Robert “Kool” Bell: Kool & The Gang, Celebration, and Music Legacy | Kool Kids Foundation | Up+Adam

Sponsored by The Mountain AirRobert “Kool” Bell doesn’t just make music. He’s part of the rhythm of our lives. In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel chats with the co-founder of Kool & The Gang to go beyond the hits and into the heart behind them. From the unexpected rise of “Celebration” to the legacy of a sound that’s been sampled across generations, Kool reflects on a career that has shaped weddings, dance floors, and defining life moments around the world.But this conversation hits deeper. Kool opens up about the songs he wishes he had recorded, shouting out legends like Marvin Gaye and Prince, and shares the origin story of the Kool Kids Foundation, inspired by his late wife and built to bring music education back to young people. There’s even a wild, full-circle moment involving the group Color Me Badd that started with a chance encounter and turned into music history.Follow and learn more• Kool & The Gang: https://www.koolandthegang.com• Kool Kids Foundation: https://koolkidsfoundation.org• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koolandthegang*********PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!*Timbre Event with Cal Poly EIM Students Info HEREListen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!Life ElementsCity of SLOWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com©2026 Up+Adam with Adam Montiel / LoBro Studios, All Rights Reserved.