Author Taylor Jenkins Reid Shares She’s Converting The Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” Into A Jukebox Musical

Is the Dixie Chicks’ (now going by The Chicks) “Goodbye Earl” headed to Broadway? It appears so, after hit author Taylor Jenkins Reid teased that she’s working on turning the hit 1999 murder ballad into a jukebox musical.

The author who wrote the novel for the hit TV adaptation Daisy Jones & The Six has many more exciting projects in the pipeline. During a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she was promoting her new book, Atmosphere, she touched on a project she’s working on outside of the novel sphere.

“We’re taking the story of ‘Goodbye Earl’ and we’re making that jukebox musical with all the discography of the Chicks.”

As a “Goodbye Earl” superfan, I jumped out of my desk chair hearing her say this in the interview. Reid shared that this idea is coming about with one of her theater friends.

“One of my best friends in the whole world is a Broadway fanatic. She works in Broadway. And I was with her going to see Moulin Rouge a couple of years ago. And right before the curtain comes up, I say to her, ‘I have a crazy idea. What about ‘Goodbye Earl’ as a jukebox musical?’ And I pitch her the story in my head. And she goes, ‘Okay, what’s the second act?’ And I go, ‘I think I might need your help writing this.'”

After they realized this “crazy idea” might not be so crazy after all, the two women “called everyone we could think of in Hollywood that might know the Chicks,” which got the ball officially rolling on this project.

Reid also explained to Clarkson that instead of writing new music for the plot of “Goodbye Earl,” she and her friend are considering using The Chicks’ existing catalog for the music in the production.

“I really hope ‘Cowboy Take Me Away’ makes the musical.”

Clarkson said after learning this, to which Reid responded:

“Let me assure you that it does.” 

I can imagine it already. Mary Ann has “Cowboy Take Me Away” playing in her head after her first date with Earl, but little does she know the rocky road that lies ahead of her. While of course fans would hope that a lot of The Chicks’ older music would make the cut, I can already imagine songs from their latest record like “Gaslighter, “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and tracks from their 2006 record like “Not Ready To Make Nice” featured in the project.

Who knows, maybe we will even get some other ’90s country hits in the musical, given country music fans first met Earl in Sammy Kershaw’s hit “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer.”

And yes, Taylor Jenkins Reid, I am available for hire if you need guidance. I have many ideas swirling in this big brain. Reid did not share any information on when “Goodbye Earl” enthusiasts could expect this musical to take the stage, even teasing that it better mean this is truly coming to fruition, or else some people might have the same fate as Earl for giving us false hope.

(All in light fun with that statement, folks! No one is eating black-eyed peas around here!)

I’m buying tickets as soon as more details from this project are unveiled.

Check out the entire interview before you go.

The post Author Taylor Jenkins Reid Shares She’s Converting The Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” Into A Jukebox Musical first appeared on Whiskey Riff.