{"title":"William Bell","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWilliam Bell is a singer, songwriter, and producer who was born on July 16, 1939 in Memphis, Tennessee. He began his music career as a teenager, releasing his first record with a local label in 1957. Bell played a pivotal role in the development of the Stax sound and had several hits throughout his career. He has collaborated with notable artists such as Judy Clay, Carla Thomas, Mavis Staples, and Janice Bullock. In addition to his successful music career, Bell has been recognized for his contributions to the industry by being inducted into various halls of fame and receiving awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1961, he released his first solo effort titled \"You Don't Miss Your Water (Til the Well Runs Dry)\", which became one of the early hits for the label he was signed to at that time. After serving two years in the Army from 1963 to 1965, Bell continued his music journey by releasing more albums under different labels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout his career, William Bell has demonstrated versatility and talent as both a performer and songwriter. His soulful voice and meaningful lyrics have resonated with audiences over several decades. Whether collaborating with other artists or pursuing solo projects, Bell's contributions to the music industry have solidified him as an influential figure in R\u0026amp;B and soul music.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-soul-of-a-bell","title":"The Soul Of A Bell","description":"\u003cp\u003e It was as though William Bell had been born specially to impress us with the musical style that prevailed in his birthplace, Memphis. The story of his life certainly makes one sit up and take notice. Many years before his debut album was released on the now-legendary Stax label, Bell wrote songs for the independent label and contributed to the original sound of the South. His simply constructed (in the very best sense) music with its emphasis on demanding lyrics, such as the hit \"Everybody Loves A Winner\", is highly appealing to sensitive souls. And it gets even better. With \"You Don’t Miss Your Water\" Bell wrote a classic example of a down-to-earth country-soul number with a whistling organ and broad waves of sound on the winds. Unlike the emotional Wilson Pickett, for example, Bell cultivated a more moderate form of expression. Instead of breathless staccato, his music flows along at a more even pace that does not shy away from grave and ponderous retrospection (\"I’ve Been Loving You Too Long\"). Sensitive words follow to the strains of a seething organ (\"Nothing Takes The Place Of You\") and in a sluggish yet clearly articulated statement (\"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye\"). As a contrast, there are also powerful, and rocking catchy numbers such as \"Eloise\", while the pulsating rhythm and colourful background singing in \"Never Like This Before\" explores new territory. But as it should be, every single number has its own story to tell.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd check out the band! - William Bell (voc); Joe Arnold (as); Andrew Love (ts); Wayne Jackson (tp); Booker T. Jones, Isaac Hayes (keyb); Steve Cropper (g); Donald 'Duck' Dunn (b); Al Jackson Jr. (dr)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Speakers Corner Records","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50449151000907,"sku":"1064831","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/13896682-975f-4914-a436-3c72944b6508_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727099632"},{"product_id":"never-like-this-before-the-complete-blue-stax-singles-1961-1968","title":"Never Like This Before: The Complete Blue Stax Singles 1961-1968","description":"\u003cp\u003eIconic veteran Southern soul man William Bell has been in the business of making records for 66 years, and was with Memphis’ fabled Stax label for virtually its entire 15-year existence (1960-1975). In that time, he composed and recorded many songs that are rightly regarded as classics, from his Stax debut ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water’ to the classic blues song ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ to his hit duet with Judy Clay, ‘Private Number’.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAce Records has represented William’s Stax catalogue in the UK for longer than the label originally existed, and we have issued a number of CDs over the years, including original albums and “Best Of” packages, but this month sees the release of the first of two CD sets that will, between them, anthologise the A and B-sides all of William’s solo singles for Stax. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eNever Like This Before\u003c\/i\u003e covers the first seven years of William’s Stax catalogue, and rounds up all 14 of the singles that came out on Stax’s original blue label design with the ‘Stack Of Records’ logo. Among the classics featured are the aforementioned ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water’, William’s holiday perennial ‘Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday’ and his heartfelt salute to his recently-deceased Stax labelmate Otis Redding, ‘A Tribute To A King’ – to name but a few. William is, of course, backed on all tracks by members of the legendary Stax ‘house band’ Booker T \u0026amp; the MGs and the Memphis Horns. Arranged in sequence of release and with a booklet featuring extensive annotation and illustration, \u003ci\u003eNever Like This Before\u003c\/i\u003e lives up to its title and offers premium quality Southern soul in a package worthy of the man who, at the age of 82, is still singing many of these songs in live shows, and singing them as well as he ever did!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e01 You Don't Miss Your Water 02 Formula Of Love 03 Any Other Way 04 Please Help Me I'm Falling 05 I Told You So 06 What'Cha Gonna Do 07 Just As I Thought 08 I'm Waiting On You 09 What Can I Do (To Forget) 10 Somebody Mentioned Your Name 11 I'll Show You 12 Monkeying Around 13 Don't Make Something Out Of Nothing 14 Who Will It Be Tomorrow 15 Crying All By Myself 16 Don't Stop Now 17 Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need) 18 Marching Off To War 19 Never Like This Before 20 Soldier's Goodbye 21 Everybody Loves A Winner 22 You're Such A Sweet Thang 23 Eloise (Hang On In There) 24 One Plus One 25 Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday 26 Ain't Got No Girl 27 A Tribute To A King 28 Every Man Oughta Have A Woman\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50458553319755,"sku":"1152857","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/67f772fa-aabe-43c8-a94b-5382b7d36547_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727211808"},{"product_id":"the-man-in-the-street-the-complete-yellow-stax-solo-singles-1968-1974","title":"The Man In The Street - The Complete Yellow Stax Solo Singles 1968-1974","description":"\u003cp\u003eHaving anthologized the early Stax singles of legendary soul man William Bell in the acclaimed collection \u003ci\u003eNever Like This Before\u003c\/i\u003e in 2022, Ace is delighted to follow up with the second volume of Bell’s solo singles for the label. Its predecessor featured the A and B sides of every one of Bell’s 45s as originally issued on the blue Stax label between 1960 and early 1968. \u003ci\u003eThe Man In The Street\u003c\/i\u003e does the same for every solo 45 that this well-respected southern soul man released between late 1968 and early 1974, after the company had changed its label colour to yellow and rebuilt its catalogue from scratch. Bell stayed with Stax almost until the label’s final demise in 1975. In the period covered by this collection he released some of his best-known and best-loved recordings, including his biggest Stax hit ‘I Forgot To Be Your Lover’ and long-time fan favourites ‘My Whole World Is Falling Down’, ‘Happy’ and his own version of his classic composition ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’. All of those are featured here, along with 20 more tracks of comparable calibre. As was the case with \u003ci\u003eNever Like This Before, The Man In The Street\u003c\/i\u003e offers the first all-embracing and chronological account of Bell’s solo activity during the period. Extensive sleeve notes and a label shot for every recording featured herein seal the deal on a truly significant collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. I Forgot To Be Your Lover 2. Bring The Curtain Down 3. My Whole World Is Falling Down 4. All God's Children Got Soul 5. Happy 6. My Kind Of Girl 7. Born Under A Bad Sign 8. A Smile Can't Hide (A Broken Heart) 9. Lonely Soldier 10. Let Me Ride 11. A Penny For Your Thoughts 12. ‘till My Back Ain't Got No Bone 13. All For The Love Of A Woman 14. I'll Be Home 15. Save Us 16. If You Really Love Him 17. Lovin' On Borrowed Time 18. The Man In The Street 19. I've Got To Go On Without You 20. You've Got The Kind Of Love I Need 21. Gettin' What You Got (Losin' What You Had) 22. All I Need Is Your Love 23. Get It While It's Hot 24. Nobody Walks Away From Love Unhurt\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kent","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50468207264075,"sku":"2008746","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/CDTOP_515_WILLIAM_BELL_YELLOW_STAX_03feb4c6_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727346000"},{"product_id":"stax-classics","title":"Stax Classics","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe new Stax Classics series celebrates the iconic label's greatest stars, offering new liner notes, label discographies and 12 choice cuts from the artists' Stax catalog. This collection highlights soul legend William Bell's 13-year career of writing and recording at Stax, which began in 1961, with some of his best-loved hits, including, \u003ci\u003eYou Don't Miss Your Water, Private Number\u003c\/i\u003e (w\/Judy Clay), and \u003ci\u003eI Forgot To Be Your Lover.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"UMC","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50506881106251,"sku":"1012572","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/3d860202-0179-4244-812b-ab1510417778_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727831921"},{"product_id":"the-very-best-of-william-bell","title":"The Very Best Of William Bell","description":"\u003cp\u003ethis 24-bit remastered disc is a career-spanning collection of 20 greatest hits including 'you don't miss your water', 'private number' and many more! it also includes rare photographs and notes by rob bowman, author of the grammy award-winning 'soulsville usa : the story of stax records'.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"No Label","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50509978435915,"sku":"288809","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_4eebf326_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1731875460"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_071effbe_thumbnail_4096_d88002cc-9798-4d17-97f8-57c654919a65.jpg?v=1727099612","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/william-bell.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}