Court Yard Hounds
Encyclopedia
Court Yard Hounds is an American country music
and folk
duo founded by sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison. They, along with Natalie Maines
, make up the Dixie Chicks
, which went on hiatus in 2008. Maguire and Robison became eager to record again in 2009, but Maines said she didn't feel "inspired" to record yet. The sisters decided to record a side project under a different name. Court Yard Hounds, featuring Robison for the first time as lead vocalist
released a debut album for Columbia Records
, the same label for which the Dixie Chicks has recorded, on May 4, 2010. The album debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart, initially selling 61,000 copies. It has sold approximately 250,000 copies in the United States.
in 1989 with Robin Lynn Macy
(lead vocals) and Laura Lynch
. They released two independent albums before Macy left, and their third album was released with Lynch on lead vocals. In 1995, Lynch left and was replaced by Natalie Maines
. The group was then signed to Monument Records
and released two hit albums, before departing in 2000 and founding their own label, Open Wide Records, in association with Columbia Records
They then released another album, and during a London concert ten days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, lead vocalist Maines said, "we don't want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas" (the Dixie Chicks' home state). The statement offended some people who thought it rude and unpatriotic, and the ensuing controversy cost the group half of their concert audience attendance in the United States and led to accusations of the three women being "un-American
", as well as hate mail, a death threat, and the public destruction of their albums in protest. A live album was released in 2003, and a double platinum Grammy Award
-winning studio album Taking the Long Way
followed in 2006 before they went on hiatus in 2008.
The duo's project was announced in January 2010 and the album features Emily Robison on lead vocals. Robison has said that the album is "very personal" and that she will be joined by Jakob Dylan
on a track called "See You in the Spring". They are signed to Columbia Records and released their self-titled debut album on May 4, 2010. Their first public appearance as Court Yard Hounds was on March 18, 2010 at the Americana Music Association
's SXSW showcase in Austin, Texas
. Lead singer Emily Robison has also confirmed there will be songs based on her divorce from Charlie Robison
in 2008. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, while Robison is on lead vocals backed up by her sister Martie, the band consists of Natalie Maines' father, Lloyd Maines
, on guitar, and other members are members from the Dixie Chicks' backing band; the album was also recorded in Maguire's home studio. According to Maguire and Robison, the Dixie Chicks have not parted ways. Along with plans from The Dixie Chicks to tour with the Eagles and Keith Urban
, starting in 2010, the duo plans to release a follow-up album sometime in 2011.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
duo founded by sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison. They, along with Natalie Maines
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
, make up the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, which went on hiatus in 2008. Maguire and Robison became eager to record again in 2009, but Maines said she didn't feel "inspired" to record yet. The sisters decided to record a side project under a different name. Court Yard Hounds, featuring Robison for the first time as lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
released a debut album for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, the same label for which the Dixie Chicks has recorded, on May 4, 2010. The album debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart, initially selling 61,000 copies. It has sold approximately 250,000 copies in the United States.
Dixie Chicks
Emily and Martie Erwin, now Emily Robison and Martie Maguire, founded the Dixie ChicksDixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
in 1989 with Robin Lynn Macy
Robin Lynn Macy
Robin Lynn Macy is an American musician, teacher, and gardener, who is best known as a founding member of the female country group the Dixie Chicks....
(lead vocals) and Laura Lynch
Laura Lynch
Laura Lynch is an American country musician and songwriter, who is best known as a founding member of the all-woman country music band the Dixie Chicks.-Biography:Lynch is a self-proclaimed "Cowgirl". She is an acoustic bassist and single mother...
. They released two independent albums before Macy left, and their third album was released with Lynch on lead vocals. In 1995, Lynch left and was replaced by Natalie Maines
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
. The group was then signed to Monument Records
Monument Records
Monument Records was an American record label, Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958, by Fred Foster and Buddy Deane . Buddy Deane soon left the company, and in the early 60's bought KOTN in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he retired to until his death...
and released two hit albums, before departing in 2000 and founding their own label, Open Wide Records, in association with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
They then released another album, and during a London concert ten days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, lead vocalist Maines said, "we don't want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas" (the Dixie Chicks' home state). The statement offended some people who thought it rude and unpatriotic, and the ensuing controversy cost the group half of their concert audience attendance in the United States and led to accusations of the three women being "un-American
Un-American
Un-American is a pejorative term of US political discourse which is applied to people or institutions in the United States seen as deviating from US norms....
", as well as hate mail, a death threat, and the public destruction of their albums in protest. A live album was released in 2003, and a double platinum Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning studio album Taking the Long Way
Taking the Long Way
-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
followed in 2006 before they went on hiatus in 2008.
Formation of Court Yard Hounds
Court Yard Hounds was formed in 2009 when Maguire and Robison wanted to return to the studio, to begin the Dixie Chicks' eighth album; because Natalie Maines felt she was not yet ready to return to another musical project, the sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire formed a side project to continue with their careers, and called it Court Yard Hounds.The duo's project was announced in January 2010 and the album features Emily Robison on lead vocals. Robison has said that the album is "very personal" and that she will be joined by Jakob Dylan
Jakob Dylan
Jakob Luke Dylan is the lead singer and songwriter of the rock band The Wallflowers and is a son of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and Sara Dylan. He has also recorded two solo albums.-Personal life:...
on a track called "See You in the Spring". They are signed to Columbia Records and released their self-titled debut album on May 4, 2010. Their first public appearance as Court Yard Hounds was on March 18, 2010 at the Americana Music Association
Americana Music Association
The Americana Music Association is a trade organization developed to provide professional support and to promote awareness of Americana music. Toward these ends the organization works with artists, radio stations, record labels, publishers, and others to create networking opportunities and to...
's SXSW showcase in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. Lead singer Emily Robison has also confirmed there will be songs based on her divorce from Charlie Robison
Charlie Robison
Charles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
in 2008. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, while Robison is on lead vocals backed up by her sister Martie, the band consists of Natalie Maines' father, Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines is an American Grammy Award-winning country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas and is now based in Bulverde, Texas....
, on guitar, and other members are members from the Dixie Chicks' backing band; the album was also recorded in Maguire's home studio. According to Maguire and Robison, the Dixie Chicks have not parted ways. Along with plans from The Dixie Chicks to tour with the Eagles and Keith Urban
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
, starting in 2010, the duo plans to release a follow-up album sometime in 2011.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Rock |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
CAN Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
NZ |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 2010 | Court Yard Hounds Court Yard Hounds (album) Court Yard Hounds is the debut album by American country duo the Court Yard Hounds, founded as a side project of the Dixie Chicks by sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire. The album was released on May 4, 2010 via Columbia Records...
|
7 | 3 | 42 | 6 | 30 | 58 | 47 | 79 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "The Coast" | Court Yard Hounds |
| "It Didn't Make a Sound" | ||
| "See You in the Spring" |
Music videos
| Year | Song title |
|---|---|
| 2010 | "It Didn't Make a Sound" |