Archie Bell (singer)

Archie Lee Bell (born September 1, 1944, Henderson, Texas, United States) is an African-American solo singer and former lead singer of Archie Bell & the Drells.

Background

Born to parents Langston and Ruthie Bell, Archie is the second oldest of seven brothers, and the brother of USC and NFL football player Ricky Bell, and former world karate champion and singer, Jerry Bell. He also is related to the record producer, Thom Bell.^[1]

Career

Bell was singing in Houston night clubs at age ten, and credits seeing the performances of Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke as influencing him to become a singer. He formed the Drells in 1966 while in high school.^[2]

He became known around the world for the hit that he had with the Drells, "Tighten Up". Since the breakup of the Drells in 1980, Archie Bell has pursued a solo career. Bell later released one solo album (I Never Had It So Good - 1981) on Beckett Records and continued to perform with The Drells off and on for the next twenty years. During the 1990s the lineup also included Steve "Stevie G." Guettler (guitar, vocals), Jeff "JT" Strickler (bass guitar, vocals), Steve Farrell (guitar, vocals), Mike Wilson (keyboards, vocals) and Wes Armstrong (drums, vocals) of the Atlanta-based group The Rockerz.

In more recent times, Bell has been diversifying his repertoire to include blues, and has recorded a blues album. He also has recorded some country music, having professed a love for that genre.^[3] Country producer and former member of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Tommy Allsup, recruited Bell to sing "Warm Red Wine", which appeared on an album with songs from Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker and Roy Clark.^[4]

Discography

Singles

Archie Bell & The Drells

• She's My Woman, She's My Girl/Love Will Rain On You - Ovide 222 [1967]
• A Soldier's Prayer/One In One - Ovide 226 [1967]
• Tighten Up/Dog Eat Dog - Ovide 228 [1967]
• She's My Woman, She's My Girl/The Yankee Dance - East West 55102 [1967]
• She's My Woman, She's My Girl/The Yankee Dance - East West 2048 [1968]
• Tighten Up/Dog Eat Dog - Atlantic 2478 [1968]
• Tighten Up/pt II - Atlantic 2478 [1968]
• I Can't Stop Dancing/You're Such A Beautiful Child - Atlantic 2534 [1968]
• Love Will Rain On You/Do The Choo Choo - Atlantic 2559 [1968]
• There's Gonna Be A Showdown/ Go For What You Know - Atlantic 2583 [1968]
• Just A Little Closer/Love My Baby - Atlantic 2612 [1969]

• The Kays Band featuring Archie Bell - "Soul'd Out" - Major Records MR 906 (12")
• "Any Time Is Right" / "Without You" - Becket Records BKA 45-4 - 1981 (7")^[5]
• "Any Time Is Right" / "Why Didja Do Me" - Becket BKD-501 - 1981 (12")^[6]
• "Touchin' You" / "Touchin' You" (Instrumental) - WMOT Records WMOT-101 - 1982 (12")^[7]

Albums

• I Never Had It So Good - Becket 013 - 1981^[8]

References