Archie Bell & the Drells was an American R&B vocal group from Houston and one of the main acts produced by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in the late 1960s before the duo formed their highly successful label Philadelphia International Records in 1971.

[8] According to the Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, Bell heard a comment after the Kennedy assassination in Dallas that "nothing good ever came out of Texas."

"[10] Many believe Bell was wounded in action in Vietnam while the band was still at the height of its fame, but he actually injured his leg in a truck accident while stationed in Germany.

By that time another of Archie's brothers, Lee Bell (born January 14, 1946 in Houston), had replaced Butler and became the band's choreographer.

Graduates of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston traveled with the group, including Don Pope and Tony Salvaggio on saxophone.

Other musicians included Lonnie LaLanne and Calvin Owens (trumpet); Abel Salazar (keyboards), and Mike Hughes (drums).

Archie Bell later released one solo album titled I Never Had It So Good in 1981 on Becket Records;[15] he continued to perform with the Drells for the next twenty years.