In the mid 1970s, he went on to join Koko Taylor's Blues Machine and he toured with the band for four years.

He made his recording debut in 1977 appearing on his father's album Heartaches and Pain and also on Eddie C. Campbell's King of the Jungle.

[1][2] It was around that time that he formed The Sons of Blues with musicians including Billy Branch on harmonica.

A series of albums followed thereafter, and he started to perform more frequently in the Chicago club and blues festival circuits.

Bell is featured on Gettin' Up – Live at Buddy Guy's Legends, Rosa's and Lurrie's Home, a 2007 CD and DVD release from Delmark, where he plays with his father Carey.