Founding member of Dixie Chicks music band, Laura Lynch Passes Away in a Tragic Car Accident
Laura Lynch, a founding member of the country music group the Dixie Chicks, passed away in a car accident on Friday at the age of 65, as confirmed by local authorities, including Nikol Endres, a justice of the peace in the area.
This tragic car accident happened on Route 62, near Comudas, Texas and precisely 70 miles east of El Paso. Paso. Laura Lynch, a resident of Fort Worth, was driving east when a pickup truck traveling west crossed into her lane, resulting in a head-on collision, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. She was declared dead at the scene itself
Born and raised on her grandfather’s ranch in Texas, Lynch, a bassist, co-founded the Dixie Chicks in Dallas in 1988 alongside Robin Lynn Macy, and sisters Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire.
The original lineup produced two albums together: the debut “Thank Heavens for Dale Evans” in 1990 and “Little Ol’ Cowgirl” in 1992. In a 1992 interview with National Public Radio, Laura Lynch described the band’s music as “cowgirl music,” a blend of old-time country, bluegrass, and acoustic elements featuring three-part and four-part harmony, instrumentals, and country swing.
After Macy’s departure in 1992, the trio, now comprising Lynch, Strayer, and Maguire, released “Shouldn’t A Told You That” in 1993, achieving moderate success. The trio has performed in front of former president Bill Clinton, at an inaugural ball in 1993.
However, in 1995, Laura Lynch left the group and was replaced by Natalie Maines. Martie Maguire explained the decision, stating, “We were facing going on our seventh year, we were starting to re-evaluate things. What do we want to do in the future, where do we want to be in five years? I don’t think Laura really saw herself on the road five years from now.”
The Dixie Chicks, now known as the Chicks, paid tribute to Lynch on social media, remembering Laura Lynch as a “bright light” whose “infectious energy and humor gave a spark to the early days of our band.” They acknowledged Lynch’s talents, describing her as instrumental in the band’s early success and highlighting her love for design and all things Texas. Dixie Chicks are still the best-selling female duo in American history, having sold around thirty million CDs.
Details about survivors were not immediately available. Following her departure from the Dixie Chicks, Lynch pursued a career as a public relations officer with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, according to The Star-Telegram. She later revealed in a 2003 interview with The Associated Press that she took up oil painting and dedicated much of her time to raising her daughter. Reflecting on her time in the band, Lynch expressed, “It was worth it. I’d get anemic all over again to do it.”
