Wayne Mills went out like an outlaw. The leader of the outlaw-country band, the Wayne Mills Band, was shot to death early on Saturday morning at a bar in Nashville. Apparently, Wayne Mills was smoking I the non-smoking section of the bar and it ignited the 5 a.m. shooting. Chris Ferrell, the owner of the  Pit and Barrel, said the shooting was in self-defense.

Police are still investigating. The Pit and Barrel owner hasn't been arrested. Nashville's WKRN-TV reported that Wayne Mills was smoking in the non-smoking section of the bar got into an argument. People left the bar during the altercation and called the cops after they heard two gun shots. It isn't clear if there were any witnesses to the shooting. CNN reported that Wayne Mills and Chris Ferell were friends.

Wayne Mills got a gunshot wound to the head. The country singer was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The shooting was reported by JR Smith, Mills' manager, on the Wayne Mills Band Facebook page. The post read: "Word is Wayne has passed. God be with us all in this tragedy," a post reads.

Wayne Mills' family wasn't notified for half a day because the Nashville police initially misidentified the victim as songwriter Clayton Mills. JR Smith learned about the shooting from WZTV-TV in Nashville. Smith said "I'm still just trying to wrap this around my head and trying to understand why anyone would want to shoot Wayne Mills."

Mills worked with such big names as "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, Jamey Johnson and Blake Shelton. Shelton tweeted "Extremely sad to hear about the death of my old friend Wayne Mills @WayneMillsBand. Rest in peace brother. Love you Carol."

Taylor Hicks tweeted: "My thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP Wayne he was my buddy."