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Glenna Bell's Music Honored at the Capitol in Austin, Texas
On May 15, 2007, State Representative Jessica Farrar and the Texas House of Representatives honored the music of native East Texan singer-songwriter Glenna Bell with the following House Resolution, which was read during a ceremony in Austin at the State Capitol on the Floor of the House. House Speaker Tom Craddick was in attendance, and personally congratulated Miss Bell for her musical contributions to the Lone Star State:
H.R. No. 1304 R E S O L U T ION
WHEREAS, A talented singer and songwriter, Beaumont native Glenna Bell is drawing attention for her stark yet beautiful songs that conjure up the heartfelt essence of traditional country music while expressing a fresh, contemporary perspective; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Bell has recorded three albums to date, Nobody's Girl, which appeared in 1998, Face This World, from 2005, and The Road Less Traveled, which is scheduled to appear in 2008; each features her haunting songs that present tales of heartache, love, and loss in a stripped down and powerful style; and
WHEREAS, Glenna Bell's music is colored by the sounds that she grew up with in East Texas: a cappella hymns sung in her family's church and old-school country music that she discovered in her relatives' record collections; with the help of veteran Texas musicians such as John Evans, who has produced Ms. Bell's last two albums, and Johnny Bush, who sings on The Road Less Traveled, Glenna Bell has distilled her influences into moving songs that are receiving airplay on country and Americana radio stations across the country; and
WHEREAS, Carrying forward the classic, unembellished style that has graced so much great music from Texas, Glenna Bell has emerged as a musician and storyteller of great promise and stands as an exciting addition to the musical tradition of the Lone Star State;
Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby honor Glenna Bell for her musical accomplishments and extend to her best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Bell as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
I certify that H.R. No. 1304 was adopted by the House on April 13, 2007, by a non-record vote. -- Chief Clerk of the House *****************************************************************
For Immediate Release: The Pop Division Panel at ASCAP has awarded Glenna Bell the annual ASCAPlus endowment for 2013-2012, recognizing her "creative contributions to American music this past year." Notably, she also received the ASCAPlus award for 2012-2011.
CD’s are also available at select retail outlets across the nation and in some European territories! If your local record store doesn't have Perfectly Legal in stock, you can ask them to request it through Burnside Distribution, Portland, Oregon.
In the meantime, you can click the titles on the music page to view the artist's impressions of each song as they play for you “in stereo.” And while you're at it, you can sign up for the monthly newsletter here on the homepage in the top, left corner to keep updated on shows, music news, new recordings and pic's. Y'all come!
ABOUT Perfectly Legal: Songs of Sex, Love and Murder:
Noted UK magazine, Maverick, says in its 4 ½ star review: “Glenna Bell's acoustic folk-country canon is oddly different, almost addictive.”
USA Today Top Ten Pick (The Cougar Anthem from the new album, Perfectly Legal): "'He's 19 years old and hot hot hot' and makes this of-a-certain-age Texas blues/country singer pine for an upgrade."
Recorded in four acts at studios on the East Coast, Austin and Houston, Texas, Perfectly Legal: Songs of Sex, Love and Murder unfolds as a musical and theatrical journey through a series of stripped-down songs that document the seldom-told stories of a real woman living a real life at the turn of the twenty-first century. The themes are both contemporary and timeless, ranging from Bell's comical, foot-stomping, hand-clapping, beat-driven romp, "The Cougar Anthem," to her banjo-infused rollick down bluegrass lane, “Big Kev,” to her tragic dirge, "The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz." The covers include a first-person, barrel-house version of the American folk classic, "Frankie and Johnny," that takes Bell back to her roots in the deep east Texas woods of the Big Thicket, along with her stark vocal rendition of Sam Cooke’s 1963 hit, "Lost and Lookin,'" on which she steps back in time to the a cappella church singing that she remembers from her childhood in the Golden Triangle, the tiny east Texas enclave that produced two of the most influential vocalists of the twentieth century: Janis Joplin and George Jones. Bell’s stone-cold country duet take on the Clint Eastwood movie theme song, “Honky Tonk Man,” also offers something for those who love traditional country music, a territory with which Bell is intimately familiar, having grown up in the east Texas lumber towns of Pineland and Lumberton, where she rode in rodeos and lived the real country life before heading to Los Angeles to become a theater critic and eventually a playwright who studied with Edward Albee at the University of Houston’s exclusive Creative Writing Program. On all of the tracks, the production is spare, emphasizing Bell's distinctive vocals and the songs’ well-written lyrics. Perfectly Legal will appeal to those who enjoy minimalist theater (Strindberg, Brecht, Beckett), as well as anyone who has fallen in love with Songs of the South (the Alan Lomax collection of American folk songs recorded in the field in the 1950s), plus those who appreciate the visual arts, literature, storytelling, and history.
OTHER ALBUMS by GLENNA BELL:
The Road Less Traveled (2008) was recorded at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas by Steve Christensen, who engineered Steve Earle's Grammy-winning tribute to Townes Van Zandt entitled "Townes" in 2009. The Road Less Traveled was produced by Texas music sensation, John Evans (the Smith Group), and features an original Glenna Bell duet with Johnny Bush, who wrote "Whisky River" (a song best remembered as recorded by his long-time friend, Willie Nelson), as well as backup vocals by John Pickering of the vocal group, The Picks, who recorded the three-part harmonies on a number of famous Buddy Holly songs, and steel guitar by Herb Remington who was a member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
BUY The Road Less Traveled on iTunes!
BUY The Road Less Traveled on Amazon!
Face This World (2005) was recorded at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas by Steve Christensen, who engineered Steve Earle's Grammy-winning tribute to Townes Van Zandt entitled "Townes" in 2009. Face This World features two duets with its producer, Texas music sensation, John Evans (the Smith Group), as well as backing guitar by Chris Masterson, whose credits include Son Volt, Bobby Bare, Jr., Hank Williams, III, and Jack Ingram.
BUY Face This World on iTunes!
BUY Face This World on Amazon!
More News:
May 2013: Glenna will be recording in Austin this month and next month with some selective performances in Austin and Houston, so keep an eye on the calendar page and sign up for the newsletter to receive announcements. Thanks to everyone everywhere who's been buying music and coming out to the shows!
April 2013: Check out Glenna in the Kinky Friedman and Friends showcase hosted by Rowdy Tijmes at the Big Kev Radiothon in Austin during SXSW!
Kinky Friedman & Friends in Austin, SXSW 2013
Featuring Glenna Bell in the Kinky Friedman Showcase, SXSW 2013
March 2013: See Glenna in Austin during SXSW! Check the calendar page for details.
More good news! A heartfelt thanks to everybody who wrote in to the Cactus Music store poll in Houston, Texas and nominated songs for the first ever community-curated play list. “Shiner Bock & ZZ Top” came in at #11 of eighty songs by an impressive array of artists, including Steve Earle, Eric Johnson, and Rodney Crowell in the top ten and Archie Bell, the Charlie Daniels Band, Townes Van Zandt, Hayes Carll, ZZ Top (of course!), Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Talking Heads, and the late, great Lightnin’ Hopkins to name just a few in the #12-80 slots. You might appreciate this enlightening glance at a diverse lineup of songs and artists that were selected to represent Houston:
Cactus Music Community Play List
February 2013: Nashville and Houston shows -- check the calendar page for details!
January 2013: In the January distribution, the ASCAP Pop Division has awarded Glenna the prestigious ASCAPlus endowment for 2013-2012, recognizing her "contribution to American music this past year."
December 2012: Wishing You All a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
November 2012: Glenna just finished a week-long co-writing project with producer, Ronnie King (Tupac, the Offspring, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg):
We're heading to Nashville in mid-November for meetings on Music Row, and showcases to be posted on a show-by-show basis. Check out the calendar page!
October 2012: Here's a moment in Glenna's career, playing the open mic at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville (posted recently):
Glenna Bell @ The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville
September 2012: We're gearing up for Houston shows and shows in Nashville. Please check the calendar page periodically, and sign up for the Glenna Bell Monthly Newsletter in the top left corner of the home page (above) to receive announcements and other news.
August 2012: NPR featured Glenna's song, The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz from her current release, Perfectly Legal: Songs of Sex, Love and Murder!
JULY 2012: Thanks, Everybody, for nominating Glenna for another annual Houston Press Music Award! Please vote at this link: Houston Press Music Awards
June/July 2012: Check the calendar page for more Houston shows!
May 2012: Peruse the Cowboylands blog for an interesting analysis of movie heroes, based on a recent UCLA study that found people holding guns look bigger. There's an unexpected reference to Glenna Bell's song, The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz, that has made its way into this well written piece! It's a good, quick read:
March 2012: Check out Glenna in Nashville:
The Billy Block Show in Nashville
February 2012: Houston shows in February . . . Nashville and Austin in March . . . Visit the calendar page, and y'all come!
January 2012: Pick up a copy of the Houston Chronicle for a New Year's preview in Joey Guerra’s “Houston Bands Gear Up for a Busy 2012.” If you’re not in Houston, you can check it out online at this link:
Just In: The current release, Perfectly Legal: Songs of Sex, Love and Murder, was ranked in the top 100 on the Roots Music Report’s Most Airplayed Roots Country Albums of 2011!
December 2011: Merry Christmas, Everybody!
NOVEMBER 2011: More NYC/East Coast shows -- Visit the calendar page!
October 2011: The Pop Division Panel at ASCAP has awarded Glenna Bell the prestigious ASCAPlus endowment for 2012-2011, recognizing her "creative contributions to American music this past year."
September 2011: Texas shows resume. Check out the calendar page!
August 2011: Glenna has been nominated for Best American Roots Female Vocalist in the Alternate Root Reader's Choice Poll!
July 2011: East Coast performances scheduled through early August. Visit the calendar page!
June 2011: New Music, Pictures, and Reviews of Perfectly Legal now posted! Visit the press page!
May 2011: Memorial Day Weekend shows in NYC/NY. Go to the calendar page!
April 2011: There's an excellent review by Joey Guerra in the Spring issue of Texas Music Magazine!
March 2011: Glenna performed at Big Kev Ploghoft's American Roots Music Radiothon in Austin during SXSW!
February 10, 2011: Check out The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz at Googies in NYC (Jeff Eyrich on bass, Steve Kirkman on guitar): Glenna Bell @ Googies in NYC
January 2011: There's a 4-star review of Perfectly Legal in the new issue of Icon Magazine, distributed in SW New Jersey and SE Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia.
December 23, 2010: Perfectly Legal was a Houston Chronicle top local album pick of 2010: Houston Chronicle
November 9, 2010: USA Today included The Cougar Anthem on this week’s recommended play list! Click the link below to find out who else was in the “top ten.” You might be surprised: USA Today Top Ten Pick
November 2010: GREAT VIDEO interview by Melissa E. Noble on Roark Smith's Wide Open Spaces (KPFT/Pacifica Radio): KPFT PSA
October 2010: Glenna is an ASCAP Audio Portraits featured artist: ASCAP Audio Portraits
September 2010: Glenna recorded live at the Ryman, home of the original Grand Ol' Opry!
August 2010: "La Casa Que Yo Amo" (The Road Less Traveled, 2008) is featured in the independent film, Playing House, a UV Lite Production shot in Los Angeles. The movie is a thriller, directed and co-written by Tom Vaughan. The Houston screening was at the historic River Oaks Landmark Theater on August 30.
June 2010: Glenna has been nominated for a Houston Press Music Award!
May 2010: Glenna Bell Live at the American Consumer Consortium (Photo copyright Paul McRay)
March 2010: Glenna is included in a new book/music compilation! The legacy of Sugar Hill Recording Studios is now documented in House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/Sugar Hill Recording Studios (University of Texas Press 2010), which chronicles the growth and changes in the recording industry spanning Sugar Hill's seven decades of making Texas music history. Sugar Hill's roster boasts luminary artists, including Lightnin' Hopkins, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Parker, Clifton Chenier, Sir Douglas Quintet, 13th Floor Elevators, Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm, Kinky Friedman, Ray Benson, Guy Clark, Lucinda Williams, Beyoncé and Destiny's Child. Check out the article in the Houston Chronicle, Sunday edition: Houston Chronicle
February 2010: Glenna is featured in the Buffet Productions' DVD called "All You Can Eat," which was sponsored by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. The debut was at Domy book/art store in Houston's Montrose arts district. The DVD is available for purchase at Domy and other stores and galleries across the nation.
September 6, 2009: The Houston Press Music Awards "Rockumentary" on Channel 39 in Houston and surrounding markets showcased everybody from Scarface to Glenna Bell!
Radio Interview/On-Air Performance on KPFT radio's Laurapalooza show, hosted by Laura Slavin: KPFT Radio FM 90.1 Houston
July 2009: Thank you for nominating Glenna for another annual Houston Press music award again this year!
Summer 2009: KNON listeners in Dallas named "The Texas Aggies Win Again" from the album, The Road Less Traveled, one of the Top 20 songs played on the Texas Renegade Radio show, a p.m. drive-time program hosted by Roots Radio Personality, Trevor Fought.
January 2009: The Houston Chronicle picked The Road Less Traveled -- #1 album of 2008 for the Houston Metropolitan area! Listen to the songs here on the Glenna Bell "MUSIC" page and read the feature story in the Chronicle at Houston Chronicle
Videos! Visit YouTube for videos of Glenna Bell backed by the John Evans Band and cuts from the t.v. filming of Houston Midtown Live! at Sig's Lagoon record store in Houston, right next door to the fabulous Continental Club:
YouTube Video with the John Evans Band
YouTube Video at Sig's Lagoon, Houston Texas
May 2008: Glenna is a top finalist in the May 2008 BW Stevenson Memorial Songwriting Competition at Poor David's Pub in Dallas. Hooray!