Ronald Nathan Bell (November 1, 1951 – September 9, 2020), also known as Khalis Bayyan,[1] was an American composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, saxophonist and co-founding member of Kool & the Gang. The band recorded nine No. 1 R&B singles in the 1970s and 1980s, including its No. 1 pop single "Celebration".[2] The group is honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame[3] and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[4]
Ronald Bell | |
|---|---|
 Bell in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ronald Nathan Bell |
| Also known as | Khalis Bayyan |
| Born | November 1, 1951 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| Origin | West Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | September 9, 2020 (aged 68) United States Virgin Islands |
| Genres | Classical, jazz, funk, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone, vocals |
| Years active | 1964–2020 |
| Formerly of | Kool & the Gang |
Early life
editBell was born in Youngstown, Ohio,[5][6] to Aminah Bayyan (1932–2014) and Robert "Bobby" Bell (1929–1985). His father was a professional boxer and Golden Gloves amateur boxing winner.[7] Training in Elwood, New York, he hung out with jazz players and became friends with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk,[8][9] who lived in the same apartment building as the elder Bell.[8][10]
Ronald Bell and his brother, Robert "Kool" Bell, were introduced to jazz at around five or six.[11] The family moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1960. In 1964, the brothers joined neighborhood friends Spike Mickens, Dennis Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, and Charles Smith to create a distinctive musical blend of jazz, soul, and funk.[12] At first calling themselves "The Jazziacs", the band went through various name changes—the New Dimensions, the Soul Town Band, and Kool & the Flames—before settling on Kool & the Gang in 1968.[13]
Career
editRonald Bell composed, arranged, produced and performed some of the most popular music in Kool and the Gang's body of work.[14] He was a self-taught musician, and his distinctive sound is on the group's horn lines, bass, synthesizer and vocals. He wrote and produced many of the Kool & the Gang's songs, including "Celebration", "Cherish", "Jungle Boogie", "Summer Madness", and "Open Sesame".[15] He said his favorite song was "Celebration", which he wrote after reading a passage in the Quran.[16]
Personal life and death
editBell converted to Islam in 1972, initially joining The Nation of Islam. He was given the name Khalis Bayyan by Imam Warith Deen Mohammed.[17] He was married to Tia Sinclair Bell and had 10 children.[18] His son, Rachid, released his debut album in 1998, and achieved a top 40 hit on the Dance Club Songs chart with his debut single, "Pride".[19][20]
Bell died at his home in the United States Virgin Islands on September 9, 2020, at age 68.[21] No cause was given but the death was described as sudden.[22]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| 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 |
Live albums
edit| 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 |
Singles
edit| 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)" |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bush, John. Biography of Kool & the Gang at AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ Freedman, Richard (February 21, 2019). "Bells haven't cracked after 52 years of 'Kool'". Vallejo Times Herald. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- ^ Savage, Mark (September 10, 2020). "Ronald Bell: Kool & The Gang founder dies aged 68". BBC.com. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Ronald Bell at AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ Classical Music entry for Ronald Bell at AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- ^ "Bobby Bell - BoxRec". Boxrec.com. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "Kool & the Gang headline CelebrateErie on Saturday". Erie Times-News. August 13, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ Norment, Lynn (November 1986). "Kool & The Gang: Hottest Group of the 80s". Ebony. Vol. 42, no. 1. pp. 70–76. ISSN 0012-9011. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Robert "Kool" Bell: The Current Q & A". San Antonio Current. June 20, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ Lynch, Joe (February 21, 2019). "Kool & the Gang Look Back on 50 Years of Funk". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Kool & the Gang celebrate (good times, come on!) Hollywood Walk of Fame star". Los Angeles Daily News. October 8, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ Maile, Kelly (June 27, 2013). "Music Legends Kool and The Gang join Kid Rock tour, coming to Blossom Music Center". Record-Courier. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ McFaul, Lauren. "Kool's gang freshens rock with funk", The Spokesman-Review, June 3, 1985. Retrieved October 25, 2015. "Ronald Bell has a studio in his West Orange, N.J., home and from there has worked on production for Kool & the Gang's last six albums."
- ^ "RONALD "KHALIS" BELL". SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ Aidi, Hisham (December 9, 2014). "Did Coltrane say 'Allah Supreme'?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- ^ "J.T. TAYLOR – KOOL & THE GANG". Iconartistagency.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
Ronald Five X is given the name Khalis (intelligent) by Imam Wallace D. Mohammed
- ^ Alexander, Bryan (September 9, 2020). "Ronald 'Khalis' Bell, Kool & the Gang co-founder and 'Celebration' songwriter, dies at 68". USA Today. McLean, Virginia: Ganett Company. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ Ratliff, Ben (December 14, 1998). "Not One More for the Road". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Club Play". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 23. June 6, 1998. p. 48. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ Parker, Lyndsey (September 9, 2020). "Kool & the Gang co-founder Ronald 'Khalis' Bell dead at 68". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- ^ "Ronald 'Khalis' Bell, Kool & the Gang Co-Founder, Dies at 68". Spin.com. September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
External links
edit- Khalis Bayyan at AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- Alternate entry for Khalis Bayyan at AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
- Ronald Bell discography at Discogs
- Ronald Bell at IMDb