# Archie Bell (singer) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Archie_Bell_(singer) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Archie_Bell_(singer).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Bell_(singer) > Source revision: 1345280198 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American singer-songwriter (born 1944)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Archie Bell | image = Archie Bell and the Drells 1968.jpg | caption = Archie Bell (lower right) | birth_name = Archie Lee Bell | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age text|September 1, 1944}} | birth_place = [Henderson, Texas](/source/Henderson%2C_Texas), U.S. | genre = [Soul](/source/Soul_music), [funk](/source/funk), [blues](/source/blues), [country](/source/country_music) | occupation = Musician, songwriter | instrument = Vocals | years_active = 1961–present | label = | associated_acts = [Archie Bell & the Drells](/source/Archie_Bell_%26_the_Drells), Jerry Bell | website = }} '''Archie Lee Bell''' (born September 1, 1944) is an American solo singer and former lead singer of [Archie Bell & the Drells](/source/Archie_Bell_%26_the_Drells). ==Background== Born to [African-American](/source/African-American) parents Langston and Ruthie Bell in [Henderson, Texas](/source/Henderson%2C_Texas), United States, Archie is the second oldest of seven brothers, including [USC](/source/University_of_Southern_California) and [NFL](/source/NFL) football player [Ricky Bell](/source/Ricky_Bell_(running_back)) and Jerry Bell, a former world [karate](/source/karate) champion and singer in the bands [New Birth](/source/New_Birth_(band)) and the [Dazz Band](/source/Dazz_Band). He also is related to the record producer, [Thom Bell](/source/Thom_Bell).{{cite web|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Jerry%20Bell.html |title=Jerry Bell Page |publisher=Soulwalking.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2015-10-13}} ==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 1956 while in junior high school.{{cite web |url=http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/bell31.html |title=Archie Bell |publisher=Bluesmusicnow.com |date=1979-12-22 |accessdate=2015-10-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209145923/http://bluesmusicnow.com/bell31.html |archive-date=December 9, 2010 |url-status=dead }} Bell became known around the world for the hit that he had with the Drells, "[Tighten Up](/source/Tighten_Up_(Archie_Bell_%26_the_Drells_song))". He has pursued a solo career since the breakup of the Drells in 1980. 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 line-up 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](/source/The_Rockerz). In more recent times Bell has been diversifying his repertoire to include [blues](/source/blues), and has recorded a blues album. He has also recorded some [country music](/source/country_music), having professed a love for that genre.{{cite web|last=Beets |first=Greg |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A348521 |title=SXSW - Spotlight: Archie Bell: 7PM, Continental Club - Music |publisher=The Austin Chronicle |date=2006-03-17 |accessdate=2015-10-13}} [Tommy Allsup](/source/Tommy_Allsup), country producer and former member of [Bob Wills](/source/Bob_Wills)' Texas Playboys, recruited Bell to sing "Warm Red Wine", which appeared on an album with songs from [Glen Campbell](/source/Glen_Campbell), [Tanya Tucker](/source/Tanya_Tucker) and [Roy Clark](/source/Roy_Clark). On May 5, 2021, Bell suffered a stroke on the right side of his body.{{cite web|url=http://www.roctober.com/roctober/archiebell.html |title=Archie Bell |publisher=Roctober.com |accessdate=2015-10-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924091746/http://www.roctober.com/roctober/archiebell.html |archivedate=September 24, 2015 }} ==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](/source/Tighten_Up_(Archie_Bell_%26_the_Drells_song))" / "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] (#17 [Canada](/source/RPM_(magazine)){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5856.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - September 2, 1968}}) * "Love Will Rain on You" / "Do The Choo Choo" – Atlantic 2559 [1968] ("Do The Choo Choo" #44 [Canada](/source/RPM_(magazine)){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5807.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - October 21, 1968}}) * "There's Gonna Be A Showdown" / "Go For What You Know" – Atlantic 2583 [1968] (#14 [Canada](/source/RPM_(magazine)){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5884.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - January 27, 1969}}) * "Just A Little Closer" / "Love My Baby" – Atlantic 2612 [1969] * "Girl You're Too Young" / "Do The Hand Jive" – Atlantic 2644 [1969] (#47 [Canada](/source/RPM_(magazine)){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6055.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 21, 1969}}) * "Dancing To Your Music" / "Count The Ways" - Glades 1707 [1973] * "I Could Dance All Night" / "King Of The Castle" - TSOP ZS8 4767 [1975] * "Soul City Walk" / "King Of The Castle" - TSOP ZS8 4774 [1975] * "Let's Groove" (Part 1) / "Let's Groove" (Part 2) - TSOP ZS8 4775 [1976] * 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"){{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Archie-Bell-Any-Time-Is-Right/release/2059497 |title=Archie Bell - Any Time Is Right (Vinyl) |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2015-10-13}} * "Any Time Is Right" / "Why Didja Do Me" – Becket BKD-501 – 1981 (12"){{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Archie-Bell-Any-Time-Is-Right/release/311248 |title=Archie Bell - Any Time Is Right (Vinyl) |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2015-10-13}} * "Touchin' You" / "Touchin' You" (Instrumental) – WMOT Records WMOT-101 – 1982 (12"){{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Archie-Bell-Touchin-You/release/1057970 |title=Archie Bell - Touchin' You (Vinyl) |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2015-10-13}} ===Albums=== * ''I Never Had It So Good'' – Becket 013 – 1981{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Archie-Bell-I-Never-Had-It-So-Good/release/2366427 |title=Archie Bell - I Never Had It So Good (Vinyl, LP, Album) |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2011-03-09 |accessdate=2015-10-13}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/archie-bell Archie Bell Interview] at [NAMM Oral History Collection](/source/NAMM_Oral_History_Program) (2017) {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Archie}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:African-American male singer-songwriters Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:American funk singers Category:People from Henderson, Texas Category:Singer-songwriters from Texas Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:21st-century African-American male singers Category:21st-century American male singers --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Archie Bell (singer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Bell_(singer)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Bell_(singer)?action=history)). 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