Laura Lynch, a founding member and former lead vocalist of the country music band originally known as The Dixie Chicks, and later The Chicks, has died at the age of 65. Lynch was involved in a fatal car accident near El Paso, Texas, on Friday evening, December 22, 2023.
The accident was reported to CBS News by Michael Lynch, Laura’s cousin. The Texas Department of Safety provided details of the crash: a vehicle, while trying to pass another car, collided head-on with Lynch’s car on a two-way undivided highway. Lynch died at the scene, while the other driver involved was hospitalized with injuries not deemed life-threatening.
Lynch’s role in the formation of The Dixie Chicks in 1989, alongside Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Erwin, and Emily Erwin, was significant. She initially joined as the upright bassist and later became the lead vocalist after Macy’s departure in 1992. Her tenure with the band included the release of three albums before she left in 1993, and Natalie Maines subsequently became the lead vocalist.
The band, with Maines, achieved widespread acclaim with their 1998 album “Wide Open Spaces.” Lynch, in a 2003 Texas Plainview Herald interview, chose not to divulge the reasons for her departure from the band, respecting an agreement made with the group. Despite not being part of the band’s later success, Lynch expressed satisfaction with the decisions she made in her life.
The current members of The Chicks, Emily Strayer, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines, remembered Lynch on their Instagram page. They shared a video of her performances and acknowledged her integral role in the band’s early years. The members extended their thoughts to Lynch’s family during this challenging time.
Laura Lynch is survived by her husband, Mac Tull, and their daughter, Asia.