Emily Robison and Martie Maguire of The Dixie Chicks announced yesterday (2/10) via their website that they will release new music under the moniker Court Yard Hounds. The duo’s debut album will be available for pre-order beginning today exclusively through courtyardhounds.com with all pre-orders receiving a bonus 4-song download not available anywhere else. The CD is being released on Columbia Records, with a street date of May 4.
Realizing that The Dixie Chicks hiatus would last longer than originally anticipated, Robison and Maguire dove head first into recording their debut as The Court Yard Hounds. To launch the new project, the sisters will appear at SXSW for their first live concert as part of the Americana Music Association showcase at Antone’s on Thursday March 18. The Court Yard Hounds will tour North America throughout the summer and head to Europe and Australia this fall.
“It was time,” said Robison. “We had been on hiatus from The Dixie Chicks for about a year, I was getting very restless and needed to be creative for my own sanity. And at the same time I was going through my divorce so it was very fertile ground for writing.”
“Emily was just writing and writing all of these deeply personal and truly beautiful songs,” added Maguire. “She was initially going to pitch them to other artists and I kept telling her no, no, you have to save that for you. It’s too good and too personal.”
