About BeTh isBell
BeTh isBell † Music Bio (2023)
BeTh isBell’s (aka BeThisBell) journey to become the rocker she is today hasn’t - by any means - taken a traditional musician’s path to artistic fruition. Beth, born as a young boy named Bill in Columbus, GA, grew up in the US and Europe through school, college and law school as boy, and then practiced civil rights law for years as a man. After being diagnosed as transgender, Isbell began transitioning and is now, after surgery, a woman. After her transition, she experienced hiring discrimination in returning to law, and at the time, there were no legal protections for trans persons, so she decided to return to college to pursue a new career in music & the arts.
She auditioned and was admitted to prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, but without a scholarship opted instead to attend The Flaming Lips’ Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO), graduating with the school’s first class of bachelor’s degree candidates in Spring 2013. An accomplished musician with a library of diverse yet equally compelling recordings, Beth’s gift as a songwriter and infectious live performances mix elements of both genders, all while maintaining, at the core, a magical soul and mastery of craft capable of inspiring the hope within all of us to be who you truly are and become our dreams.
Living as a women in a man’s body was not an easy evolution; Beth was thrown out of clubs and banned from playing some of her favorite venues as her soul and body transitioned. But, she persevered. During this trying period, she focused on song writing and improving her performance skills as the front person for Dallas psychedelic rock band - and underground critic darlings - The Dead Prophets. Beth’s prolific songwriting continued and she placed in several national songwriting competitions. In September 2014, Beth and her band alternative psychedelic band BeThisBell (aka BeTh isBell), a collection of good friends from music college (ACM@UCO) released “We Are The Gods!” - a full-length psychedelic-grunge-punk rock album, produced by Trent Bell (Chainsaw Kittens). The band issued a 5 song follow up EP "Work It Out" in April 2015, with Trent Bell again producing. Beth was the main songwriter for both releases. As a result, BeThisBell was invited and performed at the 2015 CMJ Music Marathon in NYC. And was also invited to perform at the Norman Music Festival.
Beth currently lives in Humboldt County, CA, on the gorgeous North Coast of California, about 4 hours North of San Francisco, where she works as a teacher, poet, songwriter, and working musician.
In 2021, BeTh isBell officially released the very popular 6 song modern rock EP “Shine On!” Six very uplifting mainstream rock songs intended to uplift, inspire. And, family friendly! The same year, her band BeThisBell also released BeThisBell "Remastered" which featured remastered 24 bit masters of the highlights of full band releases - We Are The Gods?, Work It Out, and the digital album Red.
Currently, BeTh is also lead guitarist for Matthew Green's project The Colour Green. BeTh crafts massive sonic soundscapes over Green's very catchy singer-songwriter/ear-candy indie pop riffs. The Colour Green has been recording a new album “Yay!” which will be released early this year (2023).
In 2023, BeTh now offers two new singles “Soul”, a heartfelt, mournful, contemplative, brooding, ultimately uplifting, indie blues-rock tune, which features BeTh’s soulful voice and mesmerizing lead electric guitar work, and “Kief” a psychedelic punk rock tune of a true story about a legendary Humboldt party thrown by local surf rock band The Mother Vines. Both songs release nationally on January 1, 2023, and will be available on BandCamp, Apple iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and dozens of other international digital music retailers.
Kief ... as heard on KHUM and KSLG radioi! #Kief #BeThisBell "Killer! Playin it today for 4:20. Thank you!!" Greta (KHUM)
"This is RADDDDDD! I've got it down for a feature on our Wildcard next Tuesday at 8:30am and 4:30pm!" Sabina (KSLG)
Main Website: www.BeThisBell.com
BandCamp: bethisbell.bandcamp.com
More Info: bethisbellmusic@gmail.com or contact page
LIsTeN tO aRTisT inTErVIEw wItH BeTh isBell:
"which redefines 'dark' as a plausible blend of the psychedelic & the acoustic!", and BeTh as "an artist who is truly one of a kind!"
BeTh is a 3 time Top 10 category finalist in the USA Songwriting Contest -and- a TAXI Top 10 monthly songwriter pick (7/08).
I am the bastard love child of Janis Joplin & Jim Morrison, except that one day while Jimbo took a trip in the desert,
Janis was in NYC banging Lou Reed. It's all a little fuzzy from there ... and yes, I'm actually a girl! ... well, currently!
I would like to eventually teach. And tour. That would be sweet. And fight. For your right to be yourself too.
I am a songwriter. A teller of tales. A painter of sounds.
Thanks for your support!
BeTh isBell
About BeThisBell (The Band)
Guitarist & vocalist BeTh isBell and guitarist Justin Hays met at music college (ACM@UCO) and formed the band BeThisBell in Spring 2011. Shortly thereafter Cody Fowler (who is also in the band Horse Thief, signed to Bella Union Records) joined the band on bass and turned us on to Kellan Turner on drums. The band has played shows at various venues, music festivals, and pride festivals Oklahoma City, OK, and Dallas, TX, and the band's music has received FM radio airplay and been selected by several Sonicbids promoters for various licensing, airplay, and other performance opportunities.
After graduating from music college in 2013, the band began recording We Are The Gods! at Bell Labs in Norman, OK, with producer Trent Bell (Chainsaw Kittens) at Bell Labs, Norman, OK. We brought in Nick Ley of the band colourmusic (and now a member of The Flaming Lips), in to play drums on the album. Justin & Beth played all the rhythm guitar parts on the album. Our friend Blaise Thompson of the bands Moon, and Drainbows, and Beth laid down all the lead guitar parts on the album, with Justin laying down the lead on Ruby. The band's sound is alternative rock painted with psychedelic, proto-punk, indie-rock, garage, shoegaze, & blues-rock influences.
Due to the strength of it's first album, the band recently picked up a music publishing administration deal with Essex Music Intl., Inc., which also administers publishing rights for David Bowie. Garrett Haines of Treelady Studios mastered the album. Both Trent and Garrett are former grammy award winners for their prior studio work. The band's first album We Are The Gods! was officially released on September 15, 2014. https://bethisbell.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-the-gods-2014
The band followed up their September 2014 WATG! album with a 5 song EP "Work It Out" released this past April (2015). Whereas, We Are The Gods! told a dark angry twisting story ending in hope. Work It Out is, as the title suggests, a workman-like effort at delivering on that hope, living out that dream. From Beth's soaring guitar work - pouring her soul out in Bleed, to the passionate plea at the end of the EP to let your individual light Shine On, the contemporary alternative vibe of Work It Out finds society right where it lives musically. Produced by Trent Bell, the band's Work It Out EP is another well-crafted work of contemporary sonic art. https://bethisbell.bandcamp.com/album/work-it-out-ep-2015
The band's hard work paid off with an invitation and performance at the prestigious CMJ Music Festival in New York City in late 2015, and an invitation to perform at the Norman Music Festival in Norman, OK (which the band unfortunately could not accept) in Summer 2016.
BeThisBell released it's third offering "Red" recorded with Trent Bell (Bell Labs, Norman, OK) a full BethisBell band digital only release in Summer 2020. "Red" album which includes a mezmerizing texture of performances featuring OKC keyboardist Holly Moorad Murphy, and new young guitar phenom Ray "Ray T" Triana (from Big Mama Acid & the Cosmic Argonauts) on lead guitar. The single is Keif, the true story of real psychedelic surf band The Mother Vines.
BeTh is also a published poet signed to a book publishing deal under the name Sarah Isbell and has released five books: The Broken Whale - an existentialist poetry collection and an illustrated children's book called The Book Of Green Goo - an imaginative Dr. Seuss themed look at tolerance, acceptance, and some basics of health safety (cold/flu). Pieces of Humboldt (SOLD OUT) features gorgeous scenic photography paired with matching poems from over 30 local artists (poets & photographers) about her home Humboldt County, CA. Her second poetry book, Psychotic Kittens (SOLD OUT) - a thought-provoking collection of insightful well-crafted poetry. BeTh's most recent release is a poetry chapbook entitled Punk Poets - a collection of some of BeTh's best poetry work and favorite poems. She is working on another poetry collection and has a second children's book written, looking for a book agent.
Beth Bell and BeThisBell Music Publicist: Jory White, Vesperize PR (San Francisco & Los Angeles, CA)
Beth Bell and BeThisBell Music Attorney: Tomy McDonald, Attorney (Tulsa, OK)
Music Publishers: Essex Music Intl., Inc., TRO Workshop Prod., Inc., and WCI Publishing, L.L.C.
Sarah Isbell Books Agent: LOOKING FOR NEW AUTHOR/BOOK AGENT
Books Publishers: WCI Publishing, L.L.C. (locally) and LOOKING FOR NEW NATIONAL BOOK PUBLISHER