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Luke Bell’s Legacy Lives On In Two New Posthumous Singles, “Guitar Man” & “Don’t Mind If I Do”
These posthumous Luke bell releases are bittersweet.
On the one hand, it makes his already devastating passing all the more tragic, because with every new song that reaches my ears, I am in more and more awe of Bell’s talent and one-of-a-kind sound. On the other hand, though, it is a blessing that unreleased songs of his are seeing the light of day and reaching new fans that otherwise may not have had the opportunity to appreciate his brilliance.
The latter is definitely the more important of the two sides, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that the enjoyment these songs bring are not without a minor level of dejection – a sentiment that I will gladly accept, given the circumstances, if it means we keep getting to hear new Luke Bell tunes.
If you haven’t already heard, Thirty Tigers, a Nashville-based music, marketing, distribution, and management company, announced in September that they’d be releasing The King Is Back. An aptly named 28-track project that includes all of Bell’s unreleased material, the album is slated for release in its entirety on November 7, and will ultimately be Bell’s only posthumous project. Comprised of songs that were tracked between 2013 and 2016, The King is Back was assembled by a handful of people that were integral to Bell’s life and career such as his mother Carol Bell, sister Jane Bell, and manager Brian Buchanan, among others.
The fourth and fifth singles off the album hit streaming platforms today, and if you haven’t listened yet, you’re in for something special. One of the singles, “Don’t Mind If I Do,” is a playful ode to Bell’s curious nature, and one that gained popularity with his cult following over a decade ago when he initially posted a video of himself picking and singing the song on his porch in Cody, WY.
Check that video out here:
And here is the new recorded version for your reference as well:
As awesome as that one is, the second single of Bell’s that hit streaming platforms today is immediately one of my favorites in his catalog. With a sound that will take you back to the early days of country music, Bell’s “Guitar Man” is a thoughtful ode to the lonesome disposition of a touring musician in love.
With crooning vocals and deft lyricism, this track is proof that Bell’s music transcends time or place, and it deserves to be heard by all country music fans out there.
Born in Kentucky and raised in Wyoming, Bell spent most of his adult life as a drifting musician, spending time in Austin, New Orleans, and Nashville, among plenty of other places, and recorded three albums between 2012 and 2016. The third record, his self-titled project Luke Bell, is the only one available on streaming services, which in some ways, contributes to the mysterious nature of Bell’s life and career.
Bell struggled with severe bipolar disorder and substance abuse issues throughout his life, and although he touched countless people with his kindness and eccentric personality over the years, he was no stranger to trouble and despair, and largely lived his life outside of the public eye. At just 32 years old, amidst a change in his bipolar medication, Bell was reported missing in Tucson, Arizona on August 20, 2022, and he was found dead nine days later. While the cause of death was ultimately reported to be a fentanyl overdose, his volatile mental issues undoubtedly played a large role in the tragedy.
Gone way too soon with dozens of songs in his arsenal that never saw the light of day during his lifetime, Bell left behind an impressive catalog of unreleased music that will be available for all to hear on November 7. In the meantime, check out the full tracklist below, and give the three previous singles a listen as well while you’re at it.
The King Is Back Tracklist
1) Rattlesnake Man
2) Don’t Mind If I Do
3) Long Gone Love
4) Cold Stew
5) Daydream Blues
6) I’m Not
7) Black Crows
8) On Our Own
9) All I’ve Got
10) Dark House of Fools
11) Ready for Love
12) Horse Flies
13) Guitar Man
14) Hand to Hold
15) Blue Freightliner
16) Hard Time
17) Rounder
18) Stag
19) Roofer’s Blues
20) River
21) Bottom of the Sea
22) The King Is Back
23) Irrigator’s Blues
24) Orangutang
25) Waste of Time
26) Seven and Steady
27) The Party Song
28) Tiger’s MouthThe post Luke Bell’s Legacy Lives On In Two New Posthumous Singles, “Guitar Man” & “Don’t Mind If I Do” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.
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