Smarting From Twain’s Wins

The Dixie Chicks’ upset over Shania Twain in the country album category was the right choice, but that award, and the Chicks’ win for country duo or group vocal, barely softened the sting of Twain’s other big awards.

Sure, it’s the era of pinup country, the Chicks are three attractive young women and their album has sold nearly 3 million copies. But what matters more than good looks and sales--two major vote magnets in Grammyland--is that they also are excellent musicians and singers who choose songs wisely.

Good songs didn’t carry much weight elsewhere, though, as proven by Twain’s win (with her husband and producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange) for country song with “You’re Still the One.” Had the award recognized palpable, human-scale emotion, it would have gone to Vince Gill and Troy Seals’ “If You Ever Have Forever in Mind.”

Awarding Twain the female country vocal for the same song, over Emmylou Harris’ exquisite performance on “Love Still Remains,” just doubled the sting.

By the time the male vocal Grammy rightly was awarded to Gill, the damage had been done.

So while Celine’s heart undoubtedly will go on, country’s may have gone missing in action.