Sandy Bell’s album,Break of Day: Songs for Colin, was born out of heart-wrenching grief, after losing her only son Colin Bell in a tragic train accident. He died at age 20 while walking home one night, listening to music on his headphones, in Brantford, Ontario. Says Bell: "Colin sparked joy wherever he went. He was caring, kind, wise, and fun. Everyone loved Colin – especially the girls, old people, and children, but none more so than his parents. His heart was wide open –- he’d always say “peace out” when leaving –- and he had a calm demeanor that put everyone at ease, a quick wit, and an enduring sense of justice that we should all do the right thing by ourselves and others. He's an inspiration to us all." Sandy Bell is best known for her fight to protect her natural garden in The Beaches, Toronto, and her precedent-setting court victory under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, that equated freedom of expression with religious freedom for the first time. She worked for several decades in Toronto’s music industry (for Arraymusic, The Esprit Orchestra, and the Jeff Healey Band), promoting and producing other artists’ concerts, and developing the groundbreaking Array Space in 2013. Bell co-founded the country-roots Toronto band The Wanted, and was co-lead singer of the group for 10 years. They enjoyed a residency at The Cameron House, and appeared regularly at The Gladstone Hotel, Moonshine Café, country fairs, corporate events, and performed at Hugh’s Room. The Wanted recorded and released five of Bell’s songs in 2020, on their self-titled album The Wanted. But it was only when she retired and moved to Nova Scotia that Bell was finally able to release her own solo album. As a girl, she studied voice and sang in choirs, later played in different bands, and worked with various writing partners over the years, but she’s always been a “naïve songwriter” who ekes out notes on a guitar, creates melodies in her head, and sings into a recorder to add lyrics.
