The Dixie Chicks have made a clean sweep of the main categories at this year's Grammy Awards, winning Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
'Taking The Long Way' took out the coveted album of the year title, whilst its lead track 'Not Ready To Make Nice' won song of the year (awarded to the songwriters) and record of the year (awarded to the artist, producer, engineers and mixers).'Not Ready To Make Nice' saw the band thumb their noses at conservative critics, who shunned the group after vocalist Natalie Maines' anti-Bush comments at a concert in 2003.
Accepting one of the awards, Maines said at the podium, "That's interesting. Well, to quote the great Simpsons - 'Heh-Heh!'
"Just kidding," she continued. "A lot of people just turned their TVs off right now. I'm very sorry for that."
Fellow Dixie Chick Emily Robison added, "We wouldn't have done this album without everything we went through, so we have no regrets. I thank everyone who voted for us."
Mary J. Blige won three awards, including best R&B album for her double-platinum effort 'The Breakthrough'. She told the audience the album, "has not only shown that I am a musician and an artist and a writer, it also shows I am growing into a better human being."
