Country music has lost a rising star.
Luke Bell--known for his classic honky-tonk sound--has passed away at 32 after having gone missing for more than a week.
Bell was found dead in Tucson, Arizona, on Aug. 30. near where he had been reported missing on Aug. 20, according to the Tucson Police Department, per the New York Post. A representative with the Pima County Medical Examiner's office confirmed to E! News that they have received Bell's body and an autopsy is pending.
The news of Bell's passing was first confirmed by his close friend and fellow musician, Matt Kinman, through a blog post on by Saving Country Music.
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E! News has reached out to the Tucson Police Department but hasn't heard back.
Following the news, several of Bell's country music colleagues took to social media to share their condolences, including singer Margo Price, who tweeted, "Goddamn, rest east to our dear friend, Luke Bell.
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Born in Kentucky, Bell got his start in the music industry playing at a local bar in a band while in college, according to Saving Country Music. He eventually made it to Nashville, where he recorded his first album, Don't Mind If I Do in 2014, followed by his self-titled album two years later. As his profile rose, Bell hit the road opening for several country greats, including Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr. and Dwight Yoakam.
He released his final single, "Jealous Guy," in January 2021.
"To be honest, I live in the day, and I count smiles," Bell told The Boot in a 2016 interview. "That's it. Listen, half the time, I end up drinking beer with my neighbors. Life's not that bad. The downside, in some ways, is I don't have a wife and kids, but at the same time, it's pretty ideal right now. I just travel around to other cities and hang out with other people."
He added, "The goal is to have high hopes and low expectations and have a good time."
