I was at an event a few years ago and my attention was elsewhere. Someone walked up behind me and when I turned around Michael Jackson was standing there. He said, “Hey Al Bell” and started singing the Isaac Hayes hit song, By ‘The Time I Get To Phoenix’. I was honored beyond words. In that action he showed me respect, love and appreciation and I never forgot it. In this spirit of mutual love and respect I Salute the Legacy of One of the Greatest Musical Performers to Ever Grace the Stage , Michael Jackson. --Al Bell
One of the icons of soul music is Al Bell, the driving force behind Stax Records. Bell has returned to his roots in Memphis, Tennessee, to rekindle the music scene he dominated for decades.
Al Bell was recently featured in the New York Times. Click the image below to read:
Music Icon Al Bell Announced as New Chairman of the Memphis Music Foundation:
Under Bell's direction, the Foundation will continue to provide education, strategic planning and promotional opportunities to the Memphis music industry. Bell is known for his work at STAX and Motown Records and through the careers of artists like Richard Pryor, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and Prince.
Al Bell has not only owned but he was also President of both the first and the second largest African American owned businesses in the United States at one time, Stax and Motown Records.
In addition, he wrote many hit songs for numerous artists; among his most memorable is the timeless classic by the Staple Singers, ‘I'll Take you there".
Again he worked with MGM Studios on the release of the film Shaft. During this time he demonstrated marketing and promotional techniques that woke the sleeping film industry to the potential of the black marketplace. This began the black film boom of the 1970s. As a direct result of Al Bell’s marketing and promotional wisdom, Isaac Hayes, a top Stax Artist, became the first African American Recording Artist to win an Oscar for the motion picture soundtrack Shaft.
He added to the roster of box office hits with the landmark film Wattstax, the Living Word, a documentary based on a Stax Records concert that entertained 112,000 people in the Los Angeles Stadium.
At the time, this was the largest musical event ever presented to black America. With Mr. Bell as executive producer, 'Wattstax' went on to be a Golden Globe-nominated, CANNES-celebrated, and Sundance Film Festival award-winning movie.
Many people were not aware that Al Bell launched the career of one of the world’s most Cherished, admired, and emulated comics; Richard Pryor; as a result of Al’s marketing and promotional expertise, Richard’s first album, ‘This Niggas Crazy’ sold over 1 million copies and is still selling today.
Al Bell discovered Tag Team and released Whoomp! There it is!, which sold over 5 million single units. This record was one of the biggest selling singles in the history of the recorded music industry.
He later was asked by Prince to release a single record for him, after his record label, Warners Bros. turned him down. Mr. Bell released the record and, with his unique style of marketing and promotion, gave “The Artist” his biggest-selling single ever, titled The Most Beautiful Girl in the World".
Al Bell Launches 24/7 Radio Station Exclusively Online
Al Bell Presents American Soul Music!
“A Connection to the past & a lifeline into the future”
Late in 2008 this unique radio station-online and a marketing vehicle for musicians and artists called, Al Bell Presents American Soul Music was launched. This online radio station can also be heard on the Al Bell official web site albellpresents.com.
As the former owner of Stax Records and President of Motown Mr. Bell is using his 40 years of experience in the radio and recording industries to develop a sound unlike that heard on any terrestrial or Internet radio station to date.
Al Bell Presents American Soul Music delivers an exclusive mix of Soul, R&B, Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop-Soul, and Rap-Soul, and a mix of unique music programming.
In an interview Al stated, “It is my desire to carry the global community on a musical journey throughout the entire universe of Soul music! Schopenhauer, the German philosopher, dismissed all religions – Christian, Judean, Buddhist, etc. – and firmly stated that it was music that over-powered the human ‘physical’ (the body) and took man, IN ‘SPIRIT’, to where the universe was the true reality!”
“On Al Bell Presents American Soul Music, I wish to provide this musical experience! It is my aspiration, through this diverse programming mix – and the music itself – to provide a worldwide audience 'a connection to the past and a life-line to the future!’ “I ask each individual who enjoys Soul music to listen and help me provide the very best musical programming.”
Please post your comments on this MySpace page, and recommend feature artists and songs you would like added to the music play list. It is the desire of Al Bell Presents American Soul Music to entertain, engage, excite, inform and educate. As Al has stated, “This is the listeners’ radio station for Great American Soul Music!”
Keep Listening and you will be among the first to hear previously undiscovered songs by established artists and new music by undiscovered artists.
Thank You for listening and enjoy, Al Bell
Your Radio Station - Online - For American Soul Music 24/7
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Who I'd like to meet: All the Fans of Soul Music!
Take a moment to learn more about Al Bell and his contributions to the music industry.
Al Bell Presents American Soul Music's Friend Space (Top 40)
Al Bell Presents American Soul Music has 25717 friends.
This is the « makinf off » of our last recording session at theSound Suite Studio, with Treje Refsnes. Take a look on 20 minutes video of this work in progress, growing step by step during 16 days . Soon will come the mixing and the album « Love, birth and disillusions »will release in January 2010. Thanks to follow us in this project and broadcast it. (Although you don't accept HTML code on your page please copy and past this URL on your navigator to see it.) Best wishes. The H.O.S.T (Although you don't accept HTML code on your page, please copy and paste this URL on your navigator to see it.) http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=100350439
Thanks for the add & support!! Make sure to swing by & DOWNLOAD our FREE 5 song EP called "WHORE THIS EP!" featuring Lady Gaga's-Just Dance (MediaFire.com/ThisNightIsForever & ITUNES as a podcast!!) Make sure to add us to top friends/banners & TELL all your friends..! WHERE do you want to see us play live!? our MERCH STORE is COMING SOON!:)
HeyNow, i was just reading your profile, and u a bad dude, i remember seeing Watstax and what really sticks in my mind was the part with Sammy Davis JR kinda explaining his blackness to the audience.. lol.. but u keep up the good work and keep it movin strong my brotha.. Thanx again!!!
Hi Al :) Thank you for inviting me to your wonderful space... It's great to have a new friend. Until our next hello... wishing you many beautiful days ahead.
HEYYY, PLEASE VOTE... CLICK ON GREEN BOTTON (VOTE), THEN IT WILL RE-DIRECT YOU, CLICK ON MY PICTURE AGAIN, VOTE AND SUBMIT THE ENTRY!!! OR CLICK THE LINK BELOW THANX IN ADVANCE AND MUCHOS BESOSSSSSSSSSS
Heyyy! Love the music and your friendship :)) Could you please request, My single "Out There Somewhere" just out on radio ~;) Hope to hear from you soon...have a great week!!!
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