Ronald Bell Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

What Was Ronald Bell’s Net Worth?

At the time of his passing in 2020, Ronald Bell, an American saxophonist, composer, songwriter, and producer, had a net worth of $5 million. He was a co-founder of the renowned group Kool & the Gang, staying with the band from 1964 to 1989 and then again from 1992 until his death. Over the years, Ronald contributed to all of the band’s albums, with the exception of the 1989 release “Sweat.” Kool & the Gang has produced over two dozen studio albums, nine of which have achieved Gold certification or higher in the United States. Some of their most iconic singles include “Ladies’ Night,” “Too Hot,” “Celebration,” “Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It),” “Get Down on It,” “Joanna,” “Fresh,” “Cherish,” “Victory,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” and “Higher Plane.” Their work on the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack won them a Grammy for Album of the Year in 1979, and they were also nominated for Best R&B Instrumental Performance for their 1974 album “Light Of Worlds” and Best Inspirational Performance for the 1984 track “You Are the One.”

Early Life

Ronald Nathan Bell was born on November 1, 1951, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was the son of Aminah Bayyan and professional boxer Robert “Bobby” Bell. During his father’s training in Elwood, New York, they resided in the same building as jazz legends Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, forming friendships with them. Ronald and his brother Robert “Kool” Bell were exposed to jazz music early on. The family relocated to Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1960, where Ronald and Robert created a band called The Jazziacs with neighborhood friends four years later. Initially playing jazz, funk, and soul music, they eventually rebranded themselves as the Soul Town Band, the New Dimensions, and finally Kool & the Gang in the late ’60s.

Career

Upon forming Kool & the Gang, the group launched their self-titled album in 1969. Their first three albums made it to the “Billboard” Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, but they achieved their first top 10 placement with the 1973 release “Wild and Peaceful.” Following albums such as “Spirit of the Boogie” (1975), “Love & Understanding” (1976), and “Open Sesame” (1976) also found success within the top 10. The groundbreaking single “Funky Stuff” marked their first top 10 hit on the “Billboard” Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 1973, while “Hollywood Swinging” became their first chart-topping hit in 1974. The late ’70s saw James “J.T.” Taylor become the band’s lead vocalist, with their first album featuring him, “Ladies’ Night,” climbing to #13 on the “Billboard” 200 and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This landmark album was also the first to be certified Platinum and included hit singles “Ladies’ Night” and “Too Hot,” both of which reached the top 10 on the “Billboard” Hot 100 chart.

The band followed this with the 1980 Platinum album “Celebrate!,” peaking at #10 on the “Billboard” 200 and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The single “Celebration” achieved chart-topping success across the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand, garnering Platinum certifications in the U.S. and Canada. Bell mentioned that “Celebration” was his favorite song by Kool & the Gang and was inspired by a passage from the Quran. The band continued their success with “Something Special” (1981) achieving a #12 ranking on the “Billboard” 200 and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while “As One” (1982) peaked at #29 and #5 on those same charts. Singles from these albums, including “Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)” and “Get Down on It,” reached #1 and #4, respectively, on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Additional hits such as “Big Fun” and “Let’s Go Dancin’ (Ooh La, La, La)” were also featured on “As One,” both achieving top 10 status.

The subsequent three albums—”In the Heart” (1983), “Emergency” (1984), and “Forever” (1986)—also made a mark on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with “Emergency” achieving a 2× Platinum certification and the others reaching Gold. The songs “Joanna” and “Cherish” both topped the charts of the “Billboard” 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, while “Fresh” became another #1 hit. Despite leaving the band in the late ’80s and not participating in the 1989 album “Sweat,” Ronald reunited with Kool & the Gang for their 1992 album “Unite.” The group went on to release “State of Affairs” (1996), “Gangland” (2001), and “The Hits: Reloaded” (2004). Their album “Still Kool” (2007) peaked at #31 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and went Platinum in France. Following “Kool for the Holidays” in 2013, the last album featuring Ronald was “Perfect Union,” released in 2021. Ronald was instrumental in writing and producing many beloved tracks for the band, such as “Jungle Boogie,” “Cherish,” and “Open Sesame.”

Personal Life and Death

In 1972, Ronald embraced Islam, joining The Nation of Islam and receiving the name Khalis Bayyan from Imam Warith Deen Mohammed. He was married to Tia Sinclair for more than 25 years until his passing in 2020 and had prior marriages to Pamela Nasim Bell and Yacine Bell. In total, Ronald fathered 10 children: one with Tia, three with Pamela, and four with Yacine. His son Rachid followed in his footsteps as a singer, achieving success on the “Billboard” Dance Club Songs chart with his 1998 hit “Pride.” Ronald Bell passed away on September 9, 2020, at his home in the Virgin Islands at the age of 68, with his publicist stating that his death was unexpected.

Awards and Nominations

Kool & the Gang received a total of 11 nominations for the American Music Awards, winning for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group in 1982, 1983, and 1986. They also won for Favorite Soul/R&B Album with “Emergency” in 1986 and for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group Video Artist in 1987. At the “Soul Train” Awards, the group earned a nomination for Album of the Year – Group, Duo, or Band for “Forever” in 1987, along with the Legend Award in 2014. They were presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2003 MOBO Awards and received the Golden Camera for Lifetime Achievement at the 2014 Golden Camera Awards. The band was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2007, and announced as inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. In 2018, Ronald, along with his brother Robert and bandmates James “J.T.” Taylor and George Brown, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.