Wide Open Spaces (album)

1998 studio album by Dixie Chicks

Wide Open Spaces

Studio album by

Dixie Chicks

Released| January 27, 1998 (1998-01-27)[1]
Genre| Country
Length| 43:39
Label| Monument
Producer|

* Blake Chancey
* Paul Worley

Dixie Chicks chronology
| Shouldn't a Told You That
(1993)  | Wide Open Spaces
(1998)  | Fly
(1999)

|
|

Singles from  Wide Open Spaces

1. "I Can Love You Better"
Released: October 27, 1997
2. "There's Your Trouble"
Released: March 30, 1998
3. "Wide Open Spaces"
Released: August 17, 1998
4. "You Were Mine"
Released: December 7, 1998
5. "Tonight the Heartache's on Me"
Released: April 12, 1999

Wide Open Spaces is the fourth studio album and the major label debut of American country music band Dixie Chicks. It was their first record with new lead vocalist Natalie Maines, and became their breakthrough commercial success. It received diamond status by the RIAA on February 20, 2003, in the United States, having shipped 13 million units worldwide,[2] while spending more than six years in the Australian ARIA music charts Country Top 20.

"Once You've Loved Somebody" had previously been recorded by John & Audrey Wiggins on their 1996 album, The Dream.

Wide Open Spaces, as well as their next albums Fly (1999) and Home (2002), were released in the HDCD format.

In 2024, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[3]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [4]
Christgau's Consumer Guide| [5]
Los Angeles Times| [6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide| [7]

Upon its release, Wide Open Spaces received favorable reviews from critics. Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention, simply stating that the "blonds have more brains (than they get credit for)."[5] Los Angeles Times wrote that "this tradition-rooted Texas trio knows its way around country, western, honky-tonk, bluegrass, folk and country-rock." Concluding the review, it deemed that the "range, plus their sweet, assured three-part harmonies, Natalie Maines' attractively steely lead vocals, and savvy song selection have propelled this major-label debut into the Top 10."[6]

In a retrospective review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, he stated that it hit a "sweet spot" and described the album as "appealing to many different audiences" and "eclectic without being elitist." He described Natalie Maines' voice as "powerful" and "bluesy" to "give these songs a compelling center" and "versatile" to "[negotiate] the twists and turns of these songs without a hitch, easily moving from the vulnerability of "You Were Mine" to the snarl of "Give It Up or Let Me Go." Concluding his review, he praised the "remarkably wide range" as "effortlessly eclectic" and the group for "bringing [the album] all together with their attitude and understated musicality."[4]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "I Can Love You Better"|

* Pamela Brown Hayes
* Kostas

| 3:53
2.| "Wide Open Spaces"| Susan Gibson| 3:44
3.| "Loving Arms"| Tom Jans| 3:37
4.| "There's Your Trouble"|

* Mark Selby
* Tia Sillers

| 3:10
5.| "You Were Mine"|

* Emily Strayer
* Martie Maguire

| 3:37
6.| "Never Say Die"|

* George Ducas
* Radney Foster

| 3:56
7.| "Tonight the Heartache's on Me"|

* Mary W. Francis
* Johnny MacRae
* Bob Morrison

| 3:25
8.| "Let 'Er Rip"|

* Billy Crain
* Sandy Ramos

| 2:49
9.| "Once You've Loved Somebody"|

* Thom McHugh
* Bruce Miller

| 3:28
10.| "I'll Take Care of You"| JD Souther| 3:40
11.| "Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way)"| Maria McKee| 3:25
12.| "Give It Up or Let Me Go"| Bonnie Raitt| 4:55
Total length:| 43:39

## Personnel

[edit]

Compiled from liner notes.[8]

The Dixie Chicks

* Natalie Maines – vocals
* Emily Erwin – acoustic guitar, banjo, Dobro, vocals
* Martie Seidel – fiddle, mandolin, vocals

Additional personnel

* Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
* Bobby Charles, Jr. – bass guitar
* Joe Chemay – bass guitar
* Billy Crain – acoustic guitar
* Lloyd Maines – steel guitar
* George Marinelli – electric guitar
* Greg Morrow – drums
* Tommy Nash – electric guitar on "Give It Up or Let Me Go"
* Tony Paoletta – steel guitar on "Give It Up or Let Me Go"
* Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
* Tom Roady – shaker, congas, tambourine
* Matt Rollings – piano, Hammond organ
* Billy Joe Walker, Jr. – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
* Paul Worley – acoustic guitar, electric guitar

Technical

* Chuck Ainlay – mixing on "Give It Up or Let Me Go"
* Jim Burnett – Pro Tools editing
* Blake Chancey – production
* Don Cobb – digital editing
* Carlos Grier – digital editing
* John Guess – mixing
* Eric Legg – recording
* Denny Purcell – mastering
* Billy Sherrill – recording on "Give It Up or Let Me Go"
* Paul Worley – production

|

## Accolades

[edit]

At the 41st Grammy Awards, the album was awarded two Grammy Awards out of three nominations.[9] It was awarded Best Country Album (the first of what would be four trophies in this category: they would later win for Fly in 2000, Home in 2003, and Taking the Long Way in 2007) and for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song "There's Your Trouble". This is an award the Chicks would win five times: in 2000 for "Ready to Run", in 2003 for "Long Time Gone", in 2005 for "Top of the World" and 2007 for "Not Ready to Make Nice", a feat only matched by The Judds. In addition, the Chicks were nominated for Best New Artist in 1999.

Organization  | Nominee / work  | Award  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

Academy of Country Music Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Album of the Year  | Won  | [10]
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Duo or Group - Country  | Won  | [11]
Canadian Country Music Association | Top Selling Album of the Year  | Won  | [12]
Country Music Association Awards | "Wide Open Spaces"  | Single of the Year  | Won  | [13]
Music Video of the Year  | Won
CMT Music Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Album of the Year  | Nominated  | [citation needed]
Grammy Awards | Best Country Album | Won  | [14]
"There's Your Trouble"  | Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Won
Radio Music Awards | "Wide Open Spaces"  | Country Song of the Year  | Won  | [citation needed]
TNN/Music City Awards  | Wide Open Spaces | Album of the Year  | Nominated  | [15][16]

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1998–1999)  | Peak
position

|

Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[17] | 16
Canada Country Albums (RPM)[18] | 1
US Billboard 200[19] | 4
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[20] | 1
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[21] | 1

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1998)  | Position

|

Canada Country Albums (RPM)[22] | 19
US Billboard 200[23] | 56
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[24] | 8
Chart (1999)  | Position
US Billboard 200[25] | 8
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[26] | 3
Chart (2000)  | Position
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[27] | 191
US Billboard 200[28] | 68
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[29] | 6
Chart (2001)  | Position
Canadian Country Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[30] | 21
Chart (2002)  | Position
Canadian Country Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[31] | 33

### Decade-end charts

[edit]

Chart (1990–1999)  | Position

|

US Billboard 200[32] | 43

### Singles

[edit]

Year  | Single  | Peak chart positions

|
|

US Country | US | CAN Country
1997  | "I Can Love You Better"  | 7  | 77  | 3
1998  | "There's Your Trouble"  | 1  | 36  | 3
"Wide Open Spaces"  | 1  | 41  | 1
1999  | "You Were Mine"  | 1  | 34  | 1
"Tonight the Heartache's on Me"  | 6  | 46  | 4

### Other charted songs

[edit]

Year  | Single  | Peak positions

|
|

US Country
1999  | "Let 'Er Rip"  | 64

## Certifications

[edit]

Certifications for Wide Open Spaces Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[33] | 3× Platinum  | 210,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[34] | 4× Platinum  | 400,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[35] | Gold  | 7,500‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] | Gold  | 100,000*
United States (RIAA)[37] | 13× Platinum  | 13,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## See also

[edit]

* List of best-selling albums in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Official Dixie Chicks Site Archived June 12, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ RIAA Diamond Awards Archived July 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ "The Notorious B.I.G., The Chicks, Green Day & More Selected for National Recording Registry (Full List)". Billboard. April 16, 2024. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
4. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wide Open Spaces – Dixie Chicks". AllMusic. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
5. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (2000). "Dixie Chicks: Wide Open Spaces". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
6. ^ a b "Top Pop Albums". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1998. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
7. ^ Harris, Keith (2004). "Dixie Chicks". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 245. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
8. ^ Wide Open Spaces (CD booklet). Dixie Chicks. Monument Records. 1997. 68195.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. ^ Collins, Roger. "Dixie Chicks". Iomusic News. Archived from the original on January 16, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
10. ^ "2009 ACM Awards". Academy of Country Music Awards. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
11. ^ Variety Staff (May 9, 2000). "Blockbuster Entertainment Award winners". Variety. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
12. ^ "Past Award Winners - Canadian Country Music Association". www.ccma.org. Retrieved June 14, 2017. [dead link]
13. ^ "CMT : CMA Awards : Archive : 1999 : Country Music Association". CMT. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
14. ^ "Rock On The Net: 41st Annual Grammy Awards - 1999". www.rockonthenet.com. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
15. ^ "Nashville Music News - TNN Awards 1999". www.oocities.org. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
16. ^ "TNN Music City News Country Awards Nominees". issues.louisvillemusicnews.net. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
17. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7344". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
18. ^ "RPM Country Albums: Issue 7496" (PDF). RPM. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
19. ^ "Dixie Chicks, TLP". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
20. ^ "Dixie Chicks, CLP". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
21. ^ "Dixie Chicks, TLN". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
22. ^ "RPM Country Albums: Issue 7009" (PDF). RPM. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
23. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
24. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
25. ^ "1999 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52\. December 25, 1999. p. YE-45. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
26. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
27. ^ "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2000". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
28. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
29. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
30. ^ "Top 100 country albums of 2001 in Canada". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 1, 2002. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
31. ^ "Top 100 country albums of 2002 in Canada". Jam!. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
32. ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
33. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
34. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Dixie Chicks – Wide Open Spaces". Music Canada.
35. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – The Chicks – Wide Open Spaces". Radioscope. Retrieved January 7, 2025. Type Wide Open Spaces  in the "Search:" field.
36. ^ "British album certifications – Dixie Chicks – Wide Open Spaces". British Phonographic Industry.
37. ^ "American album certifications – The Chicks – Wide Open Spaces". Recording Industry Association of America.

* v
* t
* e

The Chicks

* Natalie Maines
* Emily Strayer
* Martie Maguire

* Laura Lynch
* Robin Lynn Macy

Studio albums|

* Thank Heavens for Dale Evans
* Little Ol' Cowgirl
* Shouldn't a Told You That
* Wide Open Spaces
* Fly
* Home
* Taking the Long Way
* Gaslighter

Compilations|

* Playlist: The Very Best of Dixie Chicks
* The Essential Dixie Chicks

Singles|

* "I Can Love You Better"
* "There's Your Trouble"
* "Wide Open Spaces"
* "You Were Mine"
* "Tonight the Heartache's on Me"
* "Ready to Run"
* "Cowboy Take Me Away"
* "Goodbye Earl"
* "Cold Day in July"
* "Without You"
* "If I Fall You're Going Down with Me"
* "Heartbreak Town"
* "Some Days You Gotta Dance"
* "Long Time Gone"
* "Landslide"
* "Travelin' Soldier"
* "Top of the World"
* "I Hope"
* "Not Ready to Make Nice"
* "Everybody Knows"
* "The Long Way Around"
* "Daddy Lessons"
* "Gaslighter"

Live recordings|

* An Evening with the Dixie Chicks
* Top of the World Tour: Live (video)

Tours|

* Fly Tour
* Top of the World Tour
* Vote for Change
* Accidents & Accusations Tour
* Long Time Gone Tour
* DCX MMXVI World Tour
* The Chicks Tour

Related articles|

* Discography
* Awards and nominations
* Comments on George W. Bush
* Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing
* Court Yard Hounds
* "You Can't Hurry Love"
* "Sin Wagon"
* "Roly Poly"
* "Soon You'll Get Better"

Collaborators|

* Lloyd Maines
* David Grissom
* Dan Wilson

Category

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album

1965–1966
(as Best Country & Western Album)|

* Dang Me/Chug-a-Lug – Roger Miller (1965)
* The Return of Roger Miller – Roger Miller (1967)

1995–2025
(as Best Country Album)|

* Stones in the Road – Mary Chapin Carpenter (1995)
* The Woman in Me – Shania Twain (1996)
* The Road to Ensenada – Lyle Lovett (1997)
* Unchained – Johnny Cash (1998)
* Wide Open Spaces – Dixie Chicks (1999)
* Fly – Dixie Chicks (2000)
* Breathe – Faith Hill (2001)
* Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute – Various Artists (2002)
* Home – Dixie Chicks (2003)
* Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers – Various Artists (2004)
* Van Lear Rose – Loretta Lynn (2005)
* Lonely Runs Both Ways – Alison Krauss & Union Station (2006)
* Taking the Long Way – Dixie Chicks (2007)
* These Days – Vince Gill (2008)
* Troubadour – George Strait (2009)
* Fearless – Taylor Swift (2010)
* Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (2011)
* Own the Night – Lady Antebellum (2012)
* Uncaged – Zac Brown Band (2013)
* Same Trailer Different Park – Kacey Musgraves (2014)
* Platinum – Miranda Lambert (2015)
* Traveller – Chris Stapleton (2016)
* A Sailor's Guide to Earth – Sturgill Simpson (2017)
* From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton (2018)
* Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves (2019)
* While I'm Livin' – Tanya Tucker (2020)
* Wildcard – Miranda Lambert (2021)
* Starting Over – Chris Stapleton (2022)
* A Beautiful Time – Willie Nelson (2023)
* Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson (2024)
* Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé (2025)

From 1966–1993, the category was retired.

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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