If you have ‘Private Number’ in your head and heart, and if you keep a weather eye on Jools Holland’s Later show on TV you’ll know what Bell that rings. 

That’s William Bell of course. Back at Stax where you might say the Memphis soul balladeer rightfully belongs it’s stirring to write about, caveats about how classic record labels are now and how they were then set firmly aside for a minute.

Along with Booker T. Jones, Bell also made musical history co-penning ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ Albert King’s definitive version long since nestling in the Grammy Hall of Fame, the song given an extra and different Volt of sheer verve by Cream.

Signing to Stax in 1961 after a ridiculously long time away from the now very different Stax set-up (it is the soul equivalent of Wayne Shorter returning to Blue Note) Bell, now 76, has his return to the label, This Is Where I Live, scheduled for a June release.

The great music writer Peter Guralnick (Last Train To Memphis) in the notes needing no encouragement to big the album up says: “There’s every kind of mood here, love gained, love lost, bittersweet moments of both passion and regret – pretty much as you could expect from any true celebration of the heart.” 

Listen top to a track from This Is Where I Live. William Bell is playing North Sea this summer