Laura Lynch – a founding member of the US country music band the Dixie Chicks, has died at the age of 65
The Texas Department of Public Safety said she died after being involved in a collision between two vehicles near the city of El Paso on Friday.
Who was Laura Lynch?
Laura Lynch was born on November 18, 1958, in Dell City, Texas. She was one of the founding members of The Dixie Chicks, now called The Chicks.
Lynch co-founded the all-female band with Martie Maguire, Emily Strayer, and Robin Lynn Macy. Lynch provided vocals for the band and was also the band’s bassist.
Despite hitting the road for years, the band’s bluegrass and country music didn’t resonate with mainstream audiences immediately.
Instead, the band played at small venues and festivals throughout the US. In 1990, Lynch and The Dixie Chicks won Best Band at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
That year, they began opening for larger country music acts, including Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Reba McEntire.
In 1991, the group had its first major break, performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, though even that wasn’t enough to catapult them into stardom.
In 1992, Lynch became the band’s lead vocalist when Robin Lynn Macy left the group.
Lynch, along with the remaining members of the band, also performed at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993 during his inaugural ball.
Unfortunately, the band wasn’t achieving mainstream success outside of Texas and Tennessee.
Lynch, who provided lead vocals on the band’s third independent album, Shouldn’t a Told You That, wasn’t garnering attention or support from any major record labels.
Lynch ultimately left the group in 1995, though it’s not 100% clear what caused the departure, or whether it was amicable.
Lynch reportedly wanted to spend more time with her family, including her daughter, Asia, and her husband.
She was replaced by Natalie Maines, who led the group into a more modern sound – and mainstream success.
In a 2003 interview with My Plainview, reporter Anita Chang wrote that Lynch “spends her free time these days learning to oil paint.”
“The walls of her spacious, airy home are dotted with paintings, both hers and pieces she has collected over the years.”
Chang also mentioned that Lynch wouldn’t tell her why she left the band, and that the group had agreed never to discuss it.
Lynch “said only that she was replaced and it always hurts to be replaced.”
Laura Lynch cause of death
On Friday, December 22, 2023, Laura Lynch died at the age of 65 after being involved in a car crash.
As reported by TMZ, Lynch’s cousin, Mick Lynch, told reporters that Lynch was traveling from El Paso, Texas, to Dell City. She was on the highway when the collision occurred, shortly after sunset.
Police officers at the scene said their preliminary investigation showed that a car attempted to pass another vehicle in front of it. They were on a “two-way undivided portion of the highway” and ended up hitting Laura Lynch’s car head-on.
Lynch died at the scene of the crash, while the driver of the other vehicle was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. On Saturday, December 23, The Chicks posted a tribute to Laura Lynch on their social media.
They shared a video of Laura Lynch singing on their Instagram, and captioned the post: “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.”
“Laura had a gift for design, a love of all things Texas and was instrumental in the early success of the band,” they added. “Her undeniable talents helped propel us beyond busking on street corners to stages all across Texas and the mid-West.”
They finished up the sweet tribute by writing: “Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this sad time.”
Laura Lynch husband and children
Laura Lynch reportedly had one daughter, Asia, and was married to Mac Wells, who won $26.8 million in a lottery during the early 1990s.
Laura Lynch Net Worth
Laura Lynch estimated net worth at the time of her death was $1 million – $3 million
Who are The Dixie Chicks?
The Dixie Chicks are an American country music band. The band originated in Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, after Lynch’s departure, the band has consisted of three members.
Natalie Maines is the band’s lead singer and guitarist, Marti Maguire plays the fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, and Emily Strayer plays guitar, banjo, and dobro.
Sisters Marti and Emily also provide backup vocals for Natalie. The group’s major label debut, Wide Open Spaces, catapulted them to fame in 1998.
Their fifth album and second major label album, Fly, reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 in 1999.
The Dixie Chicks enjoyed their newfound success, but just days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the band’s members found themselves making headlines for their controversial political statements.
During a 2003 concert in London, Natalie Maines famously told the audience that the group did not endorse the war.
She also said the group was ashamed that then-US President, George W. Bush, was, like the band’s members, from Texas.
Maines’ comments had a negative impact on the band’s success, triggering backlash from fans and boycotts across the nation.
Radio stations across the US stopped playing their music, fans burned the group’s music and merchandise, and some protestors even used a 33,000-pound tractor to destroy the band’s CDs.
As a result, the band went on a brief hiatus and didn’t release new music until their 2006 album, Taking the Long Way.
The album’s hit song, Not Ready to Make Nice, was a direct response to the controversy.
The song’s lyrics include: “And how in the world / Can the words that I said / Send somebody so over the edge / That they’d write me a letter / Saying that I better shut up and sing / Or my life will be over.”
The song ultimately ended up winning three Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of The Year, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2007.
The band continued to release new music and tour throughout the 2010s, occasionally taking breaks between albums.
In 2016, the group performed alongside Beyoncé at the Country Music Association Awards on her song Daddy Lessons.
In 2019, they collaborated with Taylor Swift on Soon You’ll Get Better, which appeared on the pop star’s 2019 album, Lover.
On June 25, 2020, the group officially dropped “Dixie” from its name, calling themselves The Chicks.
They referenced the year’s political climate as one of the reasons behind the change.
In an interview with the Independent, Marti Maguire said: “If Black Lives Matter and George Floyd’s murder hadn’t happened, we might’ve waited another couple of years [to change our name].”
“I don’t know, but it definitely lit a fire in us to be on the right side of history,” she added.
In 2020, the band also released their first album in 14 years, titled Gaslighter. Since their mainstream debut in the mid-90s, the group has won numerous awards, including 13 Grammy Awards.
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