Founding Member of Country Group The Dixie Chicks Dies in Tragic Car Crash
Washington (AFP) – Laura Lynch, a founding member of the US country group the Dixie Chicks, has tragically passed away in a car crash in Texas. Her former bandmates are mourning the loss of “a bright light” in the music industry.
Lynch, 65, was killed in a head-on collision on an undivided highway 70 miles east of El Paso, as confirmed by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Authorities reported that Lynch was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lynch, along with Robin Lynn Macy and sisters Martie and Emily Erwin, were the original members of the Dixie Chicks when the group formed in 1989. Lynch departed the group, which is now called The Chicks, in 1995 and was replaced by Natalie Maines.
Under Maines’ lead, backed by the Erwin sisters, the trio rose to fame in the late 1990s, becoming one of the best-selling female groups in history with their unique fusion of bluegrass, rock, and country music. However, they faced backlash and were blacklisted by the music industry after Maines expressed her opposition to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In a statement on Instagram, current members of The Chicks expressed their shock and sadness over Lynch’s passing. They described her as a “bright light” and acknowledged her undeniable talents that helped propel the band beyond street performances to stages across Texas and the Midwest.
