William Bell

Early in life, William Bell had thought to become a doctor. Singing was just a relaxing pastime reserved for social gatherings. But friends convinced him to try his hand at entertaining and he and his group won second prize at the annual Mid-South Talent Contest of Memphis, Tennessee. The prize was a recording contract with Stax Records.

William Bell's talents as an entertainer do not stop at singing. He is also an accomplished songwriter on his own and in collaboration with other composers. "I write either from a personal experience, an observation, or I just take a particular situation. My very first song was written from a personal experience and I find, looking back over a lot of tunes I've written, that listeners can identify with them better if they are on a personal basis."

One of Bell's closest collaborative relationships was with Booker T. Jones, leader of the successful Stax group Booker T. & the MGs. Together they wrote such tunes as "I Forgot to Be Your Lover," "Private Number," and "Born Under a Bad Sign," the title song of an album by guitarist Albert King which was a major hit for the British recording group Cream.

Personable, pipe-smoking William Bell is 5'10" tall and was born in Memphis on July 16. His earliest musical influence was his mother who sang with a gospel group at their church. Young William would go with her to church and listen to her practice with the group.

Bell recorded his hit of "You Don't Miss Your Water" and his first album, The Soul of a Bell, before he was drafted. Following his stint in the Army, Bell recorded the Bound to Happen album, followed by Wow! William Bell and Phases of Reality.

Being involved in the business end of music also, Bell has noticed a change in the amount of experience an artist has when he "makes it." "I think some of the newer artists should experience a little more of an apprenticeship in the business," observes Bell. "An artist who decided six months ago to become a singer all of a sudden can write a song, have a smash hit million-seller and not know how to walk on a stage. "There are some artists, too, from the old school so to speak, even though they are only 25 or 30 years old, they have been at it since childhood. There is not really such a thing as an overnight success." Although it didn't happen overnight, singer, composer, actor, businessman William Bell is a success at everything he undertakes.