Vince Bell | |
|---|---|
 Bell performing in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Vince Bell |
| Born | (1951-09-16)September 16, 1951 (age 73) Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Genres | singer-songwriter,alternative country |
| Occupation(s) | Solo artist, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Singer, guitar |
| Website | Vince Bell official site |
Vince Bell (born September 16, 1951) is a Texas singer-songwriter who has appeared on thePBS television programAustin City Limits[1] along withNPR broadcasts such asMountain Stage,World Cafe andMorning Edition. His songs have been performed and recorded byLittle Feat,Lyle Lovett andNanci Griffith.
During the early-1970s Bell became a fixture on the Lone Star music scene. In his hometown ofHouston, Texas, Bell shared the stage ofAnderson Fair andThe Old Quarter nightclub with friends and musical influencesTownes Van Zandt andGuy Clark, both of whom he later called his mentors. By the early-1980s, Bell had begun to carve out a regional reputation for himself. On December 21, 1982, Bell had finished up a day of recording his debut album withStevie Ray Vaughan andEric Johnson inAustin, Texas. He was driving home when he was hit by a drunk driver going upwards of 65 mph. Bell almost died from head and other severe injuries received during the wreck. His recovery lasted more than six years. Bell documented the traumatic event and its aftermath in his 1998 autobiography,One Man's Music. In 2004 Bell told an interviewer, "Learning the guitar the first time was a bitch. Learning the guitar the second time was cruel."[2]
Bell's first albumPhoenix was produced byBob Neuwirth and released in 1994. The tracks were recorded in San Francisco with session musicians includingGeoff Muldaur,Fritz Richmond,David Mansfield,Mickey Raphael andJohn Cale.Lyle Lovett andVictoria Williams contributed background vocals. Rick Mitchell of theHouston Chronicle praised the album, writing, "Phoenix adroitly mixes elements of folk, blues and country in an acoustic setting. But it's Bell's alternatingly oblique and soul-baring lyrics that make the album a captivating listen."[3] In theNew York Times,Neil Strauss wrote that the lyrics "were filled with images of misshapen monsters and twisted metal, paralysis and victory, loneliness and introspection".[4]
Bell's second albumTexas Plates was released by Paladin/Warner in 1999 but was not a commercial success. In 2001 Bell independently releasedLive in Texas and in 2007 he releasedRecado through SteadyBoy Records.
Produced byBob Neuwirth,Dave Soldier, and Patrick Derivaz, Bell's 2018Ojo features him doing spoken word and playing with a wide range of musicians including Pedro Cortes, Patrick Derivaz,Robert Dick, Ratzo B. Harris,David Mansfield, Valerie Dee Naranjo,Laura Cantrell. Renaud-Gabriel Pion, Rob Schwimmer,Dave Soldier, and Satoshi Takeishi.[5]
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Phoenix | Watermelon |
| 1999 | Texas Plates | Paladin |
| 2001 | Live in Texas | VinceBell.com |
| 2007 | Recado | SteadyBoy/VinceBell.com |
| 2018 | Ojo | Mulatta Records |
| International | |
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