Dixie Chicks win song of the year Grammy

LOS ANGELES, Feb 12 (Reuters) Country music trio the Dixie Chicks won the Grammy Award for song of the year for their defiant tune ''Not Ready To Make Nice,'' a response to the backlash over singer Natalie Maines' criticism of President George W Bush.

The victory brought the group's total for the ceremony to two.

They earlier won a statuette for country performance by a duo or group with vocal.

They are still in contention for album of the year, record of the year, and best country album.

''Not Ready to Make Nice'' was the lead single from ''Taking the Long Way,'' the group's first album since Maines told fans in 2003 that she was ashamed to come from the same state as fellow Texan Bush.

The off-the-cuff comment transformed them overnight from Nashville darlings to pariahs. The song bombed at country radio, which has largely boycotted the group, and the album's sales were disappointing.

The song of the year Grammy is a songwriter's award. In this case, Maines and her two bandmates, sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, shared the spotlight with Dan Wilson.

''I, for the first time in my life, am speechless,'' Maines said.

She thanked her colleagues ''for sticking by me ... I told you I'd take you to the Grammys.'' The other contenders were tunes by R&B singer Mary J Blige, country singer Carrie Underwood, and English singer-songwriters James Blunt and Corinne Bailey Rae.

The 49th annual Grammy Awards, the music industry's highest honors, were handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

REUTERS DKS PM0756