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Luke Bell (musician)

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Luke Bell
Born(1990-01-27)January 27, 1990
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedAugust 26, 2022(2022-08-26) (aged 32)[1]
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Years active2012–2022
Musical career
OriginCody, Wyoming, U.S.
GenresCountry

Luke Bell (January 27, 1990 – August 26, 2022) was an American country musician and singer-songwriter.[2][3] According to Rolling Stone, Bell "[played] classic honky-tonk with a wink and a yodel that summons the sleeping ghosts of country better than any voodoo spell ever could".[4]

Early life

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Bell was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and raised in Cody, Wyoming.[5] He attended Cody High School, graduating in 2008. Bell briefly attended college in Laramie, Wyoming, before dropping out.

Career

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Debut self-titled album

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Bell moved to Austin, Texas, in 2012 where he recorded his self-titled debut album.[6][7] Bell also produced the entire album himself.[3]

Don't Mind If I Do

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Bell moved to New Orleans briefly, where he spent his time busking on the street to make money.[7] Afterwards, he moved back to Cody, Wyoming, where he wrote and recorded his second full-length album, titled Don't Mind If I Do. He wrote the album while working on a ranch, and recorded it upon receiving funding from a Kickstarter campaign.[7]

Bell enlisted Andrija Tokic, who had worked with Caitlin Rose, Alabama Shakes, and Hurray for the Riff Raff previously, to produce the album.[7] He recorded a Daytrotter session that same year. According to Daytrotter, the people whom Bell writes about "have bigger than life personalities" and "Bell is, without a doubt, one of the most talented country and western songwriters working ..."[8]

Final album

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After the second record era was complete, Bell moved to Nashville, Tennessee.[9] He released his second self-titled and third and final studio album in 2016.[10] The album was a mix of songs from his previous album and new songs.

"Sometimes", a single from the album that was originally on Bell's 2014 release, received attention from both NPR Music[11] and Rolling Stone.[12] A music video featuring Erin Rae, Patrick Sweany, and Kristina Murray was released for the song.[11] In late 2016, Bell released a cover of the 1971 John Lennon song "Jealous Guy".[13]

Death

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While in Tucson, Arizona, Bell disappeared on August 20, 2022, while his friend went out to eat.[14] He was found dead in Tucson nine days later, not far from where he disappeared, aged 32. Bell suffered from severe bipolar disorder and had recently changed medication for treatment prior to his death.[15][16]

His family released a statement a few days later confirming his bipolar disorder contributed to his death. However, they did not give a specific cause of his death.[17] On September 18, 2022, the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office announced that Bell had died from fentanyl intoxication on August 26.[1]

Discography

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Source(s):[18]

Studio albums

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  • Luke Bell (2012)[19]
  • Don't Mind If I Do (2014)[20]
  • Luke Bell (2016)[21]

Singles

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  • "Where Ya Been?" (2017)[22]
  • "Jealous Guy" (2021)[23]

Music videos

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Year Video Director Source
2016 "Sometimes" Joshua Shoemaker [24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Autopsy reveals country music star's cause of death". KGUN9.com. September 19, 2022.
  2. ^ Monger, Timothy. "Luke Bell – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Marie (April 30, 2013). "Luke Bell Music Review". Wyoming Public Media. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  4. ^ "CMA Music Fest 2015: 25 Must-See Acts". Rolling Stone. June 10, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  5. ^ Avila, Pamela (August 31, 2022). "Luke Bell, country singer known for hits 'Where Ya Been?' and 'Jealous Guy', found dead at 32". USA Today. Retrieved August 31, 2022. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, on Jan. 27, 1990, Bell...was raised in Cody, Wyoming...
  6. ^ Morris, Corey (September 4, 2013). "Bell concert at Inn on Saturday raises money for album". Cody Enterprise. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d Sforzini, Hank (September 10, 2014). "Nine Wyoming Bands You Should Listen to Now". Paste. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  8. ^ Daytrotter (February 16, 2015). "Luke Bell – Don't Mind If I Do". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  9. ^ Lewis, Randy (May 2016). "Stagecoach 2016: Backstage with Luke Bell". San Diego Tribune. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  10. ^ Armstrong, Chuck (June 17, 2016). "Interview: Luke Bell Chats About His New LP, Why He Still Enjoys Listening to His Own Music". The Boot. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Gotrich, Lars (April 20, 2016). "Got A Broken Heart? Hit The Karaoke Bar With Luke Bell's 'Sometimes'". NPR. NPR Music. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  12. ^ Leahey, Andrew (May 4, 2016). "10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: May 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  13. ^ Betts, Stephen (November 4, 2016). "See Luke Bell's Forlorn Cover of John Lennon's 'Jealous Guy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "Luke Bell Dead at 32: 5 Things to Know About the Country Star Who Disappeared". usmagazine.com. August 31, 2022.
  15. ^ "Country Singer Luke Bell Dead At 32 After He Was Reported Missing in Arizona". InTouchWeekly.com. August 30, 2022.
  16. ^ Tapp, Tom (August 31, 2022). "Luke Bell Dies: Country Singer Who Went Missing 10 Days Ago Found Dead At 32". Deadline. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  17. ^ "Luke Bell's Family Speaks Out About Mental Health After His Death at 32: 'We Are Heartbroken'". People.com.
  18. ^ "Luke Bell (2)". Discogs. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  19. ^ Luke Bell - Luke Bell, retrieved September 7, 2022
  20. ^ Don't Mind If I Do - Luke Bell | Releases | AllMusic, retrieved September 7, 2022
  21. ^ "Luke Bell – Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  22. ^ Avila, Pamela. "Luke Bell, country singer known for hits 'Where Ya Been?' and 'Jealous Guy,' found dead at 32". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  23. ^ Jealous Guy, January 29, 2021, retrieved September 7, 2022
  24. ^ "Luke Bell - Sometimes - Listen on Online Radio Box". OnlineRadioBox.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
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