Jake Flint has died, just hours after getting married.
The country singer passed away in his sleep, aged 37, shortly after he and wife Brenda Flint had exchanged their vows on Saturday, with his cause of death currently unknown.
His shocked widow Brenda took to Facebook on Tuesday and admitted her "heart is gone" following the tragedy.
She wrote: "We should be going through wedding photos but instead I have to pick out clothes to bury my husband in. People aren’t meant to feel this much pain. My heart is gone and I just really need him to come back. I can’t take much more. I need him here."
Mike Hosty had performed at the wedding, which took place at a remote homestead in Oklahoma, and told of his shock at getting the news of the groom's passing on Sunday morning.
He told The Oklahoman: "It was rainy, but he'd rented a 40-by-60 circus tent ... They put up a bunch of carpets over the mud and then got two pieces of three-and-a-quarter-inch plywood and set it on the ground — and that was my stage. Jake goes, 'Is that gonna be all right for you?' And I go, 'Jake, that's perfect.' A piece of plywood or a flatbed trailer is where I shine.
"I still have the mud in my old van ... but it was just a fun wedding. And it's just a tragedy what happened.
"He was a singer-songwriter, through and through, and just a big personality, a big heart, and (he'd) bend over backwards to do anything for you. When any musician asks you to play at their wedding, it's one of those most important days ... and it's always an honour.
"I really just like remembering that happy moment of seeing them being married ... but I really feel for Brenda."
The “What's Your Name?” singer's publicist, Clif Doyal, paid tribute to his "dear friend" following his death.
He said in a statement: "Jake Flint was an Ambassador of the Oklahoma Red Dirt music scene. He was a prolific songwriter, recording artist, and in-demand live performer throughout the Midwest and south-western US.
"As a testament to his kindness and humanity, he was also a tireless supporter of his fellow artists, always willing to lend a hand to help anyone who needed it.
"With his infectious smile and disarming sense of humour, he was loved by many, and I believe that, along with his music, will be his lasting legacy."
The “Hurry Up and Wait” hitmaker released his first album, “I'm Not OK”, in 2016, and followed it with his self-titled LP in 2020.
He also released a set of live recordings, “Live and Socially Distanced at Mercury Lounge” last year.