Other Western Flyer
Carey Bell- Hard Working Woman (Jack Frost Edit)

Carey Bell was born in Macon, Mississippi in 1936. As a child, Bell was intrigued by the music of Louis Jordan. Bell wanted a saxophone in order to be like his hero Jordan; however, Bell's family could not afford a saxophone so he had to settle for the harmonica, colloquially known as a "Mississippi saxophone." Soon Bell was attracted by the blues harmonica greats: DeFord Bailey, Big Walter Horton, Marion "Little Walter" Jacobs, and Sonny Boy Williamson I and II. Bell taught himself to play. By the time he was eight, he was quite proficient on the instrument. When he was thirteen, Bell joined his pianist godfather Lovie Lee's blues band.

In September 1956, Lovie Lee convinced Bell to go with him to Chicago. Not long after arriving, Bell went to the Club Zanzibar, where Little Walter was appearing. Bell met Walter and later learned some harp playing from him and his main Chicago teacher, Big Walter Horton.To help further his chances of employment as a musician, Bell learned how to play the electric bass (from Hound Dog Taylor).

In 1969, Delmark Records in Chicago released Bell's debut LP, Carey Bell's Blues Harp. Bell played with Muddy Waters in late 1970 and 1971 and later with Willie Dixon's Chicago Blues All-Stars. In 1972, Bell teamed up with Big Walter in the studio and released Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell for Alligator Records. A year later Bell released a solo project entitled Last Night for ABC Bluesway. Bell continued to play with Dixon as well as with his own groups, and in 1978, Bell was featured on the Grammy-nominated album Living Chicago Blues on Alligator. Also, in the 1970s, Bell appeared on two Bob Riedy Blues Band recordings.

During the 1980s Bell continued to record for various labels and to tour. In 1990, Bell teamed up with fellow harpists Junior Wells, James Cotton and Billy Branch to record Harp Attack!. A modern Blues classic, Harp Attack! became one of Alligator Records's best selling albums.