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Rock and Roll musician Richard Bell died at 61
Richard Bell, a songwriter and keyboardist has died at the age of 61. Bell suffered from multiple myeloma until he died on June 15.
Bell played with Janis Joplin, The Band, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Joe Walsh, The Cowboy Junkies, Bruce Cockburn, and Bonnie Raitt.
Bell was diagnosed with cancer almost a year ago. He under went treatment and returned in the spring to Nashville to work on an album with The Flying Burrito Brothers. The cancer returned and killed him.
“I’ve never known a finer musician and a finer man. He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and for life. At age 61, he played as well or better than he ever played,” said Bell’s longtime friend Colin Linden.
Bell was the son of Dr. Leslie Bell, a Canadian conductor and musician. Bell began his interest in music at age four when he began playing the piano. Bell studied music at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada.
