William Bell (singer)
| William Bell | |
|---|---|
Bell in 1971
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | William Yarbrough |
| Born |
July 16, 1939 Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | R&B, soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Labels | Stax Records, Wilbe Records |
| Associated acts | The Del Rios |
| Website | http://www.williambell.com/ |
William Bell (born William Yarbrough, July 16, 1939) is an American soul singer and songwriter. As a performer, he is probably best known for his debut single 1961's "You Don't Miss Your Water" and 1968's top 10 hit in the UK "Private Number", a duet with Judy Clay. Bell's only US top 40 hit is 1976's "Tryin' to Love Two", which also hit No. 1 on the R&B charts. Upon the death of Otis Redding, Bell released the well-received memorial song "A Tribute to a King".
As a songwriter, Bell co-authored the Chuck Jackson hit "Any Other Way", which is a cover since Bell issued it first, as a follow-up to "You Don't Miss Your Water"; Billy Idol's 1986 hit "To Be a Lover", which was first a hit for Bell under its original title "I Forgot to Be Your Lover"; and the blues classic "Born Under A Bad Sign", popularized by both Albert King and Cream.
Although he was a long-time recording artist for Stax Records, he is unrelated to the label's one-time president, Al Bell.
Bell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He took the last name "Bell" as a stage name in honor of his grandmother, whose first name was Belle.
He made his first leap into the music scene backing Rufus Thomas. In 1957, Bell recorded his first sides as a member of the Del Rios.
William Bell was an early signing on Stax Records initially as a songwriter. Other notable Stax Records artists include Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, and The Staple Singers.
It was only after Bell served a stint in the military that he was finally able to release his debut album, 1967's The Soul of a Bell, on Stax Records. Bell’s Top 20 single “Everybody Loves a Winner” was on this album. Bell moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1969 and started up Peachtree Record Company, his short-lived soul label.
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