Lurrie Bell: Carrying On the Chicago Blues Tradition of His Father, Carey Bell
I’ve mentioned before that I often use the birthday listings over at AllAboutJazz.com as a springboard to discover new music. That’s how I first really dove into the music of Lurrie Bell, a Chicago bluesman with deep roots and a guitar tone full of grit and soul.
Blues in My Soul – A Breakthrough Album
Back in 2013, Lurrie Bell had a banner year. He released what would become one of his most acclaimed solo albums, Blues in My Soul, on the Delmark label—a return to electric blues after a few more acoustic and spiritual outings. The blues world noticed.
Blues in My Soul earned Lurrie five nominations at the 2014 Blues Music Awards:
- Blues Album of the Year (Blues in My Soul)
- Blues Song of the Year (“Blues in My Soul”)
- Traditional Blues Album of the Year (Blues in My Soul)
- Blues Guitarist of the Year
- Traditional Male Blues Artist of the Year
He took home the Blues Song of the Year award, and also won the 2013 Living Blues Award for Male Blues Act of the Year.
Lurrie Bell – Born December 13, 1958
Lurrie Bell was born in Chicago, the son of legendary blues harpist Carey Bell. He picked up the guitar at six, and by his teens was already playing with the likes of Eddy Clearwater, Big Walter Horton, and Eddie Taylor. In the mid-1970s, he spent four years touring and recording with Koko Taylor’s Blues Machine. His recording debut came in 1977 on his father’s album Heartaches and Pain, as well as King of the Jungle by Eddie C. Campbell.
Over a career now spanning more than four decades, Bell has released more than a dozen solo albums, collaborated often with his father, and contributed to numerous other blues records. I first heard his scorching guitar work on Live at Chan’s: Combo Platter No. 2 from Nick Moss & The Flip Tops, where he shines on a 13-minute version of Eddie Boyd’s “Five Long Years.”
If you’re a fan of Chicago blues and haven’t checked out Lurrie Bell yet—start now. Here are some great places to explore his music:
Links exploring the blues of Lurrie Bell…
And here’s a great live performance of “Everyday I Have the Blues” from Bluesfest Eutin 2014:
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🎶 Update: Set Me Free (2024)
As for me? Lurrie Bell is still going strong. His 2024 collaboration with saxophonist Frank Catalano, Set Me Free, is now spinning as I write—and it’s a bold, soulful mix of blues and jazz that pushes the boundaries without losing the heart.
Between Lurrie’s expressive guitar and vocals, and Catalano’s blazing sax work, the album is a testament to two seasoned musicians still hungry for musical exploration. Set Me Free proves the blues isn’t stuck in the past—it’s still moving, still evolving, still alive.
Check it out—you just might find yourself set free too.
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