The Chicks are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their five-time Grammy-winning album Taking the Long Way with an expanded 3LP and digital release due October 2 via Legacy Recordings, alongside a 16-date theater tour kicking off September 30 in Detroit, Michigan.
Two decades after navigating backlash in modern music history, Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer are leaning directly into their masterpiece. Rather than letting the milestone pass quietly, the trio is pairing a newly minted archival package with a fall routing that forces listeners to confront the album from top to bottom. It is a victory lap for a band that turned censorship into a commercial juggernaut.
The Bottom Line
- The Release: Taking the Long Way: 20th Anniversary Edition drops October 2 via Legacy Recordings, featuring three LPs, five bonus tracks (including unreleased demos for “Not Ready To Make Nice,” “So Hard,” and “Flowers”), and exclusive packaging.
- The Tour: The 16-date theater tour launches September 30 in Detroit, featuring the band playing the entire 2006 record live for the very first time before hitting cities like Philadelphia, Boston, and Los Angeles.
- The Legacy: The project commemorates the 2006 triumph that swept the Grammy Awards for Album, Record, and Song of the Year following the industry fallout over Natalie Maines’ criticism of then-President George W. Bush.
Unearthing the Vaults Behind a Defining Era
When Taking the Long Way debuted on May 23, 2006, via Columbia Records, it arrived under cultural pressure. Released amid the fallout from group member Natalie Maines’ criticism of then-President George W. Bush and the ensuing industry backlash, the album served as a response to their experience.
The three-LP collection includes an exclusive etching, refreshed cover art, and five bonus tracks. Fans will finally get to stream archival cuts like “Thin Line” and “Live Wire” for the very first time, alongside unreleased demo versions of “Not Ready To Make Nice,” “So Hard,” and “Flowers.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Taking the Long Way,” the band shared in an official statement. “These songs take us right back to one of the most defining times in our lives, and it’s incredible how much they still resonate today.”
Mapping the Fall 2026 Tour and Expanded Itinerary
The accompanying theater trek, sub-titled “Still Not Ready to Make Nice,” marks the trio’s first trip out on the road in America since their 2023 arena tour. According to BroadwayWorld, the group has added stops at Philadelphia’s The Met on October 7, Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway on October 9, and a third night at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on November 3.
The format of the tour breaks from traditional greatest-hits revues. For the first time, the Chicks will perform Taking the Long Way in its entirety from front to back, before returning to the stage to close out each night with favorites spanning their wider catalog.
| Element | Details | Key Locations / Tracklist Additions |
|---|---|---|
| Album Release Date | October 2, 2026 (Legacy Recordings) | 3LP Vinyl & Digital streaming platforms |
| Bonus Material | 5 Bonus Tracks | Unreleased demos (“Not Ready To Make Nice,” “So Hard,” “Flowers”) + rarities (“Thin Line,” “Live Wire”) |
| Tour Launch | September 30, 2026 | Fox Theatre – Detroit, MI |
| Recent Additions | Expanded Fall Routing | The Met (Philadelphia), MGM Music Hall (Boston), Dolby Theatre (Los Angeles) |
Industry Context and the Live Touring Economics
By utilizing theater venues—such as New York’s Beacon Theatre, Chicago’s The Auditorium, and San Francisco’s The Masonic—the Chicks are curating their environment.
This fall routing also follows a summer schedule that includes stadium support dates opening for Tim McGraw in July and August, as well as dates in Atlantic City, Highland, Calif., Lincoln, Calif., Missoula, MT and Springfield, Ill. It follows their headlining appearance at Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend festival in Mexico earlier this year.
“We’re so excited to finally share some unreleased tracks and to perform the entire album on this tour,” the band noted. “It feels like the perfect way to celebrate this journey with the fans who have been with us every step of the way.”
The Continuing Cultural Resonance
Two decades removed from the political firestorms of the mid-2000s, the cultural footprint of Taking the Long Way remains. The album ultimately yielded a Grammy sweep, capturing Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.
As tickets roll out via artist presales and general on-sales managed through Live Nation, the demand for added nights in major markets shows the audience for the trio’s artistry. Whether revisiting raw demos from the vault or watching the trio walk onto the Dolby Theatre stage this November, fans are stepping back into a pivotal chapter of their history.
How are you planning to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Taking the Long Way? Drop your favorite track from the album or your thoughts on the upcoming tour in the comments below.
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