Sears passed away last Thursday night (Dec. 11) in Gallatin, Tenn. The cause was lung cancer, which she had been fighting since 2012. She was 53. "Dawn Sears sang so beautifully. And lived just as beautifully. She will be missed," Brad Paisley tweeted today. "I will miss her & her beautiful voice," echoed Sheryl Crow. "Rest in peace," wrote Wade Bowen.

A native of Minnesota, Sears got her start, like so many country artists, playing regional clubs and contests. She released her debut album, What a Woman Wants to Hear, on Warner Bros. in 1991, followed by 1994's Nothin' but Good (on Decca) and a self-titled (and self-released) collection in 2002.

Sears released a handful of radio singles, and although they didn't chart well, songs like "Runaway Train" and "Nothin' but Good" still stand as brilliant showcases for her strong voice. "She's sort of a modern Wanda Jackson with just a touch of polish, or Brenda Lee with more honky tonk feeling," as writer Michael McCall colorfully describes her style in AllMusic.

While Sears never had a radio hit, her voice caught the attention of then-rising star Vince Gill, who reached out and asked her to sing with him.