Artist Interview: Dale Bell

Tell us about yourself and your music

I grew up listening to a variety of music (Mom’s orders), but Country artists like Johnny Cash were my favorites. I remember telling some friends that I was a Country fan, and they were ready to gag at the thought. The funny thing was when I mentioned names like Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers, they said, “They’re not Country!”

Today I find myself singing a variety of songs, and still struggle to put a label on my music that fits neatly under one specific genre. I often sing in retirement homes, and they, of course, enjoy the songs they remember from days gone by, including La Bamba, complete with sombrero and a dance routine. While I don’t consider myself a “children’s entertainer”, I do get requests for children’s events, either as a story-teller, singer, or both. And everyone seems to enjoy an illusion or two, no matter what their age.

As with many singers, I got my start singing in church, and I still treasure those opportunities as well.

Talk to us more about your latest release

My latest release is only one song, which has a very different sound from my first release (see my YouTube link). I’m still experimenting with my sound, and I think the jury is still out regarding a final outcome. I can’t wait till the dust settles.

What inspired you to write this release?

My songwriter friend Rob Jackson brought the original idea to me many years ago and left it with me. This is the result of our collaboration.

Describe the writing and recording process

This is only my second time in a studio, and I have so much more to learn about the recording process. It was both exciting and terrifying to watch the process from beginning to end. As I said, I have so much more to learn, but I’m having fun along the way.

Who have you been listening to lately?

Lately, I’ve been listening to the radio more than any particular artist, but I’m enjoying the variety of music, even if it stretches me on occasion.

Who are your biggest influences?

My greatest musical influence, during my life thus far, would have to be Johnny Cash. As I recall, this began when I was in my early teens. A few years later, my appreciation for the music of Elvis Presley began to grow (especially his Gospel music).

Tell us about your passions

Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the possibility of impacting another person’s life with my own. And my own life has been and continues to be impacted by Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. I have many books and videos documenting not only the historical evidence for the life, death, and resurrection of Christ but also evidence for design in the fossil record (especially the Cambrian explosion), not to mention biology and microbiology. I’m particularly fascinated with the metamorphosis of the butterfly.

Paying the bills tends to get me out bed as well.

What else is happening next in your world?

A dream woke me up several months ago (a rare occurrence for me), and I found myself up at 2:30 in the morning scribbling down an idea for a novel. Beyond this work of fiction, I have also been working on some poetic stories.

 

 

Thanks for an awesome interview, Dale

 

 

Connect with Dale Bell

Genres: Christian, Country, Gospel, singer-songwriter

Source: ArtistPR Indie Artist Interview