Up-and-coming country singer Taylor Dee died in a car accident on March 14, according to her agent Shai Berry. She was only 33 years old.
Dee passed away at a hospital in Euless, Texas, this past week. Euless Police Sergeant Scott Peterson informed E! News that she was driving her 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer on the State Highway 183 when she tried to exit around 10 p.m.
“It looks like she made a last-minute-decision to attempt to go from the toll lane into the exit lane,” Peterson said.
According to the police press release, as Dee abruptly switched lanes, she lost control and crashed into a cushion barrio, flipping her car in the process. Investigators have reason to believe she was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Peterson said the singer was ejected from the car. During the accident, the male passenger who was with her was wearing his seatbelt and got released from the hospital the following day, suffering only minor injuries.
Two days before the accident, Dee performed at Rancho Lona Vineyards in Fort Worth, Texas.
Born Taylor Dawn Carroll on July 16, 1987, the singer grew up in Farmersville, Texas, with her mother and older brother, Chad.
According to her website, “Things were very hard for her as a child amongst all of the fighting between her parents, and her family being very poor…Taylor turned to music for healing. It became her safe place.”
The website goes on to explain how, “She was very quiet and shy as a kid and just kept to herself journaling, writing poetry, and listening to all of her favorite artists.”
According to her website, Dee started her music career at the age of 12 when she auditioned for All State Regional Choir and got accepted. After graduating from high school in 2005, she joined her first group called Chasing Highways. In 2009, she auditioned for American Idol, followed by The Voice in 2015, but what unsuccessful in her attempts. She finally released her first independent album, The Buzz, in September of 2019. Her single, The Buzz, has hit the top 15 on the country charts in both Canada and the UK.
“I am so proud of the record we have created,” the singer said. “I have put everything I have and every dollar to my name, creating this record for myself and my fans. The pressure I felt to record something great pushed me to the max, and I cannot wait for the world to hear it.”
Taylor Dee leaves behind her son, Vayden, and her daughter, River, who are both under 13.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the singer on behalf of Karla Terrel to help the grieving family. Brittnee Fulton, the fundraiser’s organizer, stated, “She will be forever loved and missed. She left this world sooner than any of us were ready for.” The fund has currently raised $13,200 out of its $15,000 goal.
