Soul Man William Bell Reunites With Stax Records After Four Decades For 'This Is Where I Live,' Out Today

Soul legend William Bell returns with 'This Is Where I Live' today, his first album for Stax Records in nearly four decades. William first signed to Stax in 1961 and helped put the label on the map, penning some of its most iconic hits. And now he has returned. The New York Times profiled William yesterday, declaring "A Memphis Legend Is Back" on the front page of their print edition. William has also appeared recently on NPR's Weekend Edition and Studio 360, and has been featured in Pitchfork, Vice, Garden & Gun and more.

Here is an interview with William on Weekend Edition last Saturday: http://www.npr.org/2016/05/28/479824649/william-bell-heads-back-to-his-roots-in-this-is-where-i-live

Produced by GRAMMY-winner John Leventhal (Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell), 'This Is Where I Live' is an introspective soul album that finds Bell reflecting on a lifetime of experience. He worked with Leventhal to revisit the classic Stax sound, reimagining it with a maturity and vibrancy that ring with a timeless truth. Of their time writing songs and recording in the studio, William has said that only his Stax songwriting partner Booker T. Jones compares to Leventhal.

'This Is Where I Live' has been getting early raves:

"This feels like the album he should have made in 1967, but wasn't ready for: with every smoothly delivered lesson about satisfaction and pain, you sense how hard each one was to learn, and how finding the right words--the right tone of voice to make what you have to say mean anything--is much harder." - Pitchfork (Greil Marcus)

"Age becomes Bell's voice...it's a pleasure to once again hear his reliable romanticism." - NPR Music

"It's resonant, wise, and considered music, the kind of direct songwriting that helped Bell make his name, sung in his rich, sturdy voice." - Vice Noisey

"William Bell, at age 76, is back with what may be the best album of his life." - The Bitter Southerner

"Still in excellent form...the most personal work Bell has ever created." - Chicago Tribune

William will be playing select tour dates, backed by John Leventhal and a hand-picked band, next week in Chicago, Nashville and New York:

6/4/16 - SPACE - Evanston, IL

6/5/16 - 3rd & Lindsley - Nashville, TN

6/7/16 - The Cutting Room - New York, NY

6/9/16 - BAM R&B Festival - Brooklyn, NY

 

Buy This Is Where I Live:

iTunes:  http://smarturl.it/WBtiwiliTunes

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/WBtiwilamazon

www.williambell.com

www.staxrecords.com

www.concordmusicgroup.com