Ricky Bell (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ricky Bell, nicknamed "Slick" (born Ricardo Bell, September 18, 1967, Roxbury
, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American
R&B
singer best known as one of the founding members of New Edition
and the lead singer of Bell Biv DeVoe
. As a solo
artist
, his 2000 album
entitled Ricardo Campana received favorable reviews, but is not well known due to limited promotion.
in a group called "Ricky and Ralph." Later, Bell, along with Michael Bivins
, Bobby Brown
, Ralph Tresvant
, and Ronnie DeVoe
became New Edition
. The group began a career in 1983 that has spanned twenty five years. After the departure of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill
joined the group in the mid 1980s. Before Gill joined the group, Bell was originally the oldest member of New Edition. After recording the Heartbreak album, Ricky was given the chance to be a solo artist but opted instead to form Bell Biv DeVoe
.
The "best kept secret" originally gained the respect of the industry when record producer
Jimmy Jam had an idea for a spin-off group called Bell Biv DeVoe
with Bell as the lead singer. BBD as the group is commonly known, was the first group to integrate the elements of Rap
and R&B consistently, calling their style "Hip-Hop smoothed out on an R&B tip with a Pop feel appeal to it." BBD's 1990 debut established Bell as a lead singer capable of chart topping success.
Although Bell had primarily performed as a backup vocalist with New Edition, during the 1990s he emerged as one of the most utilized voices
on singles
released by the group. With the exception of the ensemble song
s, "Hot2Nite" and "Hit Me Off
," and the Brown-led "You Don't Have to Worry
," Bell performed lead or co-lead on the remainder of the group's charting
singles. "I'm Still in Love With You
," which also featured Ralph Tresvant, was so successful that a Spanish language
version was recorded, "Siempre Tu," and "One More Day
" has the distinction of being the only New Edition song with a solo member appearing in the video
.
Other recordings featuring Bell's vocals include Red Bandit's 1990 single "Please Don't Cry," backup
vocals on "Pretty Little Girl" from Bobby Brown's 1992 album, and, with Ralph Tresvant, on LL Cool J
's 1997 song "Candy."
With Bell Biv DeVoe and New Edition, Bell has over two dozen television
and film
performances including Knight Rider, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, New York Undercover
, Family Matters, the movie
Krush Groove
, and numerous music, variety, and awards programs.
In 2004, in a double wedding with Tresvant, Bell married
actress Amy Correa. Ricky and his wife Amy currently have no children.
on various R&B music tours and a solo cd and BBD cd are in the works.
Sang his hit song "Poison" along with Ne-Yo in the 2009 BET Awards.
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer best known as one of the founding members of New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
and the lead singer of Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
. As a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, his 2000 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
entitled Ricardo Campana received favorable reviews, but is not well known due to limited promotion.
Life and work
The youngest of eleven children, Bell grew up in the Orchard Park projects. He began his career singing with close friend, Ralph TresvantRalph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant , aka Rizz, is an American tenor singer, best known as one of the lead singers in New Edition.-New Edition:Tresvant sang lead on many of the New Edition lead singles including "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now" and "If It Isn't Love"...
in a group called "Ricky and Ralph." Later, Bell, along with Michael Bivins
Michael Bivins
Michael Lamont Bivins, a.k.a. Biv , is the founder and member of the R&B group New Edition and the hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe...
, Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Tresvant , aka Rizz, is an American tenor singer, best known as one of the lead singers in New Edition.-New Edition:Tresvant sang lead on many of the New Edition lead singles including "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now" and "If It Isn't Love"...
, and Ronnie DeVoe
Ronnie DeVoe
Ronnie DeVoe, aka R.D., is one of the members of the R&B sextet New Edition....
became New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
. The group began a career in 1983 that has spanned twenty five years. After the departure of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic...
joined the group in the mid 1980s. Before Gill joined the group, Bell was originally the oldest member of New Edition. After recording the Heartbreak album, Ricky was given the chance to be a solo artist but opted instead to form Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
.
The "best kept secret" originally gained the respect of the industry when record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Jimmy Jam had an idea for a spin-off group called Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
with Bell as the lead singer. BBD as the group is commonly known, was the first group to integrate the elements of Rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B consistently, calling their style "Hip-Hop smoothed out on an R&B tip with a Pop feel appeal to it." BBD's 1990 debut established Bell as a lead singer capable of chart topping success.
Although Bell had primarily performed as a backup vocalist with New Edition, during the 1990s he emerged as one of the most utilized voices
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
on singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
released by the group. With the exception of the ensemble song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s, "Hot2Nite" and "Hit Me Off
Hit Me Off
"Hit Me Off" is a 1996 single by R&B group New Edition and their first single in seven years. The song was the first release off the group's sixth studio album, Home Again. The song featured lead vocals for all six New Edition members. The song was a substantial success for the group, debuting at...
," and the Brown-led "You Don't Have to Worry
I'm Still in Love with You (New Edition song)
"I'm Still in Love with You" was the second single for New Edition as a sextet on the album Home Again. Ralph Tresvant and Ricky Bell sing lead vocals. In the song "You Don't Have to Worry" Bobby Brown is the lead vocalist, and Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe rap...
," Bell performed lead or co-lead on the remainder of the group's charting
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
singles. "I'm Still in Love With You
I'm Still in Love with You (New Edition song)
"I'm Still in Love with You" was the second single for New Edition as a sextet on the album Home Again. Ralph Tresvant and Ricky Bell sing lead vocals. In the song "You Don't Have to Worry" Bobby Brown is the lead vocalist, and Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe rap...
," which also featured Ralph Tresvant, was so successful that a Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version was recorded, "Siempre Tu," and "One More Day
One More Day (New Edition song)
"One More Day" was the fourth and final single on the Home Again album. Ricky Bell and Ralph Tresvant were the lead vocals. All six members were back ground vocals. This single had two tracks, the second track is the Something About You...
" has the distinction of being the only New Edition song with a solo member appearing in the video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
.
Other recordings featuring Bell's vocals include Red Bandit's 1990 single "Please Don't Cry," backup
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
vocals on "Pretty Little Girl" from Bobby Brown's 1992 album, and, with Ralph Tresvant, on LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
's 1997 song "Candy."
With Bell Biv DeVoe and New Edition, Bell has over two dozen television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
performances including Knight Rider, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, New York Undercover
New York Undercover
New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
, Family Matters, the movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Krush Groove
Krush Groove
Krush Groove is a 1985 Warner Bros. film, written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz . This film is based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings and up-and-coming record producer Russell Simmons , portrayed by Blair Underwood in his feature film debut...
, and numerous music, variety, and awards programs.
In 2004, in a double wedding with Tresvant, Bell married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
actress Amy Correa. Ricky and his wife Amy currently have no children.
Current activities
In 2008, Bell, as a member of New Edition, was the recipient of the Golden Note Award at ASCAP's 21st Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards and is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the group. He is currently touring with Bell Biv DeVoeBell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
on various R&B music tours and a solo cd and BBD cd are in the works.
Albums
Ricardo Campana- Released: 2000
- Label: CD BabyCD BabyCD Baby is an online music store specializing in the sale of CDs and digital music downloads from independent musicians to consumers. The company is also a digital aggregator of independent music recordings, distributing content to several online digital music retailers.CD Baby has achieved recent...
- Singles: "Spanish Fly", "Have Ya Cake" (featuring Ronnie DeVoeRonnie DeVoeRonnie DeVoe, aka R.D., is one of the members of the R&B sextet New Edition....
)
Sang his hit song "Poison" along with Ne-Yo in the 2009 BET Awards.