The Chicks might not exist without Laura Lynch, who co-founded the multiplatinum-selling country act — then known as the Dixie Chicks — back in 1989.
Yet, Lynch is hardly a well-known name even among most fans of the band, which wouldn’t achieve widespread commercial success until Lynch was replaced in the Chicks by Natalie Maines.
In fact, a lot of people don’t even realize that the Chicks even put out albums before Maines took over the microphone in time for the fourth full-length outing, “Wide Open Spaces,” in 1998.
That’s a shame since Lynch — who died Friday in a car crash in El Paso, Texas, at the age of 65 — was a splendid vocalist and upright bassist who did such good work on the band’s first three albums.
In memory of this mostly unsung contributor to the Chicks’ mighty legacy, we recommend that fans of the band and others give a listen to these three songs featuring Lynch on lead vocals.
“Shouldn’t a Told You That”
This timeless country tune, driven by the rapid-fire banjo work of Emily Strayer (née Erwin), served as the title track to the band’s third album in 1993. The number was penned by singer-songwriter Walter Hyatt of the Austin, Texas, troupe Uncle Walt’s Band.
“There Goes My Dream”
It’s a gorgeous broken hearted love song that was written by Jamie O’Hara, who was part of the chart-topping country duo the O’Kanes (perhaps best known for the song “Can’t Stop My Heart from Loving You”).
“Whistles and Bells”
The memorably sweet opening number from “Shouldn’t a Told You That,” outlining a convincing case why a love interest made the wrong choice in chasing “whistles and bells” instead of a heart that is true.