 |
This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.
Find sources: "Robert "Kool" Bell" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Robert "Kool" Bell | |
|---|---|
Bell in 2011
| |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Earl Bell |
| Also known as | Kool Muhammad Bayyan |
| Born | (1950-10-08) October 8, 1950 (age 73) Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, R&B, soul, funk, dance-pop, disco, boogie |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | De-Lite, Mercury |
| Member of | Kool & the Gang |
| Formerly of | Band Aid |
Robert Earl "Kool" Bell (born October 8, 1950), also known by his Muslim name Muhammad Bayyan,[1] is an American musician, singer & songwriter.
He is one of the founding members of the American R&B, soul, funk and disco band Kool & the Gang.[2]
Bell was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to Aminah Bayyan (1932–2014) and Robert "Bobby" Bell (1929–1985). Bell grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. Growing up, Bell was nicknamed "Kool", due to being "laid back":[3]
That's a nickname from the neighborhood I grew up in here in Jersey City. It's a faddish thing and I just happened to take the name Kool 'cause I'm kind of a laid back person.
Along with his brother, Ronald Bell, he began playing jazz & in 1964 they formed a group named The Jazziacs. They began playing at clubsinNew York City under a series of different band names before settling on the name "Kool & The Gang" in 1968. Their debut album, Kool and the Gang, was released the following year. Their first major hit came in 1973, with Jungle Boogie, which charted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Their first number one hit single was Spirit of the Boogie, which was released in 1975.
Bell, along with Kool & the Gang members James "J.T." Taylor and Dennis Thomas, were a part of the 1984 charity supergroup Band Aid.
Kool & the Gang have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and, in 2006, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement. The band recorded nine No. 1 R&B singles in the 1970s and 1980s, including its No. 1 pop single "Celebration", have had seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits, 31 gold and platinum albums.[4] The group is honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[5] Bell still tours with Kool & the Gang, as of 2024.
Bell's younger brother, Ronald Bell, was also a musician, and co-formed the band with Robert in 1964. Both brothers converted to Islam in 1972.[6] Ronald died of undisclosed causes on September 9, 2020.
In 1971, Robert married to Deborah Jones. Bell and Jones met when they were teenagers.[4] Deborah died on November 4, 2018, aged 67.[7] Her death was later revealed to have been the result of a long-standing illness.[8]
Together, they had a son, who has worked with Kool & the Gang in the past.
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Kool and the Gang |
| 1972 | Music Is the Message |
| Good Times | |
| 1973 | Wild and Peaceful |
| 1974 | Light of Worlds |
| 1975 | Spirit of the Boogie |
| 1976 | Love & Understanding |
| Open Sesame | |
| 1977 | The Force |
| 1978 | Everybody's Dancin' |
| 1979 | Ladies' Night |
| 1980 | Celebrate! |
| 1981 | Something Special |
| 1982 | As One |
| 1983 | In the Heart |
| 1984 | Emergency |
| 1986 | Forever |
| 1989 | Sweat |
| 1992 | Unite |
| 1996 | State of Affairs |
| 2001 | Gangland |
| 2004 | The Hits: Reloaded |
| 2007 | Still Kool |
| 2013 | Kool for the Holidays |
| 2021 | Perfect Union |
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1971 | Live at the Sex Machine |
| Live at PJ's | |
| 1998 | Greatest Hits Live |
| 2002 | Too Hot Live |
| 2010 | The Very Best-Live In Concert |
| Year | Single |
|---|---|
| 1969 | "Kool and the Gang" |
| "The Gang's Back Again" (A-side) | |
| "Kool's Back Again" (B-side) | |
| 1970 | "Kool It (Here Comes The Fuzz)" |
| "Let the Music Take Your Mind" | |
| "Funky Man" | |
| 1971 | "Who's Gonna Take the Weight (Part One)" |
| "I Want to Take You Higher" | |
| "N.T. Part I" | |
| 1972 | "Love the Life You Live, Part I" |
| "Music Is the Message (Part 1)" | |
| "Funky Granny" | |
| "Good Times" | |
| 1973 | "Country Junky" |
| "Funky Stuff" | |
| "Jungle Boogie" | |
| 1974 | "Hollywood Swinging" |
| "Higher Plane" | |
| "Rhyme Tyme People" | |
| 1975 | "Spirit of the Boogie" (A-side) |
| "Summer Madness" (B-side) | |
| "Caribbean Festival" | |
| 1976 | "Love and Understanding (Come Together)" |
| "Universal Sound" | |
| "Open Sesame - Part 1" | |
| 1977 | "Super Band" |
| 1978 | "Slick Superchick" |
| "A Place in Space" | |
| "I Like Music" | |
| "Everybody's Dancin'" | |
| 1979 | "Ladies' Night" |
| "Too Hot" | |
| 1980 | "Hangin' Out" |
| "Celebration" | |
| 1981 | "Take It to the Top" |
| "Jones vs. Jones" | |
| "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)" | |
| "Steppin' Out" | |
| "Get Down on It" | |
| 1982 | "No Show" |
| "Big Fun" | |
| "Let's Go Dancin' (Ooh La, La, La)" | |
| "Hi De Hi, Hi De Ho" | |
| 1983 | "Street Kids" |
| "Straight Ahead" | |
| "Joanna" | |
| 1984 | "Tonight" |
| "(When You Say You Love Somebody) In the Heart" | |
| "Fresh" | |
| "Misled" | |
| 1985 | "Cherish" |
| "Emergency" | |
| 1986 | "Victory" |
| 1987 | "Stone Love" |
| "Holiday" | |
| "Special Way" | |
| "Peace Maker" | |
| 1988 | "Rags to Riches" |
| "Strong" | |
| "Celebration" (remix) | |
| 1989 | "Raindrops" |
| "Never Give Up" | |
| 1991 | "Get Down on It" (remix) |
| 1992 | "(Jump Up on The) Rhythm and Ride" |
| 1996 | "Salute to the Ladies" |
| 2003 | "Ladies Night" (with Atomic Kitten) |
| 2004 | "Fresh" (with Liberty X) |
| "Too Hot" (with Lisa Stansfield) | |
| "Get Down on It" (with Blue & Lil' Kim) | |
| 2005 | "Hollywood Swinging" (with Jamiroquai) |
| "No Show" (featuring Blackstreet) | |
| 2006 | "Steppin' into Love" |
| 2010 | "Miss Lead" (ft. Towanna) |
| 2016 | "Sexy (Where'd You Get Yours)" |
| 2021 | "Pursuit of Happiness" (Rap Version) |
|
| |
|---|---|
| Performers |
|
| Non-performers (Ahmet Ertegun Award) |
|
| Award for Musical Excellence |
|
| Award for Musical Influence |
|
Authority control databases: Artists  |
|
|---|
