Carey Bell

Overview

Submitted by guitar-list on Thu, 2006-11-23 16:22

musical style:

photograph of Carey Bell

Carey Bell (November 14, 1936 - May 6, 2007) was an American musician who played the harmonica in the musical style of Chicago blues.

Bell learned to play the harmonica in his hometown of Macon, Mississippi and was playing professionally with his uncle Lovie Lee's band by the age of 13. In 1956, Lee convinced Bell to move to Chicago.

Struggling to find work as a harmonica player, Bell learned to play bass from Hound Dog Taylor and played with Big Walter Horton while honing his blues harp chops.

Bell played harp and bass with other blues icons for decades, including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Earl Hooker, Robert Nighthawk, Lowell Fulson, Eddie Taylor, Louisiana Red, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Billy Branch, Jimmy Dawkins and his son, blues guitarist Lurrie Bell.

In 1998, Carey Bell was awarded the Blues Music Award for Traditional Male Artist Of The Year.

Carey Bell died of heart failure on May 6, 2007 in Chicago.
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