America's Got Talent contestant RL Bell & Houston's Own Blues Artist Annika Chambers
We thank both RL Bell and beautiful Annika Chambers for being our special guests on the Ferrell Phelps Show. They were so gracious to help us celebrate through song for our special friend Angela Betsill that was killed in a horrible car accident Oct 4, 2016 . We thank you both for being on our show.
HOMETOWN PROUD: Musicians with Houston ties
RL Bell, Bodybuilding Masseuse Sings #1 Hit on ‘America’s Got Talent’
RL Bell: 50-Year-Old Singer Impresses Crowd with His Voice and Muscles - America's Got Talent 2016
RL Bell is a massage therapist from Houston, Texas. Originally hailing from Baytown, Robert Louis Bell, known simply RL, starting out like many, in the church. Bell, however, doesn’t credit glittery recording artists as his musical influences. He keeps it close it to home, calling his parents his inspiration for singing in the church.
His father is a practicing reverend and his mother is a church musician who spent his growing up years working the music service at places like Thompson’s Chapel and McGowen Temple. At a very young age, Bell was singing in churches, talent shows and singing competitions.
As a solo artist, he classifies himself as jazz and R&B, and some have likened a stylistic resemblance to Luther Vandross. Bell has performed at weddings, parties, company functions and even NFL banquets. He regularly bounces around on the local Houston circuit, hitting favorites like The House of Blues, with his band Deep Soul. In addition to his single, “I Love You,” he performs a variety of covers from favorites like Vandross, Smokey Robinson and Prince. But he is far from keeping it local. He also performs fairly regularly on the Las Vegas Strip as lounge singer. He tried his hand at acting, performing in a nationally touring production that produced a play called Why Brake Down. His debut album, released in 2011 was called Love Songs, but he is aiming for fresh material now.
“I now have my own band together and we are performing, and people are loving us,” he said, referring to Deep Soul. “We are currently working on my album, I have performed its first single at many weddings. People say that they cannot wait for it to come out so they can purchase it.
As the winner of Texas Star, Bell received a publicity package from Woodlands-based Donna Wick Public Relations, aka Wicked Publicity, as well as recording time at a studio owned by the renowned Matthew Knowles.
On Season 11 of America’s Got Talent, the judges will meet RL Bell, a 50-year-old massage therapist from Houston, Texas. The former professional bodybuilder says some of his clients have been prodding Bell to sing during their therapy sessions but Bell says “that’s kind of hard to do.” So Bell made a CD and plays it while at work.
For his AGT audition Bell sings the 1972 song “Me and Mrs. Jones,” which was originally recorded by the soulful Billy Paul and was a #1 hit.
This guy voice is amazing check out his Video America’s Got Talent
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Annika Chambers, an award-winning local blues singer, is emerging after a six-month disappearance from social media. And she's now explaining the vanishing act to friends and fans.
Annika Chambers, an award-winning local blues singer, is emerging after a six-month disappearance from social media. And she's now explaining the vanishing act to friends and fans.
Chambers went to prison in October but kept it quiet from fans to protect family and friends and because she just "wasn't ready" to make it public. She's sharing her story now because she "was reminded how important it is to own our story, not just for our own healing, but for others who have lost hope and need an inspiration"
Chambers, who gigs and records regularly, said she's chosen to focus on the positive. She's now been sober for 21 months and reestablished a relationship with her father after two decades.
Chambers was in the U.S. Army for more than seven years. She released "Making My Mark" in 2014. She's currently up for best independent female blues artist at the Independent Blues Awards.
Listen this amazing voice here : • Annika Chambers performs "Proud Mary" at D...