Robin Lynn Macy
Encyclopedia
Robin Lynn Macy is an American
musician
, teacher
, and gardener, who is best known as a founding member of the female country group the Dixie Chicks
.
While a mathematics
schoolteacher at St. Mark's School of Texas
, Macy was active in the Dallas bluegrass music
scene of the 1980s, and was in a band called Danger in the Air
. The band released two independent albums. With the Chicks she was the group's guitarist
, co-lead singer, and occasional songwriter
.
Macy left the Dixie Chicks in late 1992 in a dispute with the Erwin sisters about the group's musical direction. Macy advocated for a "purer" bluegrass approach. (She was not replaced; the foursome became a trio. It would be still several more years until the Dixie Chicks achieved their big commercial break-through, when Natalie Maines
replaced Laura Lynch
as lead singer.)
Macy then joined Sara Hickman
and Patty Lege to form the group Domestic Science Club, which issued two albums before disbanding. While still in Dallas
, Macy played with an informal group named Round Robin, but she eventually moved to southern Kansas
. Macy hosted an evening music show on local NPR affiliate, KERA
in Dallas, in the mid-1990s.
She then performed with Mark Bennett, Mike and Vicki Lynn Theobald in The Blue Plate Special. The band performed at the Walnut Valley Festival
, in Winfield, Kansas
in 1999.
Big Twang was Macy's next project. The bluegrass quintet was founded by Macy and won the 1999 RockyGrass Band Championship. The band recorded one CD - Pastures of Plenty. "Macy’s riveting, seductive voice infuses the band’s renditions of Sting’s 'Secret Journey' and Nanci Griffith’s 'Time of Inconvenience' with spellbinding power and soul," wrote reviewer David McCarty in Acoustic Guitar
magazine; "Big Twang is one big talent." The band dissolved in 2003.
Macy remained active in the regional music scene, and also returned to teaching mathematics. In addition, she is owner and steward of Bartlett Arboretum
, 20 miles south of Wichita
in Belle Plaine, Kansas
. She discovered the arboretum in 1997 when it was slated for sale; the owning Bartlett family viewed her arrival as a godsend.
In April 2008, Macy's recording Songs from the Garden, original compositions inspired from living among the trees at the arboretum, was released. The arboretum, with application written by Macy, was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in April, 2010.
In October 2008, she formed another trio with Jennifer Pettersen and Monica Taylor called The Cherokee Maidens.
She is currently a teacher of geometry at Wichita Collegiate School.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, and gardener, who is best known as a founding member of the female country group the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
.
While a mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
schoolteacher at St. Mark's School of Texas
St. Mark's School of Texas
The St. Mark's School of Texas is a nonsectarian preparatory day school for boys located in Preston Hollow, Dallas, Texas, USA. The School offers grades 1–12.-History:...
, Macy was active in the Dallas bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
scene of the 1980s, and was in a band called Danger in the Air
Danger in the Air
Danger in the Air was a regional bluegrass band based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area from the mid 1980s until 1990. It is best known as the band in which Robin Lynn Macy performed while simultaneously founding the up-start, all-female group the Dixie Chicks in 1989.The band was founded by Drew...
. The band released two independent albums. With the Chicks she was the group's guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, co-lead singer, and occasional songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Macy left the Dixie Chicks in late 1992 in a dispute with the Erwin sisters about the group's musical direction. Macy advocated for a "purer" bluegrass approach. (She was not replaced; the foursome became a trio. It would be still several more years until the Dixie Chicks achieved their big commercial break-through, when Natalie Maines
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines Pasdar is an American singer-songwriter who achieved success as the lead vocalist for the female alternative country band, the Dixie Chicks...
replaced Laura Lynch
Laura Lynch
Laura Lynch is an American country musician and songwriter, who is best known as a founding member of the all-woman country music band the Dixie Chicks.-Biography:Lynch is a self-proclaimed "Cowgirl". She is an acoustic bassist and single mother...
as lead singer.)
Macy then joined Sara Hickman
Sara Hickman
Sara Hickman is a rock/folk/pop/children's music singer, songwriter, and artist.-Biography:Hickman was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She grew up in Houston, Texas, where she attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a vocal major. In 1986, she graduated from the...
and Patty Lege to form the group Domestic Science Club, which issued two albums before disbanding. While still in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Macy played with an informal group named Round Robin, but she eventually moved to southern Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Macy hosted an evening music show on local NPR affiliate, KERA
KERA (FM)
KERA is the National Public Radio affiliate station for North Texas. Based in Dallas, Texas the station's main transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas with translators that serve Tyler , the Sherman/Denison area , and Wichita Falls...
in Dallas, in the mid-1990s.
She then performed with Mark Bennett, Mike and Vicki Lynn Theobald in The Blue Plate Special. The band performed at the Walnut Valley Festival
Walnut Valley Festival
The Walnut Valley Festival is a well-known acoustic music festival, held annually in Winfield, Kansas. The main genre of music is bluegrass, but other acoustic styles are represented...
, in Winfield, Kansas
Winfield, Kansas
Winfield is a city situated along the Walnut River in the west-central part of Cowley County, located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,301...
in 1999.
Big Twang was Macy's next project. The bluegrass quintet was founded by Macy and won the 1999 RockyGrass Band Championship. The band recorded one CD - Pastures of Plenty. "Macy’s riveting, seductive voice infuses the band’s renditions of Sting’s 'Secret Journey' and Nanci Griffith’s 'Time of Inconvenience' with spellbinding power and soul," wrote reviewer David McCarty in Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic Guitar (magazine)
Acoustic Guitar is a monthly magazine published in the United States since July/August 1990 by String Letter Publishing. The magazine offers information related to acoustic guitars for players of all levels from beginners to teachers. Each issue includes a half dozen or so songs with notation and...
magazine; "Big Twang is one big talent." The band dissolved in 2003.
Macy remained active in the regional music scene, and also returned to teaching mathematics. In addition, she is owner and steward of Bartlett Arboretum
Bartlett Arboretum (Kansas)
The Bartlett Arboretum is a historic, nonprofit arboretum located in Belle Plaine, Kansas, United States. It is privately owned, and open to the public only upon special request....
, 20 miles south of Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
in Belle Plaine, Kansas
Belle Plaine, Kansas
Belle Plaine is a city in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,681.-Geography:Belle Plaine is located at...
. She discovered the arboretum in 1997 when it was slated for sale; the owning Bartlett family viewed her arrival as a godsend.
In April 2008, Macy's recording Songs from the Garden, original compositions inspired from living among the trees at the arboretum, was released. The arboretum, with application written by Macy, was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in April, 2010.
In October 2008, she formed another trio with Jennifer Pettersen and Monica Taylor called The Cherokee Maidens.
She is currently a teacher of geometry at Wichita Collegiate School.