In country music, the “girl singer” has always faced an uphill climb. And when she steps out of line — as with Loretta Lynn's 1975 contraceptive-celebrating “The Pill,” which was banned from the airwaves coast to coast, or Carlene Carter's infamous, career-crippling declaration, “I'm going to put the 'cunt' back in country”– the degree of retaliation is always on the heavy-handed, double-standard side of the cultural punishment street. Lone Star State fireball Natalie Maines knows all about it: She, of course, was the Dixie Chick whose onstage Bush-era declaration that she was “ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas” resulted in an entirely new, and unprecedented, level of airwave censorship and venue blacklisting. Ten years later, the gloriously unapologetic Maines has just released her first solo album, Mother, and is dead set on continuing to call 'em as she sees 'em. Tonight, Maines will engage in a reliably provocative gabfest with museum director Bob Santelli and perform with homegrown musical luminary Ben Harper (who produced her new CD). Americana in its purest contemporary form. Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., #A245, dwntwn; Tues., May 14, 8 p.m.; $25. (213) 765-6800, grammymusem.org.

Tue., May 14, 8 p.m., 2013

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