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Please understand that some vinyls were too damaged for transfer from analog to digital.
Our very first recording was done in somebody's garage in 1961. We were still young then, Daddy (Clayton), Mother (Glyn), Glenda (15) and Mary (12). We sounded a bit like chirping birds, but we sang beautiful and true four-part harmony while Mother and/or Tiny played the piano. The result was a 45 RPM vinyl with a black label which we sold for $1.00.
Acres of Diamonds |
What a Day That Will Be |
I'm Feelin' Fine |
Happy Rhythm |
Shortly thereafter (and nobody seems to remember exactly when), we made another 45 RPM with a white label. This was the first recording we made with Clayton, Jr., and he has a solo called "Little Joe's Prayer."
Amen, Amen, Amen |
Little Joe's Prayer |
Teach Me Lord to Wait |
I Like the Old Time Way |
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I don't know how Mother and Daddy found the money to make it, but next came our first Long Play Record Album (33rpm). It even had a cover. Our distributor was Sword and Shield who sold the record in their stores, and we sold it along with 8X10 black and white glossies at little tables set up in the lobbies where we sang. Sometimes we would be in a church, sometimes in a concert hall. We charged $4.00 for the recording.
- Clayton Bell, Sr. sang Bass.
- Glyn Bell sang Alto, played the guitar and sometimes the piano.
- Tiny Sandell from Houston, Texas had become a member of the group and was our official piano player.
- Glenda Bell (16) sang high tenor.
- Mary Bell (13) sang soprano.
- Clayton Bell, Jr. (10) sang alto.
One year later we made another album in response to the demands of our audience, who were as poor as we were. They wanted to buy our records, but couldn't really afford to pay $4.00. Our response was to make an album with only 10 songs. We further cut expenses by having a plain black cover with no pictures, only "The Bell Family Sings HE SET ME FREE". By cutting back this way, we were able to offer the record for $2.00. This was the last record Glenda made with the Family.
I Can Call Jesus Anytime |
Wings of a Dove |
He Set Me Free |
The Old Country Church |
I Want To Go |
Getting Ready For the Judgement Day |
Love Like the Love of God |
Lord, I Want to Go Home |
You Can Lose Your Lonesome Blues |
I'll Just Go On Down to the Jordan River |
Glenda married in the Spring of 1964 as daughters do. This left the family with a quartet again, but required a bit of shuffling. For the next album, Old Time Favorites, Clayton, Jr. (now 13) sang the alto and Glyn sparkled on the high tenor, while Clayton, Sr. continued on the bass with Mary (now 16) on the lilting soprano.
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© 2007 Whispergrass Artworks
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