Glenna Bell profile picture

Glenna Bell

Y'all Come!

About Me

On May 15, 2007, the Texas House of Representatives honored the music of Texas-born singer-songwriter Glenna Bell with a House Resolution, which was read in a ceremony at the Capitol on the Floor of the House in Austin. House Speaker Tom Craddick was in attendance, and personally congratulated Miss Bell for her musical contributions to the Lone Star State. The story of this rising Texas star began in the woods of her youth near Beaumont, Texas, where she grew up influenced by the hymns sung a cappella at the church she attended with her family and by the old-school country music that she found in her relatives’ record collections. Often compared stylistically to Johnny Cash, with a delivery that’s raw and bare boned, Glenna Bell captures the very essence of how country music was, is, and should always be.Glenna’s music has been aired locally, nationally, and internationally on NBC, CNBC, Fox TV, and numerous radio programs, as well as through live performances at venues all over Texas, including the Cactus Café, Threadgill's, the Continental Club, and SXSW in Austin, McGonigel’s Mucky Duck and the Hard Rock Cafe in Houston, Poor David's Pub (Finalist in the 20th Annual BW Stevenson Memorial Singer-Songwriter Competition, May 2008), The Gypsy Tea Room and Bill’s Records and Tapes in Dallas, amongst many others. Glenna's songs have also received praise from top-tier music critics such as Robert K. Oermann at Music Row, Nashville and, most recently, Robert Christgau of Rolling Stone.A deal with Burnside Distribution in Portland, Oregon will place Glenna Bell's new record, The Road Less Traveled, in retail outlets across the nation in July 2008. The album was recorded at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas, where the Big Bopper taped "Chantilly Lace" and George Jones laid down some of his first vocal performances, not to mention the many other legends who have made their mark behind the mic's of the oldest continuously operating recording studio in Texas.Notably, Glenna will also be included in Andy Bradley and Roger Wood’s forthcoming book on the history of the studio, House of Hits (UT Press, 2009), and on the accompanying compilation disc singing Willie Nelson’s “The Family Bible,” which was first taped at Sugar Hill in the 1950’s.Glenna Bell is a Daughter of the Republic of Texas and a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Houston’s renowned Creative Writing Program, where Pulitzer-winning playwright Edward Albee directed her dissertation plays. She teaches writing at Houston Community College and at a young age has already composed a lasting body of music to represent the diversity of Texas. Glenna Bell's sound is modern Americana in the truest sense. It is a unique blend of country roots music, romantic urban culture lyrics, and Texas folk rock; all sung in a voice that is powerful yet somehow vulnerable.For more information on Glenna Bell, please visit: http://www.glennabell.com http://www.sonicbids.com/glennabell

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 7/5/2005
Band Website: glennabell.com
Band Members: Glenna Bell. Players include John Evans (lead guitar), Mike Ferrara (drums), Jake Marchese and Shawn Supra (upright bass), and Steve Oddo (washtub bass).
Sounds Like: Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Janis Joplin, Dolly Parton, Odetta, Hank Williams, Sr., George Jones and Tammy Wynette Duets
Record Label: Unsigned
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Hear Me on KPFT ANY TIME Online

Just in:The FABULOUS Laura Slavin of KPFT Radio's "Laurapalooza! Show" just informed me that my appearance Thursday of last week is now archived at http://www.KPFT.orgClick the "Programming" link up t...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:31:00 PST

The River! Threadgill’s! Recording! Houston Press Awards!!

Here's a quick note before I hit the road for one of the best destinations in the GREAT state of Texas: the San Marcos River, where I'll be visiting and recording with old friends at Bob's Box. Rowdy...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:27:00 PST

Houston Press Music Awards! Please Vote Online

More good news, hot off the press:I have been nominated for "Best Traditional Folk" act in the 2008 Houston Press Music Awards! It only takes about five minutes to vote online. And you don't have to...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:46:00 PST

Making the Americana Music Charts!

Happy 4th of July! I'm up early, ready for a big day of celebration here in Houston. It is a gorgeous Friday morning, and I have good news! The Road Less Traveled is making progress on the American...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:50:00 PST

Hear Me on Sunday on KIX 92.9 FM Country!

I'm getting ready for the big shows with Jimmy and Nancy this evening (June 13) at Waldo's in the Houston Heights and tomorrow afternoon at Cactus Records in Houston's Shepherd Plaza. The San Antonio...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:29:00 PST

The Houston Summer Tour Continues

I am on the go here in Houston, getting ready to head out to San Antonio for another Jimmy, Nancy, and Glenna show at Casbeer's tomorrow evening (Thursday, June 12). Our appearances in Dallas and Mine...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:49:00 PST

The Texas Summer Tour w/ Jimmy Baldwin & Nancy Apple!

I'm packing up to leave town tomorrow (Thursday, June 5) for the kick-off of the Summer Texas Tour with Jimmy Baldwin and Nancy Apple. This is something that we've been planning since we were in Memp...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:11:00 PST

Signing w/ Burnside Distribution; A Big Review; Threadgill’s!

It's been a busy day, a lot of fun taking four dogs to the vet for their annual check up and then enjoying the nice weather driving around Houston putting up posters at coffee houses and record stores...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Thu, 15 May 2008 12:50:00 PST

Threadgill’s Old 1 on May 17 & More News!

It's been a whirlwind week or so since I last wrote to announce my participation in the BW Stevenson Singer-Songwriter Competition Finals in Dallas at Poor David's Pub. The winner was Mark Wayne Glas...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Sun, 11 May 2008 12:55:00 PST

BW Stevenson Finals + More Shows!

I'm squaring things away here in Houston for another trip to Dallas this week to participate in the Twentieth Annual BW Stevenson Memorial Singer Songwriter Competition tomorrow evening (May 1) at Poo...
Posted by Glenna Bell on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:55:00 PST