Golden Everything Honors Luke Bell's Spirit With White Buick Tribute

When Zach Schmidt first met Luke Bell in Nashville, he found more than a collaborator—he found a champion. That bond, forged between two musicians pursuing their craft in a city full of dreamers, became the heartbeat of Golden Everything’s new single White Buick, a gentle but powerful tribute to a friend gone too soon.

Bell died in 2022, but his absence hasn’t dimmed his impact. Since his passing, his family and friends have worked tirelessly to keep his memory alive through meaningful channels. The Luke Bell Memorial Affordable Counseling Program filters royalties from his work back into mental health treatment in his home state of Wyoming. Then came The King Is Back, a collection of previously unreleased tracks shepherded by his mother Carol and his sister Jane. Now, husband-and-wife songwriting duo Golden Everything—Schmidt and Jackie Berkley—add their own chapter to that legacy with White Buick, arriving Tuesday as part of their forthcoming EP Down Time, out July 17th.

The song charts Bell’s essence: his unafraid approach to hard work, his willingness to howl at the moon, his infectious energy that translated into everything he touched. But Schmidt’s connection runs deeper than admiration. In a lengthy Instagram post, he was unflinching about what Bell meant to his life: Luke was my advocate. Every chance he had to introduce me to someone, sing my praise or throw me on stage to sing, he would do it. It’s safe to say that without Luke, I wouldn’t know most of the people in my life, including my wife. Schmidt wrote those words after attending last year’s tribute to Bell during AmericanaFest, the moment that moved him to write White Buick in the first place.

The gesture comes full circle: all proceeds from the song will benefit the Luke Bell Memorial Affordable Counseling Program, as will a live performance video. It’s a reminder that some friendships outlive their earthly shape—they morph into legacy, into action, into songs that say thank you to someone who believed first.