William Bell - Never Like This Before: The Complete Blue Stax Singles 1961-1968

UK collection. Iconic veteran Southern soul man William Bell has been in the business of making records for 66 years, and was with Memphis' fabled Stax label for virtually it's entire 15-year existence (1960-1975). In that time, he composed and recorded many songs that are rightly regarded as classics, from his Stax debut 'You Don't Miss Your Water' to the classic blues song 'Born Under A Bad Sign' to his hit duet with Judy Clay, 'Private Number'. Ace Records has represented William's Stax catalog in the UK for longer than the label originally existed, and we have issued a number of CDs over the years, including original albums and "Best Of" packages, but this month sees the release of the first of two CD sets that will, between them, anthologize the A and B-sides all of William's solo singles for Stax. "Never Like This Before" covers the first seven years of William's Stax catalog and rounds up all 14 of the singles that came out on Stax's original blue label design with the 'Stack Of Records' logo. Among the classics featured are the aforementioned 'You Don't Miss Your Water', William's holiday perennial 'Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday' and his heartfelt salute to his recently-deceased Stax labelmate Otis Redding, 'A Tribute To A King' - to name but a few. William is, of course, backed on all tracks by members of the legendary Stax 'house band' Booker T & the MGs and the Memphis Horns.