Memphis musician Blake Rhea, who played bass with the Grammy-nominated soul blues group Southern Avenue, among other local acts, was shot and killed early Wednesday.

The Memphis Police Department said officers responded at 1:13 a.m. to a shooting at 322 S. Cleveland. One man was pronounced dead at the scene and a male suspect fled on foot, MPD posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“The victim and suspect were involved in a verbal altercation prior to the shooting,” the police department’s post said.

Contacted late Wednesday night, the Memphis Police Department would not confirm the identity of the victim, telling The Commercial Appeal: “We are releasing the name after a positive identification has been made and next of kin have been notified. This is an ongoing investigation.”

However, Rhea’s sister Kelly Rhea confirmed on social media that her brother was the victim of the shooting, while many of Blake Rhea’s friends and bandmates also confirmed the news of his death on various platforms of socialization.

In addition to touring with Southern Avenue — including performing as part of last summer’s Outlaw Music tour with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp — Blake Rhea has been a stalwart of the Memphis scene since the ’90s, performing with bluesman John Németh, hip-hop group Lord T & Eloise, soul-jazz combo The Gamble Brothers Band and singer Marcella Simien, among others.

A graduate of the University School of Memphis, where he first picked up the bass, Rhea went on to attend Rhodes College, where he studied music.

Rhea co-founded CYC, an eclectic band from the Bluff City that fuses hip-hop, rock and jazz. In 2013, he joined the rock band American Fiction, which recorded an album with Jimi Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer. Rhea was also part of the band Rabid Villain, which featured Elliott Ives, Justin Timberlake’s longtime guitarist.

In addition to her work on stage and in the studio, Rhea has been an instructor, teaching music at the School of Rock in Germantown.

By Wednesday afternoon, members of Memphis’ close-knit music community began posting about Rhea on social media.

Southern Avenue singer Tierinii Naftaly wrote that Rhea was “a light that will never be forgotten… My heart breaks for you and your family.”

Soul musician Hope Clayburn posted a tribute to Rhea on Facebook. “Just heard that my friend and amazing bassist from Memphis, Blake Rhea, has passed away,” she wrote. “He played with me and many other great bands here and abroad and was a true master of his craft. May his soul rest in peace and I send my deepest condolences and condolences to his family and friends.”

Drummer Danny Banks, who played with Rhea as part of Németh’s backing band, wrote: “I’m numb. I can’t believe you’re gone. I just saw you last night… We had some fun times together on the road and in Memphis… I love you Blake Rhea. I love you with all my heart. I can’t believe I have to write this. Keep your loved ones close because you never know what will happen.”

The Memphis Police Department is asking anyone with information about Rhea’s death to call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-2274.

This article originally appeared on the Memphis Commercial Appeal: Blake Rhea killed in Memphis shooting: Here’s what we know