By Jon Hayes

    Chris Bell is one of the most energetic, happy and enthusiastic guys I have met in a long time. He talks to you like the conversation is the greatest thing to happen to him today. And he has a great life story. Chris is the guitar player you have seen all around town, playing with his band 100% Blues. By his own admission, he grew up trying to be Jimi Hendrix and Ernie Isley and you can certainly see the style and the tone. With the big Stratocaster, he plays his own tunes most notably "Doing Time" which American Megashows put on their CD, "Looking for a Fight" and "Wine Cooler".

    Before Chris moved to California, settling in Glendale in 1991, he was all over the place including four years in the Navy as an Electrician’s Mate which included two tours in Beiruit. Born in Washington DC but raised in Massachusetts, you can hear a little bit of the Boston brogue in his speech. Chris is the son of Dr. Bernard Bell, Ph.D., now a Professor of English at Penn State and a mother from North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. His family lived in Germany where his father taught for a few years and in England which has obviously given Chris and his two brothers a world wide view on life. Somewhere in those years at around 14 years old he started playing the guitar.

    Before coming to California Chris Bell, 37 years old now, spent time at U. Mass. as an Art and Music major. He proudly told me that he participated in a jazz workshop for two years with Archie Shepp and dabbled in a summer workshop in Berkeley during that period. He also studied guitar under Tony McAlpine.

    Chris told me while we drank a beer at Las Hades, in Granada Hills during Kareoke hour recently, that he is a little bit of a throwback (his words). He plays his Strat ES335 with no effects. He says the "chitlin circuit" is the same today as it was 30 years ago. He is more than willing to pay his dues and play anywhere and everywhere hoping to get the big break. He invites his friends and certainly makes friends very easily. He sits on a chair for a while on the stage seemingly playing into a big hat. I like the music. I have seen him play several times and recommend it highly. I like most of the 40 songs he writes each year.

    If you hang out in the blues venues like I do, you will see the 100% Blues Band at B.B. Kings and everywhere else from Harvelle’s, to the Classroom, the Big Fish in Glendale, First Cabin, Hermosa Stake Out, the Riverbottom, Crazy Jacks, and 14 Below. The band played at the Rock War 2000 Blues Day at Hollywood Park, quite a big production. They are booked through the end of next month he tells me and he is looking for some help with the phone calls lining up gigs and all the other hoops a chitlin circuit band must jump through to make a buck these days.

    Bass player, Alex Louis and drummer Ron Hendersen have been with the band since early this year as has harp man Johney O’Hara and keyboardist David Lema . Chris regularly invites players to bring their ax and get down with him. Reeve Carney, the kid sensation, who has played with Francesca at Smokin’ Jonnies, plays with Chris Bell almost anytime he plays in a venue which allows under 21 year olds.

    As is the case with you and me, Chris also works for a living or, as I like to say, "to support his eating habit". During the day he sells video for National Video Supply in Chatsworth. He is much more hardnose than he appears he tells me. In fact, only one beer tonight because he has his band meeting him in a while at his home to plan out the time they will be spending in the studio for the next few weeks.

    You will enjoy Chris Bell and he is getting better. Its great to see a really nice guy have success although hopefully it work into something considerably bigger.