Conversations with Ronald “Khalis” Bell (2018)

Q&A with Kool & The Gang's Ronald “Khalis” Bell on January 24, 2018, moderated by multiple Grammy award-winning producer and Emmy-winning musical director Steve Jordan. 

Ronald “Khalis” Bell co-founder of Kool & the Gang was a driving force behind one of the most successful groups of the last five decades. Khalis composed, arranged produced and performed some of the most popular music of our time.

In 1964, a young Ronald Bell and his brother, Robert “Kool” Bell, joined neighborhood friends Spike Mickens, Dennis Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, and Charles Smith to create a unique musical blend of jazz, soul and funk.At first calling themselves the Jazziacs, the band went through various names changes -- The New Dimensions, The Soul Town Band, Kool & the Flames – before settling on their famous moniker.