Archie Bell & the Drells

Archie Bell & the Drells
The group in 1968.
Background information
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Genres	Funk, R&B, soul
Years active	1966–1980
Labels	Atlantic Philadelphia International
Members	Archie Bell Lee Bell Joe Cross Willie Parnell James Wise Lucious Larkins Billy Butler

Archie Bell & the Drells was an American R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, and one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records. The band's hits include "Tighten Up", "I Can't Stop Dancing" (both 1968), "There's Gonna Be A Showdown", "Girl You're Too Young" (1969), "Here I Go Again" (also a UK hit in 1972), "Soul City Walk" (1975), "Let's Groove", "Everybody Have A Good Time" (1977), and "Don't Let Love Get You Down" (1976).

Archie Bell, who founded the group, was born in Henderson, Texas, his family moving to Houston before he was one. He is the older brother of lead vocalist of Motown's Dazz Band—and world karate champion—Jerry Bell. His brother Ricky Bell (d. 1984) was an NFL player. Eugene Bell was the final brother. Archie formed the group in 1966 with his friends James Wise, Willie Parnell and Billy Butler. They signed with the Houston-based record label, Ovide, in 1967 and recorded a number of songs, including "She's My Woman" and "Tighten Up", which was recorded in October 1967 at the first of several sessions in which the Drells were backed by the instrumental group the T.S.U. Toronadoes.

The origins of "Tighten Up" came from a conversation Bell had with Butler. Bell was despondent after receiving his draft notice, and Butler, in an attempt to cheer him up, demonstrated the "Tighten Up" dance to Bell. Bell asked Butler what it was, and Butler told him the name. Bell then put together the famous track, which hit the charts following his induction into the Army.

Bell's promoter, Skipper Lee Frazier, unsuccessfully began pushing the flip side of "Tighten Up", but at the recommendation of a friend gave the other side a try. "Tighten Up" was written by Archie Bell and Billy Butler, contained Archie Bell prodding listeners to dance to the funky musical jam developed by the T.S.U. Toronadoes, and it became a hit in Houston before it was picked up by Atlantic Records for distribution in April 1968. By the summer it topped both the Billboard R&B and pop charts. It also received a R.I.A.A. gold disc by selling 1 million copies. According to the Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, Bell heard a comment after the Kennedy assassination in Dallas that "nothing good ever came out of Texas." Bell wanted his listeners to know "we were from Texas and we were good."