William Bell

Released by Stax Records in December 1967, The Soul Of A Bell was the debut LP from noted Memphis singer-songwriter William Bell, who began his recording career 12 years earlier as a member of a vocal harmony group called The Del Rios, who cut a one-off single for the Meteor label after winning a local talent contest.

Originally born William Yarborough, Bell remained with The Del Rios until 1962, when they were offered a deal by Stax Records, then a rising Memphis-based R&B label run by siblings Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton. Impressed by Bell’s talent, they offered him a solo deal and, later the same year, the singer wrote and recorded what became his debut single for Stax, “You Don’t Miss Your Water.” Though it wasn’t able to dent the US R&B charts, this plaintive, piano-led, ballad (which Bell wrote when he was feeling homesick while working in New York) sold 200,000 copies and made No. 95 in the US pop charts.