Country singer Abby Nicole dead at 25 after UTV accident

Singer Abby Nicole with a young fan. (Instagram)

Country singer Abby Nicole (née Abby Nicole Uecker) died early Sunday at age 25 after performing at a Nebraska county fair with her band County Road, Fox News has confirmed.

News Channel Nebraska reported The Thayer County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 4:20 a.m. that a female was injured near the racetrack of Thayer County Fairgrounds while riding in a utility task vehicle.

The singer was transported to Thayer County Health Services where she was pronounced dead.

"Our biggest thing that we've been portraying to everybody is this was tragic for us all, but we really appreciate the condolences and everybody reaching out," Chad Barnhill, County Road's stage manager and drummer, told Fox News on Tuesday.

"I've been telling everybody friendship is a healer and we really appreciate all the friendship to help heal these scars that we're going to have for quite a while," he added. "Abby was a great person... She was a lover of everyone. And being next to her on almost a daily basis, I can't tell you how true that is. She wanted to know everybody as much as everybody wanted to know her."

The identity of the UTV driver has not been released, though state patrol said it was a male. Barnhill also confirmed an investigation is ongoing and Nicole was a passenger in the vehicle.

The group performed on Friday and Saturday nights after races at the Thayer County Speedway.

According to her website, the Nebraska native had a passion for music since she was 4, which compelled her to later pursue musical theater.

While in college, Nicole was asked to join County Road as a lead vocalist. In December 2014 she was diagnosed with a brain tumor that put her musical career on hold, resulting in immediate surgery. But by February 2015, she returned to school and started singing with her band in April that same year.

After graduating from college, Nicole went to Nashville and recorded her first E.P. on June 30, 2016.

Barnhill also told Norkfolk Daily News Nicole had spent the weekend performing and spending time with family before the fatal accident occurred.

“We were an hour away from her sister’s home and, after performing the night before and then knowing she would have a long night that following evening, she still drove to Hastings to spend the day with her niece,” he said.

The publication added funeral services will take place Friday.