Dixie Chicks Founding Member Laura Lynch Remembered After Tragic Accident
Laura Lynch, a founding member of the Dixie Chicks, lost her life in a car crash in West Texas on Friday evening, as confirmed by her cousin Michael Lynch to CBS News. Details surrounding the crash remain unclear.
A skilled upright bass player, Lynch played a pivotal role in establishing the Dixie Chicks alongside three other women in 1989, including sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer, according to the band’s biography on Country Music Television. The quartet produced three albums together before Lynch’s departure, making way for Natalie Maines and forming the current trio of Maines, Maguire, and Strayer.
In a 1992 Entertainment Tonight interview with director Jim Ruddy, Lynch emphasized the collaborative nature of the band, expressing her hope for a resurgence of female harmony in the music industry. Recounting the origin of the band’s name, Lynch revealed that the idea arose while the group was listening to Little Feat, where the lyrics mentioned Dixie Chicken. Although initially considering Dixie Chickens, the name was shortened to Dixie Chicks after hesitation about being associated with the term “chickens.”
In June 2020, amidst growing awareness of racial injustice in the U.S. following the death of George Floyd, the band officially changed its name to “The Chicks,” distancing themselves from the historical connotations of the term “Dixie.”
Paying tribute to Laura Lynch in a Saturday afternoon statement, the band described her as a “bright light” whose infectious energy and humor played a crucial role in the band’s early days. Lynch’s talents, love for Texas, and design expertise were acknowledged as instrumental in the band’s initial success.
The heartfelt statement, signed by Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer, commemorated Lynch’s impact in propelling the Dixie Chicks from street corners to stages across Texas and the Midwest.
