Laura Lynch, one of the original members of the Dixie Chicks, now known as The Chicks, passed away on Friday in a car accident in El Paso, Texas. She was 65 years old.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed Lynch’s death in a statement provided to NPR.
As a musician, Lynch played bass and contributed vocals to the influential all-women country music band for four years since its formation in 1989. The tragic incident occurred as she was traveling eastbound on US 62 in her 2016 Ford F-150, which was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. Lynch was pronounced dead at the scene by a justice of the peace.
- The best gifts and messages for Christmas
- Japan tests spacecraft to deflect asteroid heading for Earth
The other driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Members of The Chicks, Emily Strayer, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines, expressed their shock and sorrow on their Instagram channel in a tribute to Lynch.
“Laura was a shining light. Her contagious energy and humor added a spark to the early days of our band,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during this somber time.”
The Department of Public Safety stated that the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Despite NPR’s request for comment, The Chicks’ representatives have not provided a response.
Lynch co-founded the group in 1989 with sisters Maguire and Strayer (formerly Erwin) but left the band after contributing to three albums in 1993. She was succeeded by Maines. Initially the bass player, Lynch began singing for the band following the departure of their original vocalist, Robin Lynn Macy, in 1992.
