Carla Huston Bell

CARLA WAS BORN IN GLENDIVE, MONTANA 1934 AND EXCELLED IN BOTH MUSIC AND THE CLASSROOM. SHE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA IN 1951 WITH A BACHELORS IN MUSIC WITH HONORS; AND REPRESENTED THE STATE OF MONTANA IN THE MISS AMERICA CONTEST IN 1955. SHE THEN MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY TO BEGIN A CAREER IN ENTERTAINMENT. SHE WAS A REGULAR ON THE PERRY CUOMO SHOW AND IN 1960 PLAYED THE LEAD ROLE IN THE OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL, THE FANTASTICKS.

HER BUSTLING LIFE IN NEW YORK CITY’S ENTERTAINMENT SCENE SOON BROUGHT HER FACE TO FACE WITH HER MUSICAL SOUL MATE, SAMUEL AARON BELL, WHO BECAME AN IMPORTANT CREATIVE COLLABOATOR. THEIR MUSICAL FRIENDSHIP SOON EVOLVED INTO A DEEP ROMANCE AND LIFE PARTNERSHIP, PRODUCING TWO SONS THAT QUICKLY BECAME THE PRIORITY IN HER LIFE.

SHE RETURNED TO SCHOOL ATTENDING COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND RECEIVED BOTH HER MASTERS DEGREE AND PHD IN MUSIC EDUCATION IN 1977. TO THIS DAY, HER DISSERTATION ON THE FRENCH COMPOSER OLIVIER MESSIAEN REMAINS ONE OF THE DEFINING WORKS ON MESSIAEN’S MUSIC. EDUCATION WOULD THEN BECOME CARLA’S NEXT CHALLENGE AS SHE ASSUMED THE ROLE OF DIRECTOR OF THE MUSIC DEPARTMENTS FOR THE DALTON SCHOOL AND LATER TRINITY SCHOOL IN MAHATTAN. CARLA WAS AN INSPIRATION FOR MANY YOUNG MUSICIANS AND PLANTED SEEDS OF CREATIVITY WITHIN EVERY STUDENT SHE ENCOUNTERED.

AFTER 15 YEARS IN EDUCATION CARLA ENTERED THE NEXT PHASE OF HER LIFE WHICH TOOK HER TO WALL STREET. IN 1983 SHE JOINED SHEARSON AMERICAN EXPRESS AS A TRAINEE AND WENT ON TO BECOME A TOP PERFORMING FINANCIAL ADVISOR FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. OVERCOMING THE DISCRIMINATORY CHALLENEGES WOMEN FACED IN THE FINANCE INDUSTRY OF THE EIGHTIES, CARLA’S SINCERITY, WORK ETHIC AND ABILITY TO AUTHENTICALLY RELATE ALLOWED HER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS FOR HER CLIENTS AND PROVIDE FOR HER FAMILY.

CARLA RETIRED IN 1998 AND MOVED TO SOUTH FLORIDA IN 2010 UNDER THE LOVING CARE OF HER TWO SONS. IN HER WORDS, “I NO LONGER NEED ACCEPTANCE AND PRAISE FOR ACHIEVING A GOAL. THE FEELING OF LOVE FOR DOING WHATEVER I AM DOING IS MORE IMPORTANT. WHAT ONCE HAD BEEN A NEED TO COMPETE, HAS TURNED INTO THE JOY OF SHARING MY SUCCESSES WITH MY FAMILY AND OTHERS.”