We are very excited and honored to announce that William Bell, our 2015 Honorary Lifetime Membership Recipient, has been selected as a 2020 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow.
June 23, 2020
Washington, DC—As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ work to support and celebrate our nation’s rich traditional arts heritage, the agency is announcing the 2020 recipients of its National Heritage Fellowships. These lifetime honor awards of $25,000 are given in recognition of both artistic excellence and efforts to sustain cultural traditions for future generations.
“Each year the Heritage Fellowships highlight the distinct living traditions of communities around our nation, as well as how our fellows instill a sense of pride, beauty, and cultural continuity through their art,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to recognize these outstanding artists with a National Heritage Fellowship.”
The 2020 National Heritage Fellows are (click on the links for full bios on the recipients):
• William Bell, Soul Singer and Songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia
The first male solo act signed to Stax Records, Bell played a pivotal role in ushering in the genre known as Southern soul music, which later resulted in the globally influential “Memphis Sound.”
For the rest of the artist listings, please CLICK HERE.
