Thom Bell, a pioneer of Philadelphia’s soul music, dies at age 79. See below for more information on his wonderful journey.
Philadelphia’s first soul singer, Thom Bell, dies at age 79. Check out the information on his interesting adventure below.
Thom Bell, a renowned singer-songwriter, passed away on Saturday. The success of the Grammy Award-winning musician with the Philadelphia sound in the 1970s, particularly with the Delfonics, Stylistics, and Spinners, is what makes him most famous.
Cause of death
The spokesperson for Thom Bell informed the media on Friday that Bell had passed away at his Bellingham, Washington residence. The reason of death was not disclosed.
Legendary artists pay tributes to Thom Bell
Producer of popular music Nile Rodgers continued to pay Bell “one of the greatest… of all time” accolades.
“#RIPThomBell He is among the all-time great authors and producers. I send my sympathies to his family and friends. As the band for the group New York City (I’m Doing Fine Now), a Thom Bell smash, he was the architect of the relationship between #BernardEdwards and me, tweeted Rogers.
Bell was “one of the reasons why I wanted to have a large repertoire of classics that are everlasting,” remarked hip-hop icon DJ Premier in a tribute to Bell. “This man contributed so much to my love of music and helped me get through the horror that is high school,” REM’s Mike Mills stated.
Thom Bell and his classical upbringing
Bell has loved singing and writing songs since he was a young child. According to the BBC, Bell was raised in West Philadelphia with nine brothers and sisters after being born in Jamaica in 1943. Bell studied classical piano as a child and aspired to become a conductor. His parents were both musicians.
When he was a teenager, he began singing with Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates fame). Later, in 1967, he met a group called The Delfonics and worked with them to create two singles for their subsidiary label, Moonglow.
The relationship between Thom Bell and the musician Linda Creed
He enjoyed a close relationship with the lyricist Linda Creed, with whom he collaborated on several soundtracks over a period of time. “Like you and your spouse, your partner. When it does, you can tell. You don’t meet many people who you can share the ethers of life and love with, “He stated, according to the BBC.
Bell’s Personal Life
Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell, and Christopher Bell, along with their mother Vanessa, are Bell’s surviving children.
Including Bell’s Grammy
He received the first-ever Grammy Award for producer of the year in 1975, according to the BBC, and he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.
The well-known songwriter Leon Huff declared, “Thom Bell was my favourite musician, arranger, songwriter, and music producer of all time.” Added he, “Working creatively and as a business partner with him was an honour and a pleasure for me. Peace be with you.”
Some of his written and popular produced songs are:
“Pass Me By” – Hattie Winston
“La-La (Means I Love You)” – The Delfonics
“Brand New Me” – Dusty Springfield
“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” – The Delfonics
“Hey Love” – The Delfonics
“It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” – Deniece Williams
“I Don’t Have the Heart” – James Ingram
We hope and pray Thom Bell’s soul rests in peace.