A stalwart of Stax Records known for 1960s R&B hits like “Everybody Loves a Winner,” Bell made a Grammy-winning comeback in 2016 some 50 years after cutting his first single.
With two largely identical sets, Bell told the story of his career, from his first hit “Don’t Miss Your Water” (inspired by an expression his grandfather used) to his post-military music (highlight: “Private Number,” a duet with backup singer Phyllis Smiley) to his songwriting triumphs (notably “Born Under a Bad Sign,” done his way without guitar pyrotechnics) to his biggest hit (the 1977 R&B charttopper “Tryin’ to Love Two,” with a little bit of the Temptations, Ben E. King, and, in the second set, Sam Cooke tossed in) to his movie documentary triumph (“I Forgot To Be Your Lover,” featuring his spine-tingling falsetto) to his Grammy-winning material (“The Three of Me”).
Read the full review by Jon Bream here:
Star Tribune (Aug 13, 2018) photo by Tim Campbell
BELL RETURNS TO THE DAKOTA FEB 9 FOR TWO SHOWS AT 7PM & 9PM. TICKETS/INFO >>