Country singer Dawn Sears dies at 53

NASHVILLE, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Dawn Sears, a longtime harmony singer in Vince Gill's band and vocalist with The Time Jumpers, died after a battle with lung cancer. Sears was 53.

Sears started her career at age 17, touring with a band through the West and Midwest. After she moved to Nashville in 1987, she released her debut album, What a Woman Wants to Hear. She was a member of The Time Jumpers, which formed in 1988. The western swing band earned two Grammy nominations in 2012.

She was an in-demand vocalist, frequently compared to Reba McEntire and Shelby Lynne, and worked with artists including Merle Haggard and Tracy Byrd.

She is survived by her husband, Time Jumpers fiddler Kenny Sears, and daughter Tess.