Lynch co-founded the famous music group -- now known just as The Chicks -- alongside Robin Lynn Macy, Martie Erwin and Emily Erwin back in 1989 ... serving as the upright bassist and eventually taking on the role of lead vocalist for the band.
Come '93, it was just 3 Dixie Chicks and they released yet another album, "Shouldn't a Told You That," which didn't receive much commercial success either. This was the last album Lynch contributed to before leaving the band in '95 ... when Natalie Maines replaced her.

There are different reasons cited for why Lynch left ... but it appears she was heading in a different direction big picture -- wanting to focus on family and personal matters. At any rate, in interviews since -- LL expressed no regrets about her decision, and went on to live a relatively private life. Of course, in the following years ... the Dixie Chicks caught fire.

As for Laura, she married Mac Tull and had a daughter, both of whom she's survived by. She was 65.