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Bios & Band Info
If you need more material than we have in the options below, see our About page.
Ultra Short Bio
j. bell & the Lazy Susan Band are a Minnesota quintet that straddles Americana, blues, country, and heartland rock. Since 2001, they have released multiple live and studio albums while juggling performances all over the upper Midwest as well as in Arizona and Mexico.
Short Bio
j. bell & the Lazy Susan Band are a Minnesota quintet that straddles Americana, blues, country, and heartland rock. Influenced by Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Old 97s, Counting Crows, Soul Asylum and many more, this Twin Cities rock band always delivers energetic and memorable shows. Since 2001, they have released six full-length records, three EPs, and a live album, while juggling performances all over the upper Midwest as well as in Arizona and Mexico. In the fall of 2026, they will be releasing their seventh full length album, All. Right. Now. This new recording is somehow both unique and quintessential, putting their wide range of influences and songwriting chops on full display over the course of 10 new original songs. Their first release on vinyl, All. Right. Now. is rounded out with new recordings of live staples “$80 Whiskey” and “I Won’t Listen Then”.
Medium Bio
j. bell was born, raised and honed his musical and songwriting chops on the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. Always drawn to music, he has played nearly every instrument over the course of his life, but was never drawn to anything like he was to the guitar. He played in countless bands as a teen, and started writing songs when he discovered Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Willie Nelson. Later he found the same spark in bands like the Counting Crows, Soul Asylum, Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, and the Jayhawks.
In 2001, j. bell formed the Lazy Susan Band as a way to deliver his songs with a rotating cast of supporting musicians. Today, “the LSB” is a Minnesota quintet that straddles Americana, blues, country, and heartland rock. With a lineup that has remained constant since 2017, this Twin Cities rock band always delivers energetic and memorable shows. They have released six full-length records, three EPs, and a live album, while juggling performances all over the upper Midwest as well as in Arizona and Mexico. In the fall of 2026, they plan to release their seventh full length album, All. Right. Now.
Band Members
- j. bell: electric and acoustic guitars, lead vocals, band leader and chief songwriter
- Brian “BPZMAG” Zirngible: harmony vocals, trombone, percussion
- “$2 Bill” Turner: harmony vocals, keyboards, trumpet
- Mike Dolbow: harmony vocals, bass guitars
- Kent Mortimer: drums
j. bell, Brian, and Bill are available for “acoustic trio” shows in quieter or smaller venues.
Promo Photos
Click any image for a higher resolution downloadable version. More photos are available at the bottom of our About page.
Music
Four songs that represent our sound can be streamed in the players below. More samples and embedded streaming options are available on our music page.
$80 Whiskey
Setting Sun
Livin’
Fade
Videos
Nothing showcases our sense of humor and our “Lazy Ass Brass” horn section quite like our video for “The Reckoning”, a blues number from 2020’s Unreliable Witness. (Skip ahead to 2:10 if you want to get right to the music.)
More videos available here.
Press & Reviews
“All to Say” from this j. bell’s solo 2022 EP has been described by musician/critic Ether Diver as “Extremely polished pop/rock with some tasty guitar, a catchy chorus and excellent production. Rooted in pop Americana, but not so rootsy it’s rustic nor so poppy it’s saccharine.” Read the full review.
In celebration of Unreliable Witness (2020), j. bell sat down with Carol Roth from Adventures in Americana. Carol noted that “pretty wide range of influences shine through” on the record, and that the songs make you feel “like driving down a country road knocking over a farm stand”.
Career Highlights
- Performed with various lineups at venues across the upper Midwest since 2001
- Over 6,000 views on YouTube
- As of fall 2026, released seven full-length records, three EPs, and a live album
- Toured Arizona & Mexico in January 2023
- Opened for Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers in 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025
- Opened for the Gear Daddies in 2024 at the Ripplesippi festival in Aitkin
- Headlined several local festivals, including the Albert Lea Eddie Cochran festival (2023, 2024), Ham Lake BrewFest (2024) and the Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival (2025).
- Sold out shows as headlining act at venues such as the Terrace in Aitkin and Carbone’s in Minneapolis, or as a supporting act at the Aster Cafe in Minneapolis.
- Headlined at municipal park concerts in Eden Prairie, MN and Marshfield, WI.
- Supported acts in the Rochester Civic Music series (2017, 2022)
- In regular artist rotation for Carbone’s in Minneapolis and River Siren Brewing in Stillwater since 2023
- Performed at HopeStock annual benefit several years in a row
Social Media
Contact Information
Media: Krista Vilinskis, 612-242-1727
elephantsandflowersmedia@gmail.com
Booking: jbellwhiskey@gmail.com, 651-208-9458
Discography
- All. Right. Now. (2026)
- Waitin’ on Better Weather EP (2022)
- j. bell self-titled solo EP (2022)
- Unreliable Witness (2020)
- Greetings from Apocalyptic Falls (2018)
- Underneath a Minnesota Moon (2016)
- $80 Whiskey (2013)
- Heart Like a Disco Ball EP (2013)
- Something Else Entirely (2006)
- Live at Doc’s Landing (2004 – out of print)
- you…up in lights (2003)
Stage Plots
Coming soon!