Al Bell facts for kids

Al Bell (born Alvertis Isbell on March 15, 1940) is an American music producer, songwriter, and record executive. He is famous for being a leader and co-owner of Stax Records. This record company was based in Memphis, Tennessee. Bell helped run Stax during its later years.

Before joining Stax, Al Bell was a disc jockey in Little Rock, Arkansas. He played a huge role in the careers of many soul music stars. These included the Staple Singers, Isaac Hayes, the Emotions, and the Dramatics. Bell's work helped spread the "Memphis sound" around the world. Stax Records became the second-largest African-American-owned business in the 1970s. The BBC called him "one of the icons of soul music" in 2009. They also said he was "the driving force behind Stax Records."

After his time at Stax, Bell became president of Motown Records Group. He helped prepare Motown for its sale to other companies. Later, he started his own record label, Bellmark. This label released the hit song "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team in 1993. Today, Al Bell works in the independent music scene in Memphis. He also has an online music website and radio show.

Al Bell's Music Journey

Starting at Stax Records

Al Bell joined Stax Records in 1965. He started as the director of promotions. He was very important in helping the company grow its income. Over the next three years, he moved up in the company. He became the executive vice president. He was one of the most important people at Stax, after co-founder Jim Stewart. Besides his leadership and promotion work, Bell also helped make music. He wrote songs and produced music for many artists on the label.

In 1968, Stax's biggest star, Otis Redding, died in a plane crash. After this, Stax ended its deal with Atlantic Records. Atlantic kept the rights to all the music Stax had released until then. Al Bell then started a big plan to create new music for Stax. He wanted to release many new albums and singles. New artists joined the label, including gospel stars the Staple Singers. Other new groups were the Emotions and the Soul Children.

Bell famously planned to release twenty-seven albums almost at the same time in mid-1969. He produced much of this music himself. One of these albums was Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes. This album was a huge success. It made Hayes a famous recording artist. Bell also helped shape the careers of the Staple Singers. He created a new sound for them. This led to hit songs like "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There." He even wrote "I'll Take You There."

Stax Records in the 1970s

Al Bell became a co-owner of Stax in 1969. The other co-founder, Estelle Axton, sold her shares and left the label. She did not agree with Bell's plans for the company. This made Bell the first African-American to own part of the label. Stax focused on African-American music, but its founders were white.

In the 1970s, Jim Stewart gave more and more of Stax's daily work to Bell. Bell started big plans to make the company even larger. He wanted to do what Berry Gordy, Jr. was doing at Motown Records. Stax began to distribute music from smaller Memphis labels. They also produced movie soundtracks. These included music for films like Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song and Shaft (both from 1971).

In 1972, Al Bell oversaw the Wattstax festival. This was a day-long concert featuring Stax artists. It was held in Los Angeles after the Watts riots. A documentary film called Wattstax was made in 1973. It was produced by Stax's new film division.

After four years of distributing its own records, Stax signed a new deal. This was with CBS Records in 1972. The relationship between Stax and CBS was difficult. Stax borrowed a lot of money from a Memphis bank. However, CBS sometimes held back records from stores. They also held back profits from Stax. Because of this, Stax's success quickly went down. The label went out of business and closed in late 1975.

Al Bell's Later Career

After Stax closed, Al Bell went back to Little Rock. He stayed away from the music business for ten years. He only took part in local recordings sometimes. In the 1980s, he became the head of the Motown Records Group. He worked closely with Berry Gordy Jr. to sell Motown to other companies.

After Motown, he found the music group Tag Team. Through his Bellmark Records label, he released their hit song "Whoomp! (There It Is)" in 1993. This song became one of the fastest-selling singles ever. Bell also released Prince's hit song "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." He released it after Prince's own label, Warner Bros. Records, did not want to.

After Bellmark Records, Al Bell returned to Little Rock. He started a new online project called Al Bell Presents. He hosts a popular online radio show there. It is called Al Bell Presents: American Soul Music. In 2009, The New York Times and the BBC wrote about Bell. He had returned to Memphis to help grow the city's independent music scene.

Bell was interviewed for the HBO documentary Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. in 2024.

Al Bell's Awards and Honors

Al Bell has received many awards for his work. Some of them include:

• Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive, September 14, 2022
• Induction into the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in Clarksdale, Mississippi, June 6, 2015
• Inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame, February 13, 2015
• Induction into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, 2014
• Grammy Trustees Award, 2011
• Arthur A. Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Black Chamber of Commerce
• Alex Haley "Roots Award," Greater Washington, DC Business Center
• National Award of Achievement, U.S. Department of Commerce
• Dare to Soar Award, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
• Achievement Award, Boy Scouts of America
• Listed in "Who's Who in the World"
• Induction into America's Music and Entertainment of Fame
• Induction into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame
• Member of the Board of Directors, Memphis Chamber of Commerce
• Member of the Board of Directors, Central Arkansas Chapter of the March of Dimes
• Member of the Board of Trustees, Philander Smith College
• Memphis' Legendary Record Producers Award, 2005
• W.C. Handy Lifetime Achievement Award, 2002
• Record Executive of the Year, Impact Magazine, 1994
• Record Executive of the Year, BRE, 1994
• Chairman's Award, Southeast Music, 1994
• NARM Indie Best Seller Award ("Whoomp! There It Is", Tag Team), 1994
• Independent Label of the Year Award, The Urban Network, 1994
• The Spirit of Freedom Award, Freedom Magazine, 1994
• Russell Simmons Award for Executive Excellence, Young Black Programmers' Coalition, 1993
• Black Music Chief Executive of the Year, Impact, 1993
• Living Legend Award, Warner Bros., Reprise Records & Urban Network, 1972 Heroes and Legends Leadership Award, 1991
• Voted Number Five in the 30 All-Time Greatest Executives in Black Music, Impact Magazine Poll, 1985
• Best Documentary (Wattstax), nomination Golden Globe (1973)
• Executive of the Year, Bill Gavin Radio Program Conference, 1971