His famous father, harpist Carey Bell, had him working out on guitar as a wee lad. By 1977, he was recording with his dad and playing behind a variety of established stars, tabbed by many observers at the time as a sure star on the rise. But personal problems took their toll on his great potential; Bell's recorded output and live performances were inconsistent in the '80s and early '90s. Among the highlights of Bell's discography are three tracks in tandem with harpist Billy Branch under the Sons of Blues banner (Bell was a founding member of the band) from Alligator's first batch of 1978 Living Chicago Blues anthologies and 1984's Son of a Gun, a collaboration with his old man for Rooster Blues. Then there's his 1995 Delmark set Mercurial Son, as bizarre a contemporary blues album as you're likely to encounter. Bell followed Mercurial Son with the more straightforward 700 Blues in spring 1997; The Blues Had a Baby appeared two years later. Let's Talk About Love (2007) and The Devil Ain't Got No Music (2012) both appeared on Bell's own record label, Aria B.G. In 2013, he returned to Delmark with the release of Blues in My Soul, which celebrated the guitarist's straight-ahead Chicago blues roots. Three years later came Can't Shake This Feeling, also released on Delmark. ~ Bill Dahl & Al Campbell