Howard and David Bellamy have created their own brand of unique music music that is now celebrating 30 years of success. Their success started on the pop music charts in the ‘70’s, taking a turn into country music in the ‘80’s, leading to duos with Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, and The Judds. The Bellamys officially launched their chart busting career 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 brothers that continues to this day.
Leah: I have to be honest guys, I didn't recognize your names, but I sure recognized some of your songs, like "Let Your Love Flow."
David: Well, we'd rather our music be known than our names anyway.
Leah: You've recorded 49 other records, what made you decide to all of the sudden do a gospel record?
David: Well, our first endeavor into music was singing gospel. We grew up singing gospel in our community church in Darby, Florida. We played in all kids of bands, quartets, country bands and rock bands and all kinds of things. We had our first hit. It was a huge international hit, and it was played everywhere from Rock -n-Roll radio to churches. It was a very positive record. Over the years as we did albums we would include a gospel tune here and there because it was something we always did. We never did a full project because we were busy with the country market and chasing the charts and all that kind of stuff. We decided at this point in our career we wanted to do a full gospel project and we wanted to write it. It turned out very well and so far it's been really well received.
Leah: Being primarily secular artists, were you at all concerned about how the Christian market would receive you?
David: Well, you never really know, but this day in time I think taste is broader. I think it's a good time for it, and we know that live they've been received incredibly well. Better than anything we've done in a long time. I think our fans kind of expect us to do something kind of fresh and new, and this is fresh for them. It kind of shows where we really came from, and even after 31 years of recording it helps people to really realize what we're all about, and that we don't just record country and country rock records. We have a much deeper background.
Leah: You said that you're staging these gospel tunes. Have you done any Christian oriented venues other than the secular ones you usually do?
David: We haven't yet, because we're usually booked a year in advance, but we have had some meetings with our booking agent talking about wanting to do that. You know we come from the old school. We recorded on eight track, vinyl and everything up to the CD age and beyond. When we were growing up gospel was just a part of what we did. It wasn't separated. It was just part of our music. We used to work up specials to sing at church, and it was something we were born into rather than got into.
Leah: So, what you're saying is that music has become more segregated.
Howard: Exactly. I do think though that you would be surprised at the gospel and country crossover crowd. We get a big overlap.You know it doesn't matter where they come from. They all need saving. We want to strike a nerve in areas that normally we wouldn't strike a nerve.
Leah: Well, Alan Jackson just released a song called, "It's All About Him." So it sounds like some other country artists feel the same way.
David: Well the more people you can reach with the message the better. Most facets of music are inspirational or spiritual anyway. Based on that, it's a natural thing. A common thread that runs through different genres of music. I think seeing Gospel within the realm of Country is completely normal.
Leah: Speaking a little more specifically about the album, "Jesus Is Coming." Do you guys have a favorite track?
David: Well, we really like the whole album and had a great time making it, which is more than you can say for most albums, because making some of them is like pulling teeth, but I think we're pretty partial to "Grandma's God." It's pretty autobiographical. She was our rock, and it's kind of a tribute to her. Also, it probably had the most tracks that we've recorded on any record. It had so many harmony parts, so many background vocals, and we did all of those, and we were really happy with how it came out. This whole album is really where we began, being raised in the church, and there was a period of backsliding, which we all have done; but this coming back around seems to have been kind of the theme. Ya know if you're brought up right, and taught the things of God, you end up coming back around.
Leah: That's hard to remember sometimes when you're praying for a lost son or daughter. I'd like to ask you about the humor in your music. You've always incorporated that, but sometimes it's a challenge to blend the often serious topic of religion, with humor. I think ya'll did a great job on this record. Tell me about that.
David: Well we have a very warped sense of humor! You seem to think it's a good thing. We HOPE it's a good thing! We've always had funny stories in our family about things, and church was always a big part of our lives.
Howard: We've had funny things happen IN church!
David: I think in life a sense of humor is so important to surviving it. I'm certain that God has a sense of humor.
Leah: Well, just reading the song titles for your CD is interesting reading. "Lord help me be the kind of person, my DOG thinks I am!"
David: Leah, we actually know that character! The guy who would always try.
Leah: What is the mission or message of this record? Are you trying to go more in the gospel direction permanently or were you just exploring that side of who you are?
David: I think both of us would like to record more gospel records. It's always a challenge to be fresh when you've recorded as much as we have, and this is a fresh direction for us. We have quite a few other gospel songs that we'd like to get out there.
Howard: I think time wise, the world has never been in a bigger mess than they are now and needed to hear the message more from people who felt strongly about things. I can't remember in my lifetime, and I'm 61, the world has always had it's challenges, but I can't remember a worse time. It's hard to be optimistic. All the things you read in the bible, it seems closer now than ever before to coming true. Having nothing to do with our career, but everything to do with just doing what we feel is in our soul to do at this time.
Leah: Well, I think the best thing for you to do is to keep doing this kind of music in the genre where you have a voice and people listen to what you have to say. It sounds like you would have the most impact doing there. You have had a such longevity in your career, which is something to be respected. In Southern Gospel music we have just about as many artists as we do fans, in that a lot of our fans have groups of their own. Also living in Nashville, so many people come here with their dreams and a guitar hoping to make it big. I know a lot of them would love to hear your advice on dealing with the music industry. Do you feel that you have been negatively influenced by the industry? Maybe they pulled you away from who you really are as artists? Or have you preserved that? And if so, how did you do so?
David: Wow! That's a really good question.
Howard: Well, I think we have preserved who we are, and I don't know if this is a popular answer, but I think one of the reasons is that we've never lived in Nashville. We grew up in a little country town in Florida. I mean, we were country. When I was a teenager, we still had an outhouse! Oddly enough the first record we cut was "Let Your Love Flow," in Los Angeles. We cut that record on Hollywood and Vine in the middle of Hollywood, and actually ended up living in L.A. for five years. Most of our producers did not want us to go country. Well, that was kind of silly because everything we did was country, we just happened to have a huge pop/rock record. So we toured the world, because that record was #1 in like 17 countries, and when we came back we decided to move back to Florida. We liked it better there. Hollywood is not exactly a warm and cuddly city. So we moved back down to the ranch and started recording down there. We built a studio there, and never really made the move to Nashville. We have nothing against Nashville. We have a lot friends there, but this music does sort of hang you out to dry. We've been on some roller coaster rides. Everybody goes through it, but I think we survived because we weren't there. Of course sometimes it's really hard not living there because being in Nashville you can take care of biz.
Leah: Maybe some artists will think about that.
David: The industry does try to pull you, but we were fortunate to have such success so early on. We just couldn't leave home. The ranch has been in our family since 1870. There's no way to leave it. It's been in our family for generations. I think there's a lot of spirituality on that place, and a lot of our songs are inspired by that place. Faith has certainly played a part in our success. There were times when we didn't know which way we were going and something just opened up like it was all planned out. So we have come to believe in it.
Leah: Well, you certainly have a great story and great songs to share. We have a lot of songwriters that frequent the site, so I'd like you to share a little bit about how the songwriting process works for you.
Howard: Well , I think there's no set formula. Just when you think you've got a system, it changes on the next song. Sometimes, it's a hook or a melody or sometimes, it's just a feel. We like to write a song that feels a certain way. It's a life long study. I know I've written some hit songs, but when I sit down to write it's very humbling because you're starting all over.
Leah: I think it's very interesting about writing to the feel of a song. One of my favorites on the record was the song, "Beautiful Night," and as you were talking I was thinking of the feel of that song.
David: It kind of puts you there. You know when you walk into an Italian restaurant you want to smell garlic! Every song has a feel, a mood, an ambiance. It's almost like lighting. It's almost like setting a stage, and I think that part of it is almost as important as anything else. Of course we strive to have a good foundation for a song too, a good melody and such.
Leah: Well, guys I've really enjoyed talking to you. On behalf of SoGospelNews I'd like to thank you for your time today and also the tee-shirts, CD's and guitars that you're providing for giveaways on the site. The fans will love it!
Bellamy Brothers website: http://www.bellamybrothers.com
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Written: 08/15/2007
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Category: Feature Articles
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I've always been a fan of the Bellamy Brothers which is why I'm thrilled to see the Bellamy's have recorded a gospel album. They have always had such smooth harmony. Napster has the album for $9.95. The songs "Spiritually Bankrupt", "Wings of the Wind" and "Jesus Is Coming" have the feel of any classic Bellamy Brothers hit as does "Beautiful Night" that Leah mentioned was her favorite. The sanctification of "Old Hippie III" and the re-make of their first hit song "Let Your Love Flow" were well done and I liked the calipso beat on "I'll Fly Away." This album is a real ministry album which is why I hope many of the tracks will find their way not only onto Country gospel stations but also onto secular country stations so that ultimately many souls will be reached for the Lord. Thanks for Leah for finding the album and to the Bellamy's for working out the time to do an interview. God bless you both and your new project for the kingdom.
Tony Partigianoni
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Pure SGM & Quartet-Style Singing
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