Bernard Belle facts for kids

Bernard Belle (born November 12, 1964 – died June 23, 2022) was an amazing American musician, songwriter, and producer. He started his career playing guitar in R&B music. Later, he became very famous for writing songs for huge stars like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. He also produced a lot of Gospel music.

Bernard Belle: A Music Pioneer

Bernard Belle grew up in Englewood, New Jersey. He loved music from a young age. He even performed as a musician while he was still a student at Dwight Morrow High School.

Starting His Music Journey

Bernard got his first big chance in the late 1980s. His sister, Regina Belle, was a talented singer. She had won a Grammy Award and was singing backup for an R&B group called The Manhattans. Regina suggested that Bernard play guitar for the group. This was a great start for his career!

Creating New Sounds

Bernard Belle is well-known for working closely with producer Teddy Riley. Together, they helped create a new style of music called new jack swing. This sound mixed R&B, hip-hop, and dance music. It became very popular.

Bernard and Teddy started working together in 1986. They wrote and produced songs for many famous artists. These included Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Patti LaBelle, Aaron Hall, Keith Sweat, and Al B. Sure!.

Bernard also worked with the "King of Pop," Michael Jackson. He helped write and co-write some of Michael Jackson's songs. These included "Remember the Time" and "Privacy."

His Work in Gospel Music

In 1994, Bernard Belle decided to dedicate his life to his faith. After this, he became one of the most sought-after producers and musicians in the Gospel music world. He performed with many top gospel artists. Some of these included Donnie McClurkin, Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, and Kirk Franklin.

He was also a regular musician on popular gospel TV shows. These shows were Sunday Best and The Celebration of Gospel on BET.

Awards and Achievements

Bernard Belle's name is on over 70 million records around the world. He was involved as a producer, writer, or musician. He won many important awards for his work. He received four Grammy Awards, which are very prestigious. He also won an American Music Award and two Soul Train Music Awards. On top of that, he earned more than a dozen ASCAP Awards. He was also nominated for Stella and GMA Dove Awards, which celebrate gospel music.

His Family Life

Bernard Belle married his longtime love, Debra Belle, in November 1995. They had five children together.

Bernard lived in Teaneck, New Jersey, for a long time. He passed away on June 23, 2022, at the age of 57.