The bros are back: Love flows for Bellamy Brothers as memories spring to life

TRACY SCOTT Special to the Standard-Times
Thursday, August 6, 2009

                 One of my worst realizations as a middle-aged man is that I’m closer to old than young these days. At 45, this has been driven home in several harsh ways.

One is physical limitations. Another is not being able to eat anything that doesn’t give me indigestion.

But the harshest comes in the form of music.

Two years ago, on a muggy Saturday night at San Angelo’s Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage, I was backstage, enjoying the company of my lovely daughter. I was anticipating the arrival of the legendary Bellamy Brothers and was almost giddy when they took the stage.

As the Brothers broke into their first song, “Let Your Love Flow,” a wave of nostalgia rushed over me, taking me back to collegedays — stale beer and summer dresses.

My daughter broke into my thoughts and said, “Wow, Daddy, that is like one of the greatest classic country songs of all time.”Just like that, the memories faded and there I stood thinking,“Geez, I’m old. This song was at the top of the music charts when I was her age!”

Once I quit feeling sorry for myself, I was amazed at the crowd that night and the show the Bellamy Brothers gave. Children younger than my daughter, guys my age and folks even I considered old were cheering and singing every word.

That’s when I realized I was in the presence of a pair of legends in music. Not country music or pop music, but just music.

The Bellamy Brothers’ first official concert was in 1968, a free show in San Antonio, Fla. After several years of songwriting and playing with different bands, the Brothers released “Let Your Love Flow” in 1976. It was the first of 14 No. 1 hits worldwide.

The rest is five decades of history: 29 studio albums, one live album, 19 compilation albums and 70 singles spanning country, pop, gospel and even reggae music.

Howard and David show no signs of slowing down either, with their newest project, “The Anthology, Vol. 1,” released Aug. 1. Itincludes the single “Guilty of the Crime,” a collaboration with the Bacon Brothers.

They’re proving once again that old guys can still rock and roll; it just takes us a little longer to recuperate.

The Bellamy Brothers will be back in San Angelo on Thursday at The Party Ranch, and once again I will find myself driftingbetweenmemories of redneck girls, intramural football and beer, and the reality that I still have to pay for a college education — notmine, butmy 20-year-oldbaby’s.

Tracy Scott is the program and music director and on-air morning personality for KKCN 103.1 FM.                                                                                                                       

If you go

What: Bellamy Brothers live in concert

When: Thursday

Where: Party Ranch, 5233 Christoval Road