According to the Texas Department of Public Safety and Michael Lynch, The Dixie Chicks founding member Laura Lynch died on Friday evening when she was killed in a head-on car crash in West Texas. Lynch was a longtime bass player in the group.
Apparently, the bassist and singer, with the group since its 1989 inception, was traveling on US 62 in a 2016 Ford F-150, her personal vehicle, when it was struck head on by another vehicle. The accident was so severe that Lynch was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by a justice of the peace.
In a statement posted to Instagram after her passing, surviving Dixie Chicks members Emily, Martie, and Natalie honored her contribution to the group’s early success and commented on some of her great qualities. Lynch left the group in 1993 after recording three albums with it.
Beginning, they said, “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.”
Continuing, they wrote, “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.”
Commenting on the post, fans and supporters left messages of their own. One, for example, said, “I’m so deeply sad to hear this. Sending all my love to her friends and family. 🤍 She seems like she was the happiest, kindest person. I hope her loved ones are able to find comfort in their memories of her. I’m so thankful to her for everything she did to help create my favorite band of all time. 🥹”
Another added, “I always had a crush on her…such a beautiful person with a gorgeous voice. I’d watch you all perform on the sidewalk of the West End in Dallas before heading down to Froggy Bottoms to gig. My deepest sympathies to everyone. 🙏🏼💜🕉”
Still another commenter on the post said, “This one hits hard. As a fiddle-playing girl growing up in Texas in the 90’s, the Thank Heavens For Dale Evans album has been the soundtrack of my life. I’ve known it by heart since I was 12 years old. My condolences to her family and the Chicks family. Her work made my life richer, and I’m grateful.”
The Dixie Chicks infamously changed their name to “The Chicks” in the summer of 2020, when protests and riots were happening across America as part of the post-George Floyd unrest and outrage, with the group evidently deeming “Dixie” no longer politically acceptable.
Featured image credit: By Ron Baker (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kingsnake) – Dixie Chicks, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1799973
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