Laura Lynch, one of the original members of the country music juggernaut The Dixie Chicks, has died in a head-on car crash while driving from El Paso to Dell City, which is about 96 miles east., Texas. She was 65. The musician died instantly when her vehicle was struck by another car attempting to overtake on a highway on Friday afternoon, TMZ reported.
News of her death was confirmed by her cousin Mick Lynch. The driver of the other vehicle was rushed to a hospital with injuries deemed non-life-threatening. Laura Lynch, Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Erwin, and Emily Erwin, played a pivotal role in founding The Dixie Chicks in 1990.
Killed on the Scene
The Texas Department of Public Safety later verified Lynch's death. Initially contributing as the upright bassist in the original quartet lineup of the Dixie Chicks, Lynch later assumed lead vocals during her tenure.
The current trio lineup of the group decided to change its name to The Chicks in 2020 in the wake of racial justice protests ignited by the murder of George Floyd.
According to a preliminary investigation by law enforcement, Lynch was traveling east on Highway 62 at the time of the fatal incident. A westbound car reportedly crossed the dotted line in an unpartitioned segment of the two-way highway to overtake a slower vehicle.
As the oncoming vehicle entered the east-bound lane, it collided head-on with Lynch's car, killing her.
Despite the gravity of Lynch's injuries, the other driver managed to survive with injuries deemed non-life-threatening and was promptly transported to a hospital.
The crash was catastrophic, and Lynch was pronounced dead at the scene. A full investigation into the incident has been launched, as reported by the outlet.
The Chicks, as the band is now known, posted a tribute to Laura Lynch on their Instagram account. The statement read: "We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Chicks.
"We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and traveling together.
"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.
"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."
A Star Is Gone
Lynch originally played upright bass for the immensely popular country group, before providing lead vocals for their third album, "Shouldn't a Told You That."
She was a co-founder of an early four-person iteration of The Dixie Chicks in 1989, alongside vocalist and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Maguire (née Erwin) on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and vocals, and her sister Emily Strayer (née Erwin) on guitar, banjo, dobro, and vocals.
The Texan-born singer contributed to the band by recording three albums before parting ways in 1993.
Lynch was replaced by Natalie Maines in 1995.
Information about Lynch's life and career following from the band is limited. A 2003 news article mentioned that Lynch was living in Mineral Wells, Texas.
She was married to Mac Wells, a lottery winner who secured $26.8 million in the early 1990s, and they had a daughter named Asia.
Lynch reportedly dedicated her leisure time to "learning to oil paint" and expressed no regrets about leaving the Dixie Chicks, citing exhaustion as a factor in her decision.
She also spoke fondly of her years with the group, saying: "It was worth. I'd get anemic all over again to do it."
Following Laura Lynch's departure from the band, the Dixie Chicks achieved remarkable international success with the release of their album "Wide Open Spaces" in 1998.
The album played a pivotal role in propelling the Dixie Chicks to new heights of popularity and acclaim.
After "Wide Open Spaces," the Dixie Chicks continued their success with the release of two more albums in succession -- "Fly" in 1999 and "Home" in 2002.
Both albums were widely successful, selling tens of millions of records. However, the band blasted back in 2003 when Natalie Maines spoke out against the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and said that she was ashamed that President George W. Bush hailed from her home state of Texas.
Despite the controversy, the Dixie Chicks eventually recovered and, in 2020, rebranded themselves as "The Chicks."
