Luke Bell was a country artist who has been found dead in Arizona after being reported missing.
His death was confirmed by Saving Country Music, which reported it on August 29, 2022. Bell was 32 years old.
Saving Country Music called Bell “one of the most authentic and magnetizing artists to grace the country music art form in the modern era.”
According to his Facebook page, Luke Bell was “an American country musician and singer-songwriter from Cody, Wyoming.” His last post was a share of a YouTube music video in 2021.
Here’s what you need to know:
Bell Had Been Reported Missing in Tucson, Arizona
According to Saving Country Music, Bell went missing on Saturday, August 20, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona.
His body was found August 29, “not far from where he disappeared, and in a manner we all feared he would be when we first heard the news,” the site reported.
Saving Country Music confirmed Bell’s death with country artist Matt Kinman, his close friend. The cause of death was not released. According to Country Rebel, Bell, “who suffered from mental illness that included bipolar disorder, reportedly disappeared when Kinman left to get something to eat.”
Kinman told Saving Country Music, “We came down here to Arizona to work down here, play some music, and he just took off. He was in the back of the truck. I went in to get something to eat. I came out, and he’d got out of the truck and left.”
Mike and the Moonpies wrote a tribute on Facebook:
Word just came down on the passing of Luke Bell and we’re heartbroken over the news. 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. 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.
Fans Left Tributes on Bell’s Facebook Page
Fans left tributes in comment threads on Bell’s Facebook page.
“So long, Luke. I’m sorry I never got to see you play and I’m sorry you never found your way out of the darkness,” wrote one.
Other older posts questioned where he had been. “Where ya been? Hey mister on the cover where’s my friend?!” wrote one person before his death.
A friend wrote on Facebook,
So sad to hear we lost you Luke Bell. You were a good friend. I’ll never forget the time you were opening for Dwight Yokam, saw me in the crowd and said ‘Willie, how do you always have a pretty lady with ya’ (she’s now my wife). You were also no stranger to my couch. I remember a night we were in a verbal fight and I was just about to get physical when another band member said you were just talking in your sleep. 🤣. My folks and I always reminisce about the time you played the VFW with us and swooned all the older ladies on the dance floor. The room echoed ‘I danced with Luke Bell’ all night. You also made sure I meet one of my heroes, Dale Watson. That was a hell of a night. I could keep going but I just want to say you’ll be missed and thank you for always rolling out the red carpet for us when we caught up with you. You were the most humble trouble maker of them all.
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