Bell performs, Celina Record

Celina-based Bell brings ‘folk soul’ sound to Farmers Market Lisa Ferguson, lferguson@starlocalmedia.com May 4, 2016 Matthew Bell isn’t sleeping much these days, but he doesn’t seem to mind. In March the Celina-based singer-songwriter and his wife became the parents of a baby boy. Bell, who takes the stage Friday at the Celina Farmers Market Friday Night on the Square, said the infant has already been to one of his live performances and will likely attend many more in coming years. “It becomes a family affair,” he said. “Family has to come first for us, so when she and my son are able to be there, it makes it that much easier.” In fact, family is such an important part of Bell’s life, he even performs with his relatives. Two of his brothers-in-law play with him as part of a trio. One is on the violin while the other plays the mandolin and kick drum. Bell, 30, tackles guitar, lead vocal and most of the songwriting duties. As he will at the Celina Farmers Market, Bell also performs as a solo act. He is set to take the stage later this month at Towers Tap House in Little Elm, and Tupps Brewery in McKinney. Whether playing alone or with the trio, he describes his sound as “folk soul.” “We try to incorporate some jazz elements and some soulful elements with folk instrumentation and with a kind of singer-songwriter lyricism. But at the same time, it’s hard to define,” Bell said. Earlier this year the group recorded its second self-produced second album, titled “Music From and Inspired By The Unified Revival Tour,” which will be released for download this summer. As the title suggests, the tunes nod to a tour on which Bell and brother-in-law Jarod Schmitt embarked last summer within days of releasing Bell’s first album, “The Vagabond Diaries.” The tour was filmed by his wife as part of a short documentary she also produced and edited called “The Unified Revival Tour.” It can be viewed at vimeo.com/120590723. “It was more of an experiment than anything,” Matthew Bell said of the tour, during which they swept through cities in the southeastern U.S. while living in an Airstream travel trailer. “We really didn’t play a lot of big venues,” he said. “It was more almost home concerts and busking on the side of the road. … It was more so an opportunity for us to just set up and play wherever we were.” Some nights, Bell said, “We didn’t necessarily know … exactly where we were gonna stay.” Nevertheless, “It was an absolute blast.” What is not an experiment, he said, is his music career. Unlike many other musicians, “I have no desire to have a rocket ship to stardom – that’s never been my desire,” he said. “I would much rather have a career that spans my entire life and is more under the radar than to have 15 minutes” of fame, Bell said. “I want music to not be a time in my life, I want it to be my life.” He would also like for it to be a part of his son’s life. “He’s born into a very musical family, but if he decides that music is not his thing, we are in full support of that,” Bell said. “We want him to do what he’s passionate about and what makes him come alive. But, if it is music, we will be right there with him.” Follow the Celina Record on Twitter @celinarecord.