The Deke loves it when musicians stick their necks out. Whether its Toby Keith or The Dixie Chicks , having the cajones to state your opinion is what freedom is all about.

After doing that and listening to the press say for a year their careers were over as a result, the Chicks released a no apoloigies kind of album and even dared to publicly diss Country radio for having become "too redneck." How “over” did their career prove to be? Enough to make anyone who predicted that look like a total idiot. Seems like #1 on the Billboard album sales chart will do that.

But the thing the Deke loves best about the Chicks is they helped a FANTASTIC music in the schools program Mackie co-sponsored called Kids On Stage back when the act was just breaking. The Chicks showed up and sang and answered questions for about 100 middle schoolers in Leipers Fork, Tennessee. They performed through the very first sound reinforcement board Mackie ever manufacured, serial number 000001, if memory serves. Here’s the new and improved versions: Onyx 80 Series