3 Country Bands That Completely Changed When a Member Left

A band is like a family. When you’re in the studio writing songs or on the road performing them, you need people by your side who you can trust. You need a group of people who will be able to stick together through thick and thin. Here below, we wanted to highlight three country bands that understood this dynamic. But they nevertheless had to deal with a member leaving midstream. Indeed, these are three country bands that completely changed when a member left.

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The Chicks

Founded in 1989 and originally known as The Dixie Chicks, this Dallas, Texas-born singing group experienced a major turning point when founding member Laura Lynch left in 1992. At first, the band was known for its bluegrass-oriented lineup. But when Lynch left, things changed. Enter: singer Natalie Maines, who helped to transform the group into a mainstream country outfit. The new lineup with Maines and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer became one of the most successful country acts in history.

The Statler Brothers

Founded in the mid-1950s, The Statler Brothers saw a major shakeup when founding member Lew DeWitt retired from touring and recording in the 1980s. His reason for stepping away? He had to deal with the symptoms related to his devastating Crohn’s disease—an illness that affects the gut and digestion. DeWitt’s voice was a major part of the group’s success, including on their hit tune, “Flowers on the Wall”. He was replaced by Jimmy Fortune, who did his best to bring something to the group. Amazingly, the band was able to continue for decades after that.

Little Texas

Formed in 1988, Little Texas was known for songs like “God Blessed Texas”, “My Love”, and “What Might Have Been”. But in 1997, about a decade after the band got started, lead singer Tim Rushlow left. That was a big change for the group. Rushlow’s signature vocals were key to tunes like “God Blessed Texas”, which hit No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the country charts. While the group kept going with other vocalists at the helm, many of the band’s fans saw the post-Rushlow era as a distinctly different version of Little Texas.

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