Richard Bell (Canadian musician)

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This article is about the Canadian musician. For other people named Richard Bell, see Richard Bell (disambiguation)

Richard Bell is a Canadian musician. He has worked with several artists as both a studio and live musician, chiefly on keyboard instruments, and is currently the keyboardist in the Toronto-based band the Porkbelly Futures.

Bell's career first gained significance when he joined Ronnie Hawkins as a member of the Hawks, following the departure of Hawkins' previous band (who would gain fame as The Band). In the late 1960s, while touring with Hawkins at the Fillmore East, he was approached by Janis Joplin's manager Albert Grossman and invited to join Joplin's new band.

Bell was a keyboardist for Janis Joplin in 1970 as part of her Full Tilt Boogie Band; his playing can be heard on her posthumously-released album Pearl. Bell was also touring with Joplin on the Festival Express tour in Canada, and was interviewed many years later for the 2003 documentary film of the same name.

Following Joplin's death, Bell moved to Woodstock, New York, where he did work as a session musician. Amongst those he worked with during this time were Paul Butterfield and John Sebastian.

In 1991, Bell joined The Band as a keyboardist, effectively as a replacement for fellow Canadian keyboardist Richard Manuel, who had committed suicide in 1986, and Manuel's interim replacement Stan Szelest. Bell remained with The Band through their final three albums (Jericho, High on the Hog, and Jubiliation), for which Bell also received some songwriting credits. The death of Rick Danko in 1999 essentially ended The Band, and thus Bell's affiliation.

Bell can play several instruments professionally, including the piano, organ, accordion and saxophone.

Other acts Bell has worked with include Bruce Cockburn, Judy Collins, Cowboy Junkies, Bob Dylan, Michael Kaeshammer, Bonnie Raitt and Joe Walsh.

At present, Bell lives in Toronto and remains a member of the Porkbelly Futures, with whom he plays several different instruments and sometimes sings back-up. It is not uncommon for Porkbelly Futures' shows to feature a song from one of Bell's earlier musical affiliations.

In August, 2006, it was reported that Bell was battling cancer.[1]