William Bell (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Bell
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Bell in 1971
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Yarbrough |
| Born | July 16, 1939 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Labels | Stax Records, Wilbe Records |
William Bell (born William Yarbrough on July 16, 1939) is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is famous for his songs like "You Don't Miss Your Water" (1961) and "Tryin' to Love Two" (1976). The song "Tryin' to Love Two" was a big hit, reaching number one on the R&B charts in the US.
William Bell also wrote many popular songs for other artists. These include "Any Other Way" and "Born Under A Bad Sign". "Born Under a Bad Sign" became a classic blues song. It was made famous by Albert King and Cream.
In 2017, Bell won a Grammy for Best Americana Album for his album This Is Where I Live. He even performed at the 2017 Grammy Awards with Gary Clark Jr..
Contents
Early Life and Music Career
William Bell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He chose "Bell" as his stage name to honor his grandmother.
From a young age, Bell loved music. He sang in church and looked up to gospel groups like The Soul Stirrers. At just ten years old, he wrote his first song, "Alone on a Rainy Night." By 14, he was winning talent shows and singing in clubs around Memphis.
His music journey began by singing backup for Rufus Thomas. In 1957, he joined a group called the Del Rios. This group soon caught the attention of Stax Records.
Joining Stax Records
William Bell was one of the first songwriters signed to Stax Records. This famous label was also home to other music legends. Some of these artists included Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, and Isaac Hayes.
Bell was the first male solo artist to sign with Stax. He released several songs before he joined the military. Even while serving, he continued to record music. One of his songs from this time was "Marching Off to War."
After his military service, Bell released his first album. It was called The Soul of a Bell and came out in 1967. This album featured his popular song "Everybody Loves a Winner."
Friendship and Tributes
William Bell was good friends with Otis Redding, another Stax artist. Bell was almost on the same plane that crashed in 1967, which sadly killed Redding. Bell had to cancel his flight because of bad snow.
After Redding's death, Bell worked with Booker T. Jones. They wrote "A Tribute to a King" to honor Otis Redding. This song quickly became a hit.
In 1967, Bell also helped write a Christmas song. It was called "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday." This song is still one of his most recorded hits. It is a classic R&B Christmas song. In 2017, Hot Press magazine called it the "Greatest Christmas record of all time."
New Labels and Awards
In 1969, Bell moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There, he started his own record company called Peachtree Record Company. He also took acting lessons and performed in a play.
Later, Bell signed with Mercury Records. In 1977, he released "Trying to Love Two." This song was a huge success. It reached number one on the R&B charts and sold a million copies.
In 1985, he started another record label, Wilbe. He released the album Passion which was popular in the UK. Two years later, Bell was honored. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. He also received the R&B Pioneer Award.
Bell took a break from recording new music in 1992. However, he kept performing live. In 2000, he released a new album called A Portrait Is Forever on his Wilbe label. In 2003, he received the W.C. Handy Heritage Award. Six years later, he released the album New Lease on Life.
Recent Career Highlights
In 2016, William Bell worked with Stax Records again. He released a new album called This Is Where I Live. This album included new songs and a new recording of "Born Under a Bad Sign." In 2017, the album won a Grammy for Best Americana Album. This award brought Bell new fame. He performed at the BBC's 50 Years of Soul event in London. He also performed at BB King's Blues Club in NYC before it closed.
Bell was in the 2014 documentary film Take Me to the River. This film explored the music scene in Memphis. He appeared with artists like Mavis Staples and Snoop Dogg. Bell is also involved in the sequel to this film.
His song "You Don't Miss Your Water" was featured in the TV series Quarry in 2016.
On September 1, 2017, Bell performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He played with Jools Holland and his band. This concert celebrated 50 years of Stax Records.
In 2017 and 2018, Bell toured with artists from the Take Me to the River film. This touring group was named one of the "10 Bands to See This Year" by Parade magazine.
Bell performed twice on NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concerts in 2017. He played with his own band and with the Take Me to the River group.
In 2018, Bell released the song "In a Moment of Weakness." It was produced by Grammy winner Matt Ross-Spang. He also performed at the Mempho Music Festival in Memphis. In 2019, Bell worked with the band Southern Avenue.
Bell performed at the 2019 Blues Music Awards. He was nominated for Best Soul Blues Male Artist.
Guitar legend Eric Clapton released a video for his cover of Bell's song "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" in 2018. Bell also joined other soul legends for a tribute concert to B. B. King in 2020.
In 2020, the National Endowment for the Arts honored Bell. They named him a fellow. This is a top award for folk and traditional artists. It recognizes great artistic work and efforts to keep cultural traditions alive.
In 2023, Bell released his album One Day Closer to Home. Critics praised it as a "master at work."
In 2024, Bell's 1961 hit song "You Don't Miss Your Water" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. This honor is for recordings that are very important in music history.
Songs Covered by Other Artists
Many famous artists have covered William Bell's songs:
- Linda Ronstadt sang "Everybody Loves a Winner" in 1973.
- Homer Simpson from The Simpsons sang "Born Under a Bad Sign" on an album in 1990.
- Cream covered "Born Under a Bad Sign" in 1968.
- Jimi Hendrix also covered "Born Under a Bad Sign."
- Etta James covered "Born Under a Bad Sign" in 1998.
- 911 covered "Private Number" in 1999.
- Warren Haynes covered "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday" in 2011.
- Carole King covered "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday" in 2011.
- Hall & Oates covered "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday" in 2006.
- The Byrds covered "You Don't Miss Your Water" in 1968.
- Robert Cray covered "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" in 2005.
- Melissa Etheridge covered three of his songs in 2016.
- Brian Eno covered "You Don't Miss Your Water."
- Bruce Springsteen covered "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" and "Any Other Way" in 2022.
- The Black Keys covered "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" in 2024.
Awards and Honors
William Bell has received many awards for his music:
- W.C. Handy Heritage Award (2003)
- BMI Songwriters Award (2003)
- Featured in the Stax Museum of American Soul Music (2003)
- Lifetime Achievement Award from Americana Music Association (2016)
- Inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame (2016)
- Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for This Is Where I Live (2017)
- Four Blues Music Award nominations (2017, 2018, 2019)
- Epitome of Soul Award presented by Stevie Wonder (2017)
- National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (2020)
Notable Performances
William Bell has performed at many important events:
- Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. (2011)
- With the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (2012)
- Performed "You Don't Miss Your Water" at the White House (2013)
- Billboard Live in Tokyo (2015)
- Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony (2015)
- Brooklyn Academy of Music's Rhythm and Blues Festival (2016)
- Royal Albert Hall in London (2017)
- Performed "Born Under a Bad Sign" with Gary Clark Jr. at the Grammy Awards (2017)
- Mempho Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee (2018)
- Blues Music Awards (2019)
Images for kids
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Bell in 1971
