I was him play a few times when I worked in a recording studio in NY. His range went from classical guitar on an accoustic to progressive playing with a 7 pedal custom built box to creat almost any sound you could think of with his guitar. This was in the early '70's.
Vinnie Bell ! One of the first musicians I met when I first started doing dates in New York. Super nice cat and he made me feel welcome.He knew I was scared to death. He came over sat down and we just talked till the voice from the booth said take one. Great ! I was able to play without shaking. 🤠
Hi Charles, My name is Dana Countryman, and I run Vinnie Bell‘s website. I would love to chat with you, if you’re ever up for it. My email is: Dana@danacountryman.com
After almost a lifetime, not too late, fortunately, I found out the original sound of Airport Love Theme, an all time great love song ! Marvelous Vinne Bell aka Vincent Bell. This tune was a smash hit in Brazil throughout the 1970s! Eduardo Bastos. (53 y.o.) Sao Paulo City - Brazil.
I remember the first time I hear the theme from Airport on a radio station that the machine shop I worked in had on all day. That was back around 1978 and I was playing guitar myself but not professionally. I always was intrigued by that watery sound and sadly never knew the name of the tune until I learned it in 2019. I immediately went to RU-vid and listened to Vinnie Bells version that I heard back in 1978. After all those years I got to hear that amazing sound again.
It's the MUSIC played on Sitar that is what makes the instrument. Playing western tunes on a guitar that sort of sounds like a Sitar is not authentic. Might as well play the Western tune on the guitar. But hey he is doing that anyway with an electronic impersonation of the Sitar SOUND.
I dont know where you dug this up, but this is an absolute TREASURE. Thank you for posting. I always loved Vinnie Bell, most people, even players, dont even know who he is, and that is sad. Thanks again 👍.
happymoogman johnson Hi, I worked with Vinnie a lot. It’s a long black pedal board. All you can see is the pedals. If you ask him about the effects he just smiles and walks away or, “it’s just a bunch of transistors and stuff I put together” Eric Weissberg would ask him every time he’d see him. It got to be a big joke. Vinnie would absolutely never tell anybody. “ the recipe for the great egg salad” LOL 😂
He invited the instrument but he did not play on Hooked on a Feeling, Reggie Young played electric sitar on Hooked on a Feeling. Look it up people it's true.
Not trying to be rude but let's give credit where credit's due this guy did not I repeat not play the sitar instrument on BJ Thomas's hooked on a feeling that was legendary Memphis Nashville guitarist Reggie Young. Look it up folks
Sorry for the late reply@@engineer909 , but yes, Reggie Young did play electric sitar on Cry Like A Baby, according to the wiki page. Great story about how the song almost wrote itself out of desperation! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cry_Like_a_Baby
