When it comes to music artists, their personal lives are often overshadowed by their music. We listen to their lyrics without necessarily seeking to understand the hurdles or problems they might face in private.
And no matter how many times we may hear Luke Bryan‘s songs, we could have never have guessed the story behind “Drink a Beer.” Of course, if there’s one thing about celebrities, it’s that their private lives are never fully private. So, in the end, it doesn’t really matter whether they want to share news with fans — if something is truly important, chances are we’ll hear about it anyway.
And that’s exactly what happened with Bryan’s sister. While it may not have made major headlines, Bryan has often shared bits and pieces of his life — after all, he is still a celebrity, and that’s exactly how we learned about the passing of his sister.
How did Luke Bryan’s sister die?
In 2007, Luke Bryan lost his sister, Kelly Bryan, to unknown causes. While not much information has been revealed to the public, Kelly was found deceased in her home. Unfortunately, this was not the last tragedy to strike the Bryan family. Seven years after Kelly’s passing, her husband, Ben Lee Cheshire, also passed away from a heart attack. Together, they had two children.
In a heartbreaking interview with ABC News, Bryan spoke about the loss of his sister and brother-in-law. “My only older siblings…gone from the world, in a flash, in two…two different, crazy, tragic manners that we’ll never fully understand,” he said. This comment was made in relation to his older brother, Chris, who also passed away in 1996, in a car accident. While talking with Billboard in 2018, the singer talked, once again, about his own experience with grief.
“I’m a pretty happy person. The loss we’ve dealt with has given me an appreciation of how precious and fragile life is. And yes, I carry that mentality into my performances, and even into how I deal with people every day. when I meet people, I want them to leave going, ‘That guy doesn’t have a bad day.'”
In addition to paying tribute to his siblings with the song “Drink a Beer,” it was reported that after Cheshire’s passing, Bryan, along with his wife Caroline and their two sons, Beau and Tate, helped raise his nieces Jordan and Kris and his nephew Til after their parents died. This touching story became even more heartfelt when Jordan, Bryan’s niece, got married, and everyone at the ceremony paid homages in memory of Kelly and Ben Lee, as the singer himself shared.
“It was just a beautiful ceremony, a beautiful time,” he told ABC. “It was just a magical wedding and we just enjoyed being with friends and family. It was just magical on all levels.” Bryan also walked Jordan down the aisle, and Til, his nephew, joined them as they walked to the altar. It was undoubtedly a touching moment for the whole family, and we are sure that Jordan, Kris, and Til will remember this moment for the rest of their lives.