Rising country music star Luke Bell passed away at 32 after allegedly going missing for over a week. Bell’s friend and fellow country singer Matt Kinman confirmed the “heartbreaking” news to the music site Saving Country Music.
The Wyoming native was found dead in Tucson, Arizona yesterday, near where he’d been reported missing over a week earlier on August 20, according to the Tuscon Police Department.
As of yet, the singer’s cause of death remains “unknown,” per authorities currently probing the tragedy. However, Kinman told music blog The Boot that his buddy had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, adding that a recent change in his medication might’ve have “played a role” in his disappearance.
Born in Lexington, Kentucky on January 27, 1990, and raised in Cody, Wyoming, Bell dropped out of the University of Wyoming and moved to Austin, Texas to pursue a career in country music. He regularly performed at honky tonks and saloons across the Lone Star state’s capital, before doing a short stint New Orleans, The Boot reported. He then made his way to Wyoming and before ending up in Nashville.
The honey-throated nomad finally got his big break after getting signed with Thirty Tigers in 2016. Bell released his eponymous album later that year, which garnered him nationwide recognition.
During the course of his short but impactful career, the country star collaborated with the likes of Alabama Shakes, Margo Price, and Langhorne Slim, and even played support slots for Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam and other country icons.
“To be honest, I live in the day, and I count smiles,” Bell said while describing his success to the music blog in 2016. “That’s it. Listen, half the time, I end up drinking beer with my neighbors. Life’s not that bad.”
With his untimely death, Bell leaves behind a legacy as most “authentic” country artists in modern times era with tunes that capture a bygone era. The singer’s unique sound and style earned him comparisons to the late and great Waylon Jennings, who founded country music’s Outlaw Movement.
Many fans deemed Bell a true original in a music scene oversaturated with sterile, derivative pop songs.
Friends and fans were crestfallen over the musician’s passing.
“Man…Luke Bell…what the f–k,” wrote fellow country star Joshua Hedley on Twitter. “RIP to a real one. Been a long time since I saw him and I was just talking about him the other day wondering what he’s been up to. Truly a sad night for country music.”
Meanwhile, band Mike and the Moonpies penned a moving Facebook tribute.
“Word just came down on the passing of Luke Bell and we’re heartbroken over the news,” they wrote. “I can vividly remember the first time I met Luke at Hole in the Wall over a decade ago, down to the clothes on his back.”
They added, “The man (and his music) left an impression. He was a real deal traveling troubadour out there on that lost highway. Do yourself a favor and put on some Luke Bell tunes tonight in his memory. Rest In Peace, friend.”
Credit: Source link
