William Bell

Biography

William Bell, born in Memphis in 1939, began his musical journey singing in church and performing live gigs as a teenager. He started his career with the group the Del Rios before making his solo debut in 1961 with the single 'You Don’t Miss Your Water,' which became a significant hit and an early example of soul music. Bell's career was interrupted by military service, but upon his return, he released his debut album 'The Soul of a Bell' in 1969, featuring hits like 'Everybody Loves a Winner.' He continued to thrive at Stax Records, collaborating with Judy Clay on 'Private Number' and writing 'A Tribute To A King' after Otis Redding's death. In 1977, Bell achieved a major success with 'Tryin’ to Love Two,' which topped the R&B charts. His musical style is deeply rooted in classic soul, and he has been influential in shaping the Southern soul genre. Bell's legacy extends beyond his own music, as his songs have been covered by numerous artists, including Billy Idol and Ludacris. In 2016, he released 'This Is Where I Live,' which marked a resurgence in his career and was praised for its vintage soul sound. Bell's contributions to music have been recognized with inductions into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and other honors for his role in creating and preserving soul music traditions.

Fun Facts

• William Bell was the first male solo artist signed to Stax Records.
• His song 'Born Under a Bad Sign' was originally recorded by him but became famous after being covered by Albert King.
• Bell's music career was interrupted by military service in Vietnam.
• He released 'This Is Where I Live' in 2016, nearly 50 years after his first Stax recordings.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Sam Cooke - inspiration and stylistic influence (early soul music) [1950s-1960s]

Key Collaborators

• Booker T. Jones - songwriting partner (The Soul of a Bell) [1960s]
• Judy Clay - duet partner (Private Number) [1968]

Artists Influenced

• Billy Idol - covered 'I Forgot to Be Your Lover' (Vital Idol) [1980s]
• Ludacris - sampled Bell's music (various hip-hop tracks) [2000s]

Source: Wikipedia

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. I Forgot To Be Your Lover (The Man In The Street: The Complete Yellow Stax Solo Singles (1968-1974))
2. Private Number
3. I Forgot To Be Your Lover
4. I Forgot To Be Your Lover
5. Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday (Never Like This Before: The Complete 'Blue' Stax Singles 1961-1968)
6. Private Number
7. I Forgot To Be Your Lover (Wow.../Bound To Happen (Reissue))
8. Happy (Wow.../Bound To Happen (Reissue))
9. I Forgot To Be Your Lover
10. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia