Vinnie Bell
Session guitarist and designer of the electric sitar.
Vincent Edward Gambella, known as Vinnie Bell, was an American session guitarist, instrument designer, and pioneer of electronic effects in pop music. Born in Brooklyn, New York City, on July 28, 1932, he studied guitar from childhood and made his first recordings as a session musician on singles by instrumental groups such as the Overtones and the Gallahads. By the late 1950s, he was playing in New York City nightclubs, where he developed his characteristic "watery" guitar sound that became popular in 1960s instrumental recordings. He died on October 3, 2019, at the age of 87.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Vincent Edward Gambella
- Also known as
- Vincent Bell
- Born
- 28 July 1932
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
- Died
- 3 October 2019
- Place of death
- Tenafly, New Jersey, U.S.
- Instruments
- Guitar
- electric sitar
- mandolin
- banjo
- Genre
- Pop music
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- He helped design the "Bellzouki" electric 12-string guitar and the electric sitar for Danelectro's Coral line.
- Bell played on Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence" and Bob Dylan's Desire album.
Life and career
Vinnie Bell decided in 1962 to devote his energies to working as a studio musician in New York and Los Angeles. In 1963, he did a session with French musician Jean-Jacques Perrey for Kai Winding, with Bell on guitar and Perrey on the Ondioline. The two then recorded several successful commercials, and when Perrey got a contract with Vanguard Records, he asked Bell to be the lead guitarist for his recording sessions as "E.V.A." from the 1970 album Moog Indigo.
Bell helped design electric guitar models with Danelectro for its Coral line, including the "Bellzouki" electric 12-string guitar and the electric sitar. That sitar—not necessarily played by Bell—was used on hits like "Cry Like a Baby" by The Box Tops, "Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers, and a cover of Alfred Newman's love theme from the 1970 film Airport. The Airport love theme sold over one million copies, was awarded a gold disc, and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 1971; Bell was nominated for Best Instrumental Performance.
As a session player, he worked on tracks such as "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel and for artists including the Four Seasons and Bob Dylan, specifically his Desire album. He also recorded under his own name, with albums including The Soundtronic Guitar of Vincent Bell (Independent Record Company, 1960), Whistle Stop (Verve, 1964), and Pop Goes the Electric Sitar (Decca, 1967).
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Vinnie Bell die?
Vinnie Bell died on 3 October 2019 in Tenafly, New Jersey, U.S.
When was Vinnie Bell active?
Vinnie Bell was active from 1955 to 2019.
More in Decca Records Artists
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced