Reuben Bell
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Reuben Bell (c. 1945 – 2004) was an American
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
singer who recorded from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, and is best known for his emotional tenor vocals on the songs "
It's Not That Easy "It's Not That Easy" is the first single taken from British R&B singer Lemar's third album '' The Truth About Love''. Before the single's release, "It's Not That Easy" made the top 3 of the UK radio airplay chart and the top 10 of the TV airp ...
" and "I Hear You Knocking (It's Too Late)". Born in
Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, he began singing in local clubs. He first recorded, with backing group the Casanovas, on the single "It's Not That Easy", released on the local Murco label in 1967. The recording has subsequently become regarded as a classic of
Southern soul Southern soul or country soul is a type of soul and country music that emerged from the Southern United States. The music originated from a combination of styles, including blues (both 12 bar and jump), country, early R&B, and a strong gospel ...
and has featured on several compilation albums. Two later records followed for Murco, "You're Gonna Miss Me" with The Beltones, and "Action Speaks Louder Than Words", before Bell moved to the Silver Fox and House of Orange labels where some of his recordings were produced by
Wardell Quezergue Wardell Joseph Quezergue ( ; March 12, 1930 – September 6, 2011) was an American composer, arranger, record producer and bandleader, known among New Orleans musicians as the "Creole Beethoven". Steeped in jazz, he was an influential musician who ...
. He also wrote songs recorded by
Bobby "Blue" Bland Robert Calvin Bland (born Robert Calvin Brooks; January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby "Blue" Bland, was an American blues singer. Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. He was describ ...
and others. In 1972, he recorded
Tarheel Slim Allen Rathel Bunn (September 24, 1923 – August 21, 1977), who was sometimes credited as Alden Bunn and who performed as Tarheel Slim, was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter whose work spanned gospel, blues, doowop, R&B, pop, and ...
's song, "I Hear You Knocking (It's Too Late)", for the DeLuxe label, a subsidiary of King Records. It became Bell's only chart hit, reaching number 38 on the
Billboard R&B chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 po ...
. He continued to record through the 1970s for the Alarm label, and released his only album, ''Blues Get Off My Shoulder'', for the Port City label in 1982. Bell died in 2004 while living in Shreveport's Cedar Grove neighborhood.John M. Shaw, "Eddie Giles and Reuben Bell," in ''Shreveport Sounds In Black And White,'' ed. Kip Lornell and Tracey E. W. Laird (Jackson, Miss.:
University Press of Mississippi The University Press of Mississippi (UPM), founded in 1970, is a university press that is sponsored by the eight state universities in Mississippi (i.e., Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Sta ...
, 2008), pp. 323-337.


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External links


Article including 2002 interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Reuben 1945 births 2004 deaths American soul musicians 20th-century American musicians