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THE BELLAMY
BROTHERS: THE LOVE STILL FLOWS…
Howard and David continue to prove that the
trail they’ve ridden to fame has been as
unique as their music itself—music that is
now celebrating 30 years of success.
The road that started on the pop music
charts in the ‘70’s, took a winding turn
into country music in the ‘80’s, paving the
way for duos to come, such as Brooks & Dunn,
Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, and
previously—The Judds. But before the road
forked into country, the musical odyssey of
brothers Bellamy started creatively
smoldering in their home state of Florida,
before exploding nationally amidst the ’70’s
pop music culture of L.A.
The brothers first official gig was in
1968, playing a free show with their father
at the Rattlesnake Roundup in San Antonio,
Florida. They honed their early skills
playing black clubs throughout the south,
and singing backup for artists such as Percy
Sledge, Eddie Floyd, and Little Anthony &
The Imperials. Within a few months, the
brothers moved north, immersing themselves
and their rock/country sound in the Atlanta
market, where the Allman Brothers were the
emerging kings of the music world.
With the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
on the horizon, and America embroiled in a
smoke haze of drugs, civil unrest and an
unpopular war, The Bellamy's music picked-up
the hard driving edge that bespoke the
times. Songwriting had become David
Bellamy’s drug of choice during the long
road gigs he and Howard were regularly
pulling bodies and equipment to and from.
It was his songwriting that was posed to
soon provide the duo a national breakout.
The break came in the form of the hit,
“Spiders & Snakes,” written by David and
recorded by Jim Stafford. The song became a
smash, eventually selling more than three
million units worldwide. It became the
catapult that rocketed the brother onto the
L.A. music scene. Young and impressionable,
Howard and David fell into the musical
circle of the greats of the day: Bob Dylan,
James Taylor, and Van Morrison, as well as
West Coast based country rockers like Poco
and the Byrds.
It was a creative shoe that fit.
Now known by their music and the
company they were keeping, The Bellamys
officially lifted off the launch pad in 1976
when their single, “Let Your Love Flow,”
became an instant smash in both the U.S. and
Europe. It stayed on the international
charts long enough to build a huge
international fan base for the hip young
brothers that endures to this day. In
Germany alone it perched at #1 for more than
two months. The love was indeed flowing as
The Bellamys jammed for audiences on their
sold-out concerts and shared stages with the
likes of Loggins & Messina, the Doobie
Brothers, and the Beach Boys., with their
patented blend of rock/country music.
True to their musical roots, their
style and their songwriting was moving
steadily more towards their raising. By the
late ‘70’s The Bellamys were emerging on the
country charts with another bona fide smash.
“If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body (Would
You Hold It Against Me),” originally
scrawled on a dinner napkin by David,
rocketed them to the top of the country
charts the way “Let Your Love Flow,” had
done in the pop market just a few years
earlier. It proved to be the first of a
string of fourteen #1 singles in the U.S.
alone.
Success followed success: “Dancing
Cowboys,” “Sugar Daddy,” “You Ain’t Just
Whistlin’ Dixie,” “Lovers Live Longer,” “Do
You Love As Good As You Look,” “Redneck
Girl,” “For All The Wrong Reasons,” “I Love
Her Mind,” “I Need More Of You,” “Old
Hippie,” “Too Much Is Not Enough,” “Kids Of
The Baby Boom,” and “Reggae Cowboy” and
“Crazy From The Heart,”…all have lined the
corridors of the Bellamy’s musical history
and their walls with platinum and gold.
Along the way, Howard and David created
a patent on the newly cool “duo” category in
country music. In the era of the 2000’s,
The Bellamy Brothers hold the record in both
the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the
Country Music Association Awards (CMA) for
the most duo nominations. Numerous Grammy
nods have also been directed toward the
brothers.
Internationally, the story has been the
same—though the titles may be different.
The Bellamys have released more than
two-dozen hit songs outside the U.S. that
were never released here. With a sharp eye
on the songwriting skills that have been the
bedrock of their success, Howard and David
concur that their career is unique in their
international finesse for matching their
songs to the market.
“For the international releases, you
have to have a strong melody,” notes David.
“The lyric is very important, but
internationally the melody is something fans
can lock into, even if they can’t understand
the lyrics.” Howard and David continue to
perform and film TV specials in Europe and
around the world.
These days when the subject turns to
touring, The Bellamys are showing a new
generation of country music how it’s done.
“We’re old road dogs,” grins Howard when
asked about the motivation behind the
brothers 200 plus concert dates each year.
Adds David: “Our live draw is bigger than it
was in the ‘80’s. I think the same people
that grew up with us and with our music in
the ‘60’s and ‘70’s obviously have raised a
whole new generation of Bellamy fans who
started toddling to our music. Now they’re
turning up at our concerts as college kids,
who are really turned on and tuned in to us
and our music….it’s a great feeling.”
On the infrequent off days from the
road, Howard and David head the bus back to
their 150-acre family ranch in Darby,
Florida just north of Tampa. A working
ranch, the spread consists of Purebred
Charlois cattle and quarter horses. Amid a
land lush with fruit trees, ancient oaks and
crepe myrtles, three generation of the
Bellamy family, headed by David and Howard’s
mother, Frances, populate the homes
clustered in the family compound.
David and Howard’s latest effort has been
the corroboration with thirty or more guest
artists from all genres of music recording
their vocals on over twenty of the Bellamy’s
greatest hits plus three new selections.
The release of “Angels & Outlaws - Volume
One” (Curb/Bellamy Brothers Records)
features such songs and artists as “You
Ain’t Just Whistlin’ Dixie” with Alan
Jackson; “Old Hippie” with Montgomery
Gentry; and “If I Said You Had a Beautiful
Body” with none other than Ms. Dolly Parton
(whose interpretation makes it sound new all
over again). Cuts from Volume One have
charted here as well as in Europe. (As
reported, “The Bellamy Brothers Country
Music Duo makes history by scoring the Top 3
Slots on Europe’s Hotdisc Chart.”) Willie
Nelson, George Jones, Tanya Tucker and many
more also contributed their talents to this
CD proving these hits from the past still
resonate today. Once again, The Bellamy’s
“Let Their Hits Flow.” Stay tuned for
Volume II and another
30 years.
International Booking Agent
Judy Seale 615-872-2122
Booking: APA – Agency for the Performing
Arts
Rob Battie (615) 297-0100 |
