As a kid, Donnie Bell always thought the guitar was the coolest instrument. “I really wanted to play, had my heart set on it,” he said. “My dad always had great music on, and he let me go through his giant CD collection and listen. A lot of rock, a lot of blues, but other stuff as well, from all different eras. I hung out with the CD player and listened to music for hours.”
Fast forward to Bell at age 26 pursuing a music career in Nashville. ”To become as good as Donnie, you start with an ear for music,” said former bandmate Mike Sweeney, “then put in the hours to develop that gift. The sound of a Telecaster with some slapback started in the ‘50s. That tradition is in good hands with Donnie.”
His love of the guitar is what led him to a move to Nashville.
Bell grew up on Arden Road and graduated from high school in 2017. He began playing guitar at age 7, taking lessons at Empire Music on Washington Road with teacher Brett Pecco. In high school he began practicing on his own and posting music videos on YouTube. “I was getting into older stuff like the Allman Brothers, the Eagles, some country, jazz.”
Along the way, he began performing, starting with a bar in Dormont around age 17. “My dad snuck me into a kinda raunchy bar that had an open mic night,” said Bell. “I had been playing alone and studying hours every day, but hadn’t had any real-life experience as a player. That bar was the first place I got up and played a couple of songs, and got bit by the bug.”
After a short stint in college, he found work around Mt. Lebanon as a landscaper, then as a custodian at the high school. While working there, he met Bob Wagner, who was one of the founding members of the Mingo Creek Band. Bell became lead guitarist in the group. Mingo Creek plays in numerous venues around Pittsburgh, including at Club Cafe, Over the Bar, and the Gilfillan Farm Barnyard Beer Benefit.
Bell also played extensively in other local bands, including the western swing ensemble Moe Taters and the Gravy Train. Its leader, Charlie Barath, said recently, “I witnessed the high level of talent and proficiency he had literally at his fingertips. And that isn’t simply the product of genetics or good fortune, but was rooted in an unmatched work ethic that drives him harder than any outside influence possibly could. Also, he has a heart bigger than his sound, and that’s pretty darn big.”
Eventually he and bass player/songwriter Mike Sweeney formed the blues-oriented Donnie Bell Band. “Mike helped with the structure, he brought a chunk of our songs, and he gave me a vessel to go wherever I wanted with it. He built a solid group behind me with great players. I love those guys.”
Despite his success in the Pittsburgh area, Bell always felt the call to the epicenter of country music.
“Nashville’s always been one of those places that if you’re a musician and you want work, you’re going to have to go,” said Bell. “And then you quickly realize that there’s a million other people trying to do that. You kind of have to do everything: session work, road work, teaching, maybe also have a day job.”
Bell does have a day job, but still plays as much as possible. “I’m doing a lot of pick-up things, a lot of jamming. I do a weekly gig with my friend Scott. I just want to be able to support myself and play music as much as possible. I want to get better as a player. It’s humbling to start all over again and have to prove yourself. But I’d rather be humbled than not learn new stuff. It makes you lean into what makes you special.”
He tries to get back to Mt. Lebanon as often as possible to visit his family, but plans to stay in Nashville as long as he can find work. “One of the things that’s really cool about Nashville is you’re constantly surrounded by the best in the world. Just getting to jam with them, talk with them, hang with them — you feel like you’re in a community of people who get it.”