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The Grammy Award HALL OF FAME GALA 

On March 20th, the Recording Academy® revealed the 2024 inducted recordings to the distinguished GRAMMY Hall Of Fame® on its 50th anniversary. 

 

This year’s additions include four albums and six singles that exhibit qualitative or historical significance and are at least 25 years old. Among the singles inducted is the 1961 debut single written and recorded by William Bell and released on Stax Records, You Don't Miss Your Water. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy comments, “We’re proud to unveil the diverse mix of recordings entering the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in its 50th year. The music showcased here has played a pivotal role in shaping our cultural landscape, and it’s a true honor to recognize these albums and recordings, along with the profound influence each has had on music and beyond.” Today, we congratulate and celebrate William Bell for the induction of his recording of You Don't Miss Your Water into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame!

 

Mavis Staples to Celebrate 85th Birthday With All-Star Concert Featuring Chris Stapleton, Black Pumas & More 

Story by Jessica Nicholson

Mavis Staples to Celebrate 85th Birthday With All-Star Concert Featuring Chris Stapleton, Black Pumas & More© Provided by Billboard
"Music legend Mavis Staples will celebrate her 85th birthday in style, with a star-studded celebration to be held Thursday, April 18, at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, and produced by Blackbird Presents. 
READ ALL ABOUT IT

Dear Grammy voting members of the Recording Academy, for your consideration 

Dear Grammy voting members of the Recording Academy, for your consideration:

BEST AMERICANA ROOTS SONG
"One Day Closer To Home"
William Bell
William Bell & Scott Bomar, songwriters

BEST AMERICANA ROOTS PERFORMANCE
"One Day Closer To Home"
William Bell

William Bell and Emmy Award-winning film composer Scott Bomar have crafted the title track from Bell's latest album  fused with elements of Blues and Americana....thanks for your support!

Sunday evening July 23, 2023, 8pm, C.T./9pm, E.T. (U.S.) a very special evening with Mr. William Bell!  

Announcement:
Sunday evening July 23, 2023, 8pm, C.T./9pm, E.T. (U.S.) a very special evening with Mr. William Bell! Award winning Record Producer, Singer-Songwriter and Entertainer William Bell will join host Ric Chetter & co-host Natalie live via phone from Atlanta, GA. William will talk about his music career and premier songs from his latest album “One Step Closer To Home”!

Listen live to the Radio-Memphis “Booze & Blues” show every Sunday 8-11pm, C.T. (U.S.) and the Radio-Memphis worldwide webcast 24/7 at:
• Website: http://www.Radio-Memphis.com/ (click on: Watch Live Now)
• On your mobile device, use the TuneIn Radio #FREEAPP (search for Radio Memphis)
• On your TV with ROKU & Apple TV, use the Livestream #FREEAPP (search for Radio Memphis)

Interview with soul legend William Bell 

Read  the in-depth interview article by “Heikki Suosalo” for Soul Express Magazine

Every song reviewed "I WILL REMEMBER TONIGHT

EXCERPT 1: "I Will Remember Tonight is a smooth, melodic and gently flowing mid-tempo song with a bit of country to it, too. William co-wrote the song with Greg Humphries. “Greg is a wonderful musician and a session player. He has a band of his own and he resides between Nashville and New York. He was brought to me by my management, Charles Driebe from Blind Ambition. He said that here’s a young guy you should consider writing something with. Greg came to my studio in Atlanta, stayed almost a week and we came up with four really good songs and two of them I got on this CD.”

Excerpt 2: “William: “When you win a Grammy, everybody wants you. ‘Everybody loves a winner’ (laughing). I got busy. I was travelling and touring with the Take Me to the River organization. We had a movie out. It’s a wonderful organization of teaching the kids about the origin of music. We were doing the screening and touring for two years. When I finally came off the road, I had to take it a little lighter, to get rested. I wanted to really take my time to write some songs that were telling about the times that we’re living now.”… READ THE FULL INTERVIEW https://www.soulexpress.net/williambell_2023.htm

The Rocking Magpie REVIEW of One Day Closer To Home 

The Rocking Magpie
Americana, Blues, Folk, Alt Country, Country and a Whole Lot More!

Review of "One Day Closer To Home"

EXCERPT: William Bell
One Day Closer To Home
Wilbe Records

Timeless Silky Smooth Soul Music With Sharp Edges and Effortless Cool.

The Soul Cognoscenti will always have a special place for William Bell in their hears; but sadly he’s something of a ‘forgotten man’ these days; and the timeless ‘smokey’ Soul that he’s famous for has pretty much gone out of fashion; especially among the younger generation who tend to want an ‘edge’ to their music; while William still produces silky smooth and often beautiful music.
The opening track; I Still Go to Parties is a defiant argument for ‘being old’; but not and never being ‘old people’!… READ ALL ABOUT IT CLICK HERE

William Bell Interview with BMI about the new CD and a potential 2nd Grammy 

A fantastic long interview with BMI

Catching Up with William Bell

The soul music legend aims for another GRAMMY with his latest album

Posted in News on April 17, 2023

EXCERPT: Legendary soul singer and songwriter William Bell released his 15th album, One Day Closer To Home, on April 14 via his Wilbe Records label. The album, his first since his GRAMMY-winning 2016 project This is Where I Live, explores a cross of musical genres, true to Bell’s form.

Born in Memphis in 1939, Bell started singing in church, becoming an early star in his choir. As a teenager, he played live gigs with Rufus Thomas and Phineas Newborn, getting an immersive education in the music business, and Bell paid attention at every turn. He started writing songs, having early hits with “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and blues classic “Born Under a Bad Sign,” the latter penned with Booker T. Jones. Bell became known for his poignant lyrics and soulful melodies and enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Stax Records until he relocated to Atlanta in 1969.

BMI caught up with Bell, who was working on album art in his studio in Atlanta in preparation for the vinyl release of One Day Closer to Home. Bell shared some of his most memorable moments from his long career, how his songwriting has evolved over the years, and the advice he’d share for anyone starting their career in the music industry … READ ALL ABOUT IT CLICK  HERE for full article / Interview