Miles Bell RIP
03/26/2008
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(PR) Miles Bell, a longtime Nashville based artist manager whose clients included many popular comedians, singers, entertainers and bands from a multitude of genres, died on March 19 of kidney failure in Nashville. He was 61.
Over the course of a career spanning 30 years, the beloved talent agent represented a wide variety of successful clients from all facets of the entertainment industry: comedians (T. �Bubba� Bechtol, Lonnie Shore), magicians (Harry Blackstone, Jr.), songwriters/recording artists (Sandy Kastel), singer/comedians (Sandy Hackett) and bands from every genre from country (The Moffatts) to pop/R&B (4 The Cause), rock and Christian. Bell also represented the worldwide touring revue band The Blues Other Brothers and popular country music parodist Cledus T. Judd.
�Miles was an unusual person,� Bechtol says. �He had the one thing that a manager needs to have to be at the top of their game in today�s entertainment world. He took great pleasure in other peoples success. That is hard to find in today�s world. He was not selfish, totally into making comedians stars and did just that with a few big names today. I will miss him, both as a manager and a friend.�
Hackett, who is also an actor and producer, says, �I�m deeply saddened at the loss of a friend who was also a business associate for many years. I�m sorry to lose him and especially sorry for his children to lose their father so young in life. He was a good soul.�
Longtime friend and fellow entertainment manager Bernard Porter, whose clients include country star Joe Diffie, adds, �Miles Bell was a godly man, with integrity and strong values. He was a mentor and a friend. I will greatly miss him.�
Kastel, a renowned Las Vegas based songwriter and recording artist, says, �Miles had the funniest sayings, but I always understood him, eventually. He had strong opinions and he was brutally honest because, as he said, �If I don't tell you, who will?� I loved his honesty and he made me feel special. That was his way. I can picture him doing the same thing with his huge roster of clients back in the 80�s and 90�s, when he was booking groups 24/7. I believe he could see into the heart of an artist and dig out the potential hidden inside.
�He has been an inspiration to me,� she adds, �and I felt blessed to get the benefit of his advice; but he was more than a manager to me, he was a mentor and a good friend, and I feel his spirit will live on in those whose lives he touched, like mine. He will be missed.�
As President and CEO of Williams Bell & Associates from 1992 to 2000, Bell managed 36 artists, including a sculptor, a painter, an illusionist in addition to a more traditional slate of comics, singers and bands. He acted as Executive Director for 30 music videos, four of which won Video of the Year (two from CMT, two from Much Music).
In addition to negotiating all film, TV, recording, agency, publishing, sponsorship, endorsement and public appearance contracts for his artists, Bell supervised the selection of songs and the recordings of 10 albums which have collectively sold over 40 million units and achieved gold and/or platinum status in over 30 countries.
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