William Bell, one of the pioneers of the Memphis soul sound, appeared on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show Friday to discuss his first release with Stax Records in more than 40 years. The 76-year-old singer, who formerly worked as a writer, performer and producer at Stax, has stepped back into the spotlight with his new full-length album, This Is Where I Live. The release, produced by Grammy-winner John Leventhal, was called “the most personal work Bell has ever created” by the Chicago Tribune.
Check out Bell discussing the early years at Stax Records in the clip below, and check out our profile on Bell in the forthcoming “Memphis issue,” which hits newsstands July 12.