Kylie Rae Harris, 30, died in a three-car wreck on Wednesday (Sept. 4) night, according to Billboard. The accident took place on State Road 522 near Taos, New Mexico. Another driver, a 16-year-old, was also killed while the third driver managed to escape injury. The Taos County Sheriff’s Office said that alcohol is suspected as being a factor in the crash, per the AP. While the authorities didn’t name Kylie among the casualties, her manager confirmed her death in a statement to Billboard. “We are heartbroken to confirm that Kylie Rae Harris passed away in a car accident last night.
“[We] have no further details to share, and ask for privacy for her family at this time. Everyone that knew Kylie knew how much she loved her family and, beyond that, how much she loved music. The best tribute to her unmatched enthusiasm for both is to spread as much love as you can today, and listen to music that fully inspires you,” the statement concluded. As the authorities determine what happened to take the lives of Kylie and the 16-year-old, here’s what you need to know.
1. She was a country music singer. Kylie grew up in a small town northeast of Dallas, Texas, according to Billboard. Her family road trips often included music by Radney Foster and Jerry Jeff Walker. Early influences were Walt Wilkins and Patty Griffin. She began singing in church and wrote her song at age 14. She released her album, All The Right Reasons, in 2010, the Taking It Back EP in 2013 and a self-titled EP in March 2019.
2. She leaves behind a daughter. Kylie wrote “Twenty Years From Now” as a prayer for her six-year-old daughter, Corbie. She called it the most important song she’s ever written. “It scared me thinking that it was totally possible I could be gone before my daughter reaches that point,” she told Billboard. “I want to meet my kid’s kids. Getting to the age your parents were when you were a child brings a whole lot of perspective.”
3. Kylie won an award-winning singer. In 2014, she was named the Texas Regional Radio Music Awards Female Vocalist of the year. She most recently released her self-titled EP in March. “My twenties weren’t a walk in the park, a lot of that admittedly self-inflicted, but I grew a lot,” she told Taste of Country in January. “This project feels like the close of a real painful chapter and a welcome to whatever is next.”
https://twitter.com/KylieRH/status/1169340654675267584
4. Marren Morris paid tribute to her. “Damn. I just heard the news, and I’m in shock,” Marren Morris posted to her Instagram Story shortly after the news of Kylie’s death. “You have always been so sweet and supportive of me. Your soulful voice and Texas beauty was always jaw-dropping, even when we were teenagers at the Larry Joe Taylor festival. Thinking of your family and your precious baby girl right now. Rest In Peace
5. She also left behind a haunting Instagram story. “I just got to Taos, New Mexico. I’m playing this festival here called the Big Barn Dance,” Kylie said in her final Instagram story. “I love this festival. But, for those of you who don’t know I spent the last twenty years of my life coming to Taos, with my dad and my sister. My grandparents lived here. My uncle still lives here. But, basically, literally, everybody that was here has passed away, except for my uncle and including my Dad.”
“But, like, driving these roads,” she continued.” you would think, I’ve been driving for almost 12 hours, you’d think that’s so exhausting and boring but the last couple of hours just driving through the mountains, remembering my place in the backseat as a little kid when my dad was making these treks here it was the f*cking best.”
Our thoughts are with Kylie’s family, friends, and fans during this time.