Laura Lynch, a founding member of the country band The Dixie Chicks, was killed Friday (December 22) in a car accident just outside El Paso, Texas, according to multiple published reports. She was 65.
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A report from TMZ, quoting information from the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Lynch was heading east on Highway 62 just after sunset when another car heading west attempted to pass a car in front of it on a two-way, undivided portion of the roadway. In attempting the pass, it instead hit Lynch’s car head-on. She was declared dead at the scene, the report said. The driver of the other car was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Dallas-born band, known today as just The Chicks, was founded in 1989 by Lynch (bass, vocals), Robin Lynn Macy (guitar) and sisters Martie and Emily Erwin. Lynch, known for her beautiful warbling voice, moved into the lead vocalist spot in 1992 after Macy left the group. The Dixie Chicks ruled the ’90s country-pop scene, climbing charts and pushing creative boundaries.
The band shared on Twitter after the news, “Laura was a bright light…her infectious energy and humor gave a spark to the early days of our band. Laura had a gift for design, a love of all things Texas and was instrumental in the early success of the band.”
Adding, “Her undeniable talents helped propel us beyond busking on street corners to stages all across Texas and the mid-West. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this sad time. – Emily, Martie & Natalie.”
She will be missed.
As for Lynch’s music career, Lynch left the band in the mid-90s, reportedly wanting to focus on family. She went on to live a life outside of the limelight. Not long after, the Chicks became one of the biggest country bands in the world, dealing with fame, fortune and criticism after protests regarding then-President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. The band changed its name in 2020, removing the word Dixie for its negative historical connotations.
Photo via YouTube screenshot
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