William Bell - (Artist Of The Week)

Another Record that has always been in my collection. Originally bought it on UK STAX, Still have it and Love it to present day.

The USA DEMO is a recent purchase in the last couple of years.

"HAPPY", delivers exactly that feeling. A GEM of a record. Written and Performed to perfection.

William's 1st recording was way back (over 50 years ago in fact) but he made fine tracks over a very long period.

Here's one I really like from 1985 ..... Extra Extra Read All About It .....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvSpbsybnlM

My favourite William Bell track by far ,written about the sad death of his friend the legendary Otis Reading

Tribute to a King

William Bell & Mavis Staples leave the girl alone Stax 7"

W.B. You got the kind of love

The 'Boy Meets Girl' project & album was / is great (William & Mavis Staples + other Stax duets) .... if you don't know it, give it a try.

AS GOOD AS IT GETS

KEV

DON'T STOP NOW IS A GREAT TUNE AND IS PRETTY TO TRACK DOWN

Man in the street for me. Other side ain't bad either !

Man in the street for me. Other side ain't bad either !

Yup, "Lovin' On Borrowed Time" is superb. Mitty Collier also did a great job of it on Willy Bell's Peachtree label

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJd7g-CQiMk

Hi!

The complete William Bell story in two parts + discography at

https://www.soulexpress.net/williambell.htm

Best regards

Heikki

Been on holiday all week so "Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday" is most apt.

William has been performing live for over 50 years now & yet I can't wait to see him at Cleggy.

Back over 40 years ago, he got to spend a Christmas perfoming in Miami ....

HI ALL Where do you start with artists like William Bell, it's only now and again that we stop and focus on all the stuff that is constantly entering a head, through out our life times, so no wonder we all suffer from some sort of depression? and we do! So I put it to you all, William bells music is of such a high standard he shames his contemporaries,

One of my 1st 45s was his ex tribute to a KING, & what a tribute, nothing has ever come close to the soul he sang for the Great Otis, (A must play to-day after reading this!) Then you have the duet, with Judy Clay, end of the night stuff, boozed up, and walking onto the dance floor and asking a decent SORT for a DANCE, every thing hinged on the answer, to be told no, meant shame, but back in them days girls wanted lifts home and not on the back of your LI150? PRIVATE NUMBER still gets played around the globe, for one reason only, it's a SOUL CLASSIC.

Another true classic is HAPPY yet sadly most if not all of you first got a whiff of it on the rare soul scene, it goes to show, how lucky we all are to be part of the RARE SOUL SCENE, don't you think?

Off course the younger ones who forced their way through the doors of WIGAN CASINO at the age of 15 to dance to JANES FOUNTAIN 7 DAY LOVER did not have a clue that William Bell was the main man, however they knew a good soul record when they heard one.

The record that I can recommend to all of SOULSOURCE is the LP RELATING STS-5502,and sit down relax, get your breathing together "in through the nose & a gentle blow out through the mouth, get in-touch with your toes & relax to this great mans songs on the RELATING LP, ENJOY DAVE

DON'T STOP NOW IS A GREAT TUNE AND IS PRETTY TO TRACK DOWN

Great Northern dancer...don't see the WD around...here's a stocker.

One of the stand out records on my first ever trip to the Catacombs was "Happy" what a sound that just described the whole feeling of my first steps into the "Real" soul scene ,love it to bits :rofl:

Steve

Here you go Steve...classic...on a Japanese Stax WD

Great Northern dancer...don't see the WD around...here's a stocker.

Hi Dave 'got a promo and the stock copy 'not well known played it at a local soul night nobody knew it .

Found this on his website.

Website is :- https://www.williambell.com/

Hi Dave 'got a promo and the stock copy 'not well known played it at a local soul night nobody knew it .

Bet it sounded great over a club PA...I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of hearing it at a club...needs more spins, people!

On reflection, I first heard it on an old Charly LP back in 1984...a couple of years later I was working for the label!

This weeks Artist of the Week Celebrates the music of William Bell.

Enjoy

Here he is with Carla Thomas

On 27/05/2012 at 21:57, Roburt said:

The 'Boy Meets Girl' project & album was / is great (William & Mavis Staples + other Stax duets) .... if you don't know it, give it a try.

Duet with Mavis Staples

Plus of course his Duets with Judy Clay

4 hours ago, 45cellar said:

 

Great record that I've had and listened to for years. But where is William Bell on this recording?

Always puzzled me...am I missing something or is it just Judy Clay?

One of his best in my opinion is the ballad “Crying all be myself”  though admittedly it’s a joint effort with The Astors backing up / harmonies 

Big favourite, especially on an Aussie demo...

Just seen it was posted before dog!

Killer album track, out and out floorfiller yet so underplayed. 

One of the most under rated of Soulmen. William barely made a bad record, stretching from the 60's to the 2000's. The guy has been a class act for decades. Here's one from the 80's.

Crikey what a bloke

I forgot to be your lover.

One my favourite, most soulful records of all time, hats off.