Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Dixie Chicks, who played the upright bass in the band from 1990-93, has died. She was 65.
The musician was killed in a car crash near El Paso, Texas, Friday evening, her cousin, Michael Lynch, told CBS News.
Per a Texas Department of Safety report obtained by HuffPost, a car was trying to pass another vehicle on a two-way undivided portion of a highway and crashed head-on into Lynch’s car. According to the report, the artist was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other driver was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the Texas DPS and police department.
Lynch founded The Dixie Chicks, who now go by The Chicks, in 1989, alongside fellow members Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Erwin and Emily Erwin. She began as an upright bassist with the band and eventually took over as the lead vocalist when Macy left in 1992.
Together, the bassist and her fellow bandmembers recorded three albums — Thank Heavens for Dale Evans, Little Ol’ Cowgirl and Shouldn’t a Told You That — before she left the country music group in 1993 and was replaced by Natalie Maines two years later.
The reason for Lynch’s departure has varied over the years. At the time, the remaining members shared that she had been contemplating leaving for quite some time as she had gotten tired of touring and wanted to spend more time at home with her family.
In a 2003 interview with Texas’ Plainview Herald, Lynch wouldn’t discuss why she left because she told the publication that she and the group agreed not to talk about it publicly. However, she did note that she was replaced, and that always hurts, later adding that she had no regrets about missing out on the band’s fame.
The Chicks shared a video of Lynch performing on their official Instagram account following the news of her death, saying they were “shocked and saddened” to hear about it.
“We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and traveling together,” they wrote in the caption of a video of Lynch performing. “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.”
They concluded their post noting, “Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this sad time.”
Lynch is survived by her ex-husband, Mac Tull, and her daughter, Asia.
A previous version of this story misidentified Lynch in the photo.
