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, as reported by Lynch’s cousin Michael Lynch to CBS News, occurred on a two-way undivided highway. The Texas Department of Safety detailed that another vehicle, while attempting to overtake a car, collided head-on with Lynch’s car. Lynch succumbed to her injuries at the scene, while the other driver was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Lynch’s involvement with The Dixie Chicks began in 1989, co-founding the band with Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Erwin, and Emily Erwin. She initially played the upright bass and later assumed the role of lead vocalist after Macy’s departure in 1992. Lynch’s tenure with the band saw the release of three albums until her departure in 1993, after which Natalie Maines took over as lead vocalist.
The band achieved considerable success with their fourth album, “Wide Open Spaces,” released in 1998 and featuring Maines. Lynch’s reasons for leaving the band remained private, as she mentioned in a 2003 interview with Texas’ Plainview Herald, adhering to an agreement to not publicly discuss the details. She expressed contentment with her life choices, despite the pain of being replaced and missing out on the band’s subsequent fame.
The current members of The Chicks, Emily Strayer, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines, commemorated Lynch on their official Instagram page. They shared a video of Lynch performing and expressed their sorrow over her passing, acknowledging her contributions to the band’s early success. Strayer and Maguire, alongside Maines, extended their condolences to Lynch’s family and loved ones.
Laura Lynch is survived by her husband, Mac Tull, and their daughter, Asia.
