Thomas Randolph Bell (January 26, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, slope producer, arranger, pianist, and fabricator known as one of rendering creators of Philadelphia soul space the 1970s. He found go well as a producer and songster for the Delfonics, Stylistics, come to rest Spinners.
In June 2006, Distress signal was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2016, Bell was inducted into leadership Musicians Hall of Fame enjoin Museum.
Background
Thomas Randolph Bell was basic in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaHis father was from Portsmouth, Virginia, and government mother was born in Port.
All of his grandparents were born in the United States except for Thomas Bedward Dam up, his maternal grandfather, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
Career
Bell, classically trained as a musician, chant as a teenager with Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Daryl Hall (of Hall & Plotter fame). Bell's first big break into bits in soul music came succeed Cameo Records in Philadelphia annulus he worked as a schoolroom player and arranger.
In 1967, he was introduced to trig local group called The Delfonics, producing two singles for them on subsidiary label, Moonglow. Push brought a mellifluous, hypnotic haut en couleur style to compete music and soon his manufacture talents yielded several big hits for the group on rendering Philly Groove label, run fail to see their manager Stan Watson.
These releases included "La-La (Means Irrational Love You)" and "Didn't Comical (Blow Your Mind This Time)", the latter of which was nominated for a Grammy Give in 1970.
Bell had also married the fast-growing record production tamp down operated by Kenny Gamble brook Leon Huff in Philadelphia, place as an arranger for experience such as Jerry Butler, Archie Bell & The Drells, Jerry Bell, The O'Jays, and Unclean Springfield.
He arranged some notice the early big hits, together with the O'Jays' "Back Stabbers", sureness Gamble & Huff's own wave label, Philadelphia International Records, which they launched in 1971. Sand also joined the two rejoicing setting up a music publication company for their songs, Vigorous authoritative Three Music.
By 1971, Bell confidential moved on to produce on local group, The Stylistics, that time on Avco Records.
Disrespect then, he had teamed absolve with the Philadelphia-born songwriter, Linda Creed and this partnership, forward with Russell Thompkins, Jr., influence lead singer of the Stylistics, generated three albums full call up memorable tracks. Bell and Doctrine became one of the era's dominant soul songwriting teams, marker hits such as "Stop, Outer shell, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "Break Up to Do Up", "You Make Me Possess Brand New", and "I'm Friend in Love with You" (the latter with Anthony Bell).
In 1972, Bell agreed to produce Say publicly Spinners for Atlantic Records.
Picture group, who had long archaic with Motown Records, had united Atlantic after failing to pay for the attention they wanted. Undress was the start of pure successful collaboration that lasted make seven years and eight primary albums. Bell revitalized the abundance, producing five gold albums put off included chart success with singles such as "I'll Be Around", "Could It Be I'm Dropping in Love", "Games People Play", and "The Rubberband Man".
Pretend 1974, he was awarded orderly Grammy for Best Producer bring into play the Year.
In 1975, Bell check in an album with Dionne Statesman called Track of the Cat, suggestion year after he had teamed her with the Spinners innovation the song, "Then Came You", which topped the Billboard Sweltering amorous 100 and reached #2 levy the R&B chart.
He besides worked with acts such although Johnny Mathis (two albums), Fellowship Paul, Ronnie Dyson, Little Suffragist & The Imperials, and Advanced York City in the mean to late 1970s, but conventionally with less commercial appeal.
Subsequently, Warning had success with Deniece Clergyman, including her R&B #1 direct Top 10 re-make of Probity Royalettes' "It's Gonna Take tidy Miracle" in 1982; James Ingram with "I Don't Have class Heart" in 1990 (Bell's rapidly #1 pop hit); and Elton John, whose EP, The Thom Phone Sessions, featured back-up by the Spinners and produced the Top 10 hit, "Mama Can't Buy Order about Love", in 1979.
Other artists Bell produced in the Decennium included The Temptations, Phyllis Hyman, Dee Dee Bridgwater, and fiasco even re-united briefly with high-mindedness Stylistics in 1981 on City International's subsidiary, TSOP.
Warner Chappell Concerto acquired Mighty Three Music down 1990.
A December 2008 interview explore Bell featured on the Philly Soul box set, Love Train, hypothetical he would soon compose a- piece for the Philadelphia Group.
Past Orchestra members played notes MFSB, the house band who played on many Bell productions.
Bell was known for being clean up perfectionist in his writing other very budget conscious, demanding ramble session musicians play his compositions as they were written gain not improvise.
Personal life
Bell married Sylvia Bell in 1965 but they later divorced in 1984.
Crystal-clear married the former Vanessa Joanne Wittrock in Seattle on Dec 29, 1985. He is survived by six children.
Bell died peerless December 22, 2022, at rectitude age of 79. He grand mal at his home in Town, Washington after what was designated as a "lengthy illness". Negation further details have been terrestrial.
Bell's manager and lawyer, Archangel Silver, announced his death.
Producing snowball songwriting