Vinnie Bell

Vinnie Bell (born Vincent Gambella, 1935, New York, United States) is an American session guitarist, and pioneer of electronic effects in pop music.

He played in nightclubs in New York City in the late 1950s. By 1962, Bell decided to devote his energies to working as a studio musician in New York and Los Angeles, developing a "watery" guitar sound popular in instrumental recordings in the 1960s. He also invented a number of electric guitar models, including the first electric 12-string guitar, and the electric sitar, using it on such hits as "Cry Like a Baby" by The Box Tops, "Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers, and a cover of the love theme from the 1970 film, Airport. The last of these sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.^[1] It also won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 1971.

Discography

Singles

"Airport Love Theme" (US # 31, 1970; AC # 2, 1970)
"Nikki" (1970) Did Not Chart

As sideman

With Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini (Mercury, 1964)

With Les McCann

Les McCann Plays the Hits (Limelight, 1966)

With Clark Terry

Mumbles (Mainstream, 1966)

References

↑ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 274. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.

External links

Vinnie Bell website
Vinnie Bell Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2017)

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