Laura Lynch, founding member of Dixie Chicks, dead at 65
Laura Lynch, a founding member of the country music group Dixie Chicks, has passed away at the age of 65 in a car accident.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, her passing occurred following a crash involving two vehicles near El Paso on Friday.
In response to the news, the current band members expressed their feelings of being “shocked and saddened” in an Instagram post. “We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and travelling together,” they wrote.
Adding: “Laura was a bright light…her infectious energy and humour 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.”
They continued: “Her undeniable talents helped propel us beyond busking on street corners to stages all across Texas and the mid-West,” the band said, adding that their thoughts were with Laura’s “family and loved ones.”
The group originated as the Dixie Chicks in Dallas, Texas, back in 1989. Founding members included Lynch, who started as a bassist and later became a vocalist, Robin Lynn Macy, and the Erwin sisters, Martie and Emily.
Before Lynch’s departure in 1995, the Dixie Chicks launched three albums: Thank Heavens for Dale Evans, Little Ol’ Cowgirl, and Shouldn’t a Told You That. However, the band’s breakthrough into commercial success came in 1998 with their album Wide Open Spaces.
The group rebranded as The Chicks three years ago as a response to criticism associating “Dixie” with implications of American slavery.
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