Cover Art by: Gail Nobles
Image of Kool: Montreal Concert Poster Archive
Usage: Public Domain
Music intro by: Gail Nobles

Hello! I am Gail Nobles. Welcome to Ebonliner. For a long time when I was a little girl, I thought James JT Taylor was the one with the name Kool from Kool and the Gang because he was the lead vocalist of the group. Robert Kool Bell is the one with the name Kool. Today is his birthday.

Robert Kool Bell is a musician, singer & songwriter. He is one of the founding members of the R&B, soul, funk and disco band Kool & the Gang. Bell grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. Growing up, Bell was nicknamed "Kool", due to being "laid back". Bwll gave himself the name.
Along with his brother, Ronald Bell, he began playing jazz & in 1964 they formed a group named The Jazziacs. They began playing at clubs in New York City under a series of different band names before settling on the name "Kool & The Gang" in 1968. Their debut album, Kool and the Gang, was released the following year. Their first major hit came in 1973, with Jungle Boogie, which charted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Their first number one hit single was Spirit of the Boogie, which was released in 1975.

Kool & the Gang have won numerous awards. The band recorded nine No. 1 R&B singles in the 1970s and 1980s, including its No. 1 pop single "Celebration".

Kool and the Gang is a great band. Bell's younger brother, Ronald Bell, was also a musician, and co-formed the band with Robert in 1964. I don’t see many bands around much anymore like Kool and the Gang. They were one of the best bands to listen to in the 1970s and 80s. ..