Laura Lynch, Founding Member Of The Dixie Chicks, Dead At 65
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Laura Lynch, a founding member of the country pop band the Dixie Chicks, has died at age 65, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed.
The musician died on Friday at around 5:45 p.m. MST after being involved in a car collision on a highway near El Paso, Texas, her cousin told TMZ.
According to a Texas DPS report obtained by HuffPost, a car tried to pass another vehicle on a two-way undivided portion of the highway, and ended up crashing head-on into Lynch’s car.
Lynch was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the report. The driver of the car that crashed into Lynch’s vehicle was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Lynch can be seen playing the bass in the clip below while performing “West Texas Wind,” off the band’s debut album, “Thank Heavens for Dale Evans.”
Lynch founded the Dixie Chicks in Texas in 1989 with Martie and Emily Erwin (now Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer) and Robin Lynn Macy. The band started out playing bluegrass and Western swing-style music for audiences in and around Dallas, later evolving into a more modern country band in the ’90s, Vulture reported.
In 1992, Lynch, who was the bassist for the group, took over as lead vocalist after Macy left the band. The group recorded three albums together before Lynch left and was replaced by Natalie Maines, according to CBS News.
For decades, the band has consisted of Maines, Maguire and Strayer. The group, which changed its name to simply “The Chicks” in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, posted a tribute to its co-founder on Saturday.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Chicks,” the band’s Instagram post read. “We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and traveling together.”
“Laura was a bright light,” the group’s post continued. “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. 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.”
The country trio found fame in the 1990s with hits such as “Wide Open Spaces,” “Fly” and “Cowboy Take Me Away,” all of which rose to No. 1 on the American Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The Chicks later collaborated with musicians such as Taylor Swift, who has cited the award-winning, platinum-selling group as a key influence on her own career.
