Dixie Chicks fiddler Martha Elenor “Martie” Maguire (1969–) was born on this day in Dallas, Texas. Raised in the heart of the state’s musical tradition, she picked up the violin at five and never looked back. With her sister Emily Strayer, she busked on sidewalks, played weddings and honky-tonks, and shaped a sound that blended bluegrass heart with country and pop fire.

When lead singer Natalie Maines joined in 1995, the trio became a phenomenon. Their albums Wide Open Spaces and Fly soared to No. 1, winning multiple Grammy Awards and opening stages once closed to women with fiddles and fearless voices.

In 2020, the group reclaimed their identity as The Chicks, releasing Gaslighter — a fierce and confessional record of resilience, sisterhood, and truth. Maguire’s harmonies, string arrangements, and musical direction remain the band’s shimmering backbone.

A master of many instruments — fiddle, mandolin, viola, and guitar — she’s also a songwriter and co-founder of the side project Court Yard Hounds. Maguire continues to perform and record, her artistry reminding the world that even well-kept secrets deserve to shine.

“I’m doing what I always wanted to do,” she once said, “with two of my best friends, and we all believe in the same thing.”