimate, harmony-driven structures. These efforts demonstrate her compositional emphasis on emotional directness and instrumental integration, evolving from ensemble support to co-lead creative input in side endeavors.

The 2003 Controversy: Statement, Immediate Backlash, and Market Response

On March 10, 2003, during a concert at the in , Dixie Chicks lead singer told the audience, "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the is from ," referring to amid building tensions before the invasion. The remark, made 10 days before the U.S.-led invasion on March 20, was framed by Maines as opposition to the impending rather than the president personally, though critics interpreted it as personal disdain for Bush's Texas origins. Emily Strayer (then Robison), the band's banjoist and one of its founding members, publicly supported Maines' statement alongside fiddler Martie Seidel, emphasizing the group's backing for U.S. troops while standing by the expression of dissent. Strayer later recounted feeling an immediate physical reaction—"hot from my head to my toes"—upon hearing the comment, not from disagreement but from anticipating its consequences, yet she affirmed alignment with the sentiment in subsequent interviews. The band collectively defended the remark as an exercise of free speech, with Strayer and Seidel expressing no regret for the underlying opposition to war during early media responses. Immediate backlash erupted upon the statement's U.S. media pickup, including organized protests with public CD burnings and bulldozing of Dixie Chicks albums at rallies, alongside hundreds of death threats that necessitated extra security for tour dates. Critics, including fans and figures like , accused the band of disloyalty and poor timing during a period of national unity against perceived threats, viewing the London audience's applause as aligning with abroad. Communications, a major radio conglomerate, circulated a on suggesting over 260 stations voluntarily cease playing the band's music, though implementation varied and was driven more by independent country station decisions reflecting listener outrage than centralized . Market response manifested rapidly as consumer rejection, with airplay for the Dixie Chicks' hit "Travelin' Soldier" falling from near-constant rotation to effectively zero on many stations within days, despite the band's ongoing Top of the World Tour drawing initial crowds. Album sales for Home (2002), which had debuted at No. 1 and sold over 6 million copies by early , slowed sharply post-statement, dropping from peak weekly figures amid the boycotts, as fans opted to withhold purchases in a direct expression of disapproval rather than institutional mandate. Detractors attributed the fallout to organic market dynamics—listeners tuning out perceived anti-patriotism—while the band maintained it highlighted tensions between artistic expression and commercial viability in wartime.

Post-Controversy Trajectory and Name Rebranding

Following the 2003 controversy, The Chicks released Taking the Long Way on May 23, , which debuted at number one on the and was certified double platinum in the United States with over 2.5 million copies sold. The album earned five , including Album of the Year, Record of the Year for "Not Ready to Make Nice," and Song of the Year, marking the first sweep of the top three categories by a artist in 14 years. Despite commercial success driven by fan loyalty, direct-to-consumer marketing, and crossover appeal to pop and rock audiences, the band received no on , reflecting a self-reinforcing shift away from the genre that insulated them from ongoing backlash but precluded a full return to their country roots. The group embarked on the Accidents & Accusations Tour in , which grossed significant revenue despite challenges in southern markets, followed by a in the late 2000s and 2010s primarily to prioritize family life amid divorces and child-rearing. This period allowed personal recovery but contributed to a decade-long absence from major releases, during which their relevance in mainstream diminished as newer acts dominated radio and charts without similar politicized alienation. In June 2020, amid heightened cultural scrutiny following the protests, the band rebranded as "The Chicks," dropping "Dixie" due to its perceived ties to the and racial connotations, a decision band members stated they had contemplated for years as the name felt "stupid." The move elicited mixed reactions, with supporters viewing it as reflective evolution and critics highlighting irony in embracing progressive market pressures after decrying their own 2003 "cancellation" by conservative audiences. Subsequent tours, including the 2016 DCX World Tour MMXVI—which ranked among the top-grossing country tours—and the 2023 World Tour spanning and North America, demonstrated sustained draw through sold-out arenas and crossover fanbases, yet empirical indicators like persistent exclusion underscored enduring estrangement from core genre loyalists. In reflections tied to these activities, expressed no regrets over past stances, emphasizing artistic autonomy gained at the cost of narrower commercial paths within . This trajectory highlights trade-offs: bolstered independence and acclaim in broader spheres, offset by forgone dominance in their originating genre.

Court Yard Hounds Side Project

In 2010, Emily Strayer (then known as Emily Robison) and her sister formed the duo as a during an extended of , prompted by lead singer ' pursuit of solo endeavors. The project originated from collaborative sessions in Maguire's Austin home studio, where the sisters experimented with new material independent of the trio's dynamics. Strayer took on primary lead vocals, marking a shift from her typical backing and harmony roles in , while both contributed instrumentation rooted in their and foundations—Strayer on , , and guitar, and Maguire on and . The self-titled debut album, , was released on May 4, 2010, via , blending , , and elements with Strayer's introspective songwriting on themes of personal upheaval, including her recent . Produced with Jim Scott, the record debuted at No. 7 on the , selling 61,119 copies in its first week, reflecting targeted appeal to fans of the sisters' harmonic interplay but limited broader commercial traction. The duo supported the release with live performances, including festival appearances and a modest tour, allowing Strayer and Maguire to hone skills and explore creative autonomy amid ' uncertainty. Their second album, Amelita, followed on July 16, 2013, incorporating more eclectic folk-rock influences, such as and elements, while maintaining the sisters' signature multi-instrumental arrangements. Recorded again in Austin, it featured outward-focused narratives diverging from the debut's personal lens, with Strayer continuing lead duties on select tracks. Though chart performance was subdued compared to the debut, the project underscored the duo's experimental ethos, prioritizing artistic expression over mainstream expectations during ongoing dormancy. Overall, functioned as a low-pressure outlet for Strayer's vocal and compositional growth, sustaining their musical momentum without the constraints of full-band commitments.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family

Strayer married country singer-songwriter on May 1, 1999. The couple welcomed son Charles Augustus on November 11, 2002, followed by twins daughter Julianna Tex and son Henry Benjamin on April 14, 2005. Their marriage ended in , finalized on August 6, 2008. Strayer began a relationship with Martin Strayer during the recording of the debut album and gave birth to their daughter, Violet Isabel, on September 4, 2012. The couple married in 2013, after which Strayer adopted her husband's surname professionally and personally. As of 2024, Strayer remained married to Martin Strayer with no public indications of separation. Strayer maintains a low public profile regarding her family dynamics, residing in San Antonio, Texas, with her four children. Following her divorce from Robison, who died in 2023, she co-parented their three children while managing the logistical challenges of raising a amid periodic touring commitments.

Health Challenges and Private Matters

In 2008, Emily Robison experienced the dissolution of her first marriage to country singer-songwriter , which had been filed for in January and finalized on August 6 after nine years together and the birth of three children. The divorce citation noted due to "discord or conflict of personalities," with both parties agreeing to and no public acrimony reported in court documents. Robison has described the period following the divorce as emotionally taxing, channeling her experiences into songwriting as a therapeutic mechanism during the formation of her side project with sister . Unlike some contemporaries in the industry, she has consistently avoided detailed public dissection of these private struggles, emphasizing family stability over media exposure in limited statements. No significant personal health challenges for Robison have been publicly documented, distinguishing her from bandmate ' more visible struggles with vocal strain and anxiety during tours. Robison has alluded to physical tolls from extended touring, such as fatigue from instrumental demands on the road, but these appear tied to professional rigors rather than chronic conditions. Her approach to extends to health matters, with minimal disclosures reflecting a deliberate focus on shielding family life from scrutiny.

Recognition and Legacy

Awards and Industry Accolades

Strayer, as a founding member and multi-instrumentalist of , shared in the group's pre-2003 dominance of major honors. The trio won the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award consecutively from 1998 to 2000, reflecting their commercial ascent with albums like Wide Open Spaces and . They also secured , including Entertainer of the Year and Top Vocal Group of the Year in 2001, alongside Video of the Year for "." Post-2003 controversy, industry recognition persisted through , underscoring the group's artistic validation amid market challenges. In 2007, swept five categories for , including —a distinction shared by few acts—and , Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and Best Country Song for "Not Ready to Make Nice." Earlier Grammy wins included Best Country Album for Wide Open Spaces (1999), (2000), and (2003). Collectively, the group amassed 13 Grammy victories from 22 nominations, with Strayer's , , and string arrangements integral to the instrumental and performance categories. These accolades, from bodies like the Recording Academy and CMA, affirmed technical and creative prowess but coincided with restricted radio play and fanbase erosion in core country markets, highlighting a divergence between institutional endorsements and grassroots reception.

Cultural Impact and Public Perception

Emily Strayer, alongside her sister Martie Maguire, contributed to The Chicks' role in advancing women's presence in country music through instrumental proficiency, particularly Strayer's mastery of banjo and dobro, which challenged the genre's traditional emphasis on male-led bands and vocalists. Their bluegrass-rooted sound hybridized with pop and rock elements in albums like Wide Open Spaces (1998), which sold over 12 million copies, demonstrating commercial viability for female acts blending traditional country instrumentation with broader appeal. This influence extended to subsequent generations, as evidenced by the group's overall 33 million albums sold, setting precedents for women like those in modern acts pursuing genre fusion without diluting country authenticity. Public perception of Strayer and The Chicks remains polarized, with pre-2003 status as heartland icons—bolstered by hits like "Goodbye Earl"—contrasting sharply with post-controversy views among conservative audiences as elitist celebrities disconnected from rural values. The 2003 backlash, triggered by Natalie Maines' London statement criticizing President George W. Bush, led to radio blacklisting and fan boycotts, which the band framed as censorship suppressing free speech; however, analysts note this as a self-inflicted market response to voluntarily alienating core supporters in a genre tied to patriotic themes. Right-leaning critiques highlight the irony, arguing the group disregarded free-market dynamics they later invoked, with sustained exclusion from country radio reflecting audience preference over industry coercion. The 2020 rebranding to "The Chicks," dropping "Dixie" amid racial sensitivity debates, drew conservative fire for perceived selective outrage, as the band—having endured backlash for anti-war politics—now yielded to cultural pressures absent in their prior defiance, underscoring accusations of inconsistent principles. In 2023 reflections, the members expressed no regrets over the Bush incident, describing it as liberating from constraints and enabling artistic independence, a stance reinforcing their of while perpetuating divides in an evolving where has grown wary of overt political risks.

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