The Chicks have officially announced a major anniversary tour celebrating the record that transformed their career, sparked one of country music’s biggest controversies, and divided fans across America. Twenty years later, the songs remain. But what has longtime followers talking isn’t the music — it’s the possibility that this tour could bring back memories, moments, and conversations the band spent years trying to leave behind.

After years of silence surrounding one of the most defining chapters of their career, The Chicks are officially heading back on the road for a deeply emotional return that already has longtime fans overwhelmed with nostalgia.

The group has announced the Taking the Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour, celebrating the landmark 2006 album that changed everything for them — personally, politically, and musically.

And for many fans, this is not just another anniversary tour.

It feels like the return of an era that permanently reshaped country music history.

Released during one of the most controversial and painful periods of the band’s career, Taking the Long Way arrived after the massive backlash following comments made by Natalie Maines criticizing President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. At the time, the fallout nearly destroyed the group’s relationship with country radio and parts of the industry itself. But instead of retreating quietly, The Chicks turned that pain into music.

The result became one of the most emotionally charged albums of their career.

Songs like “Not Ready to Make Nice” transformed frustration, betrayal, and resilience into an anthem that still resonates with audiences nearly twenty years later. The album went on to win multiple Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, while permanently redefining the trio’s legacy beyond traditional country music boundaries.

Now, two decades later, fans will finally get to experience that chapter live again.

According to reports, the 2026 tour will feature intimate theater performances across North America beginning September 30 in Detroit before traveling through major cities including Chicago, New York, Nashville, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and Hollywood. The band is expected to perform Taking the Long Way in full, alongside additional fan favorites from throughout their career.

It proudly displays the fearlessness and vulnerability of the group. The lead single “Not Ready to Make Nice” particularly has stood the test of time as an anthem of artistic freedom.