Patrick Bell

Hometown: Bryant Street, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Connection to the Circuit

“Although I wasn’t alive when the Circuit was around, I remember my family talking about some of the acts that would come into town.”

Has the music of the Circuit impacted the African American community?

“It was an inspiration for a lot of locals from Thiboduax that eventually got into the performing arts business. In particular: music. Thad Richard, who is right there in Thibodaux, has traveled the world with Paul McCartney. Tony Hall, who is still performing, played with the Funky Meters out in New Orleans. Mr. Reynolds Richard [who is now deceased] wrote a lot of songs for Ray Charles.”