Get into the 'Flow' at country duo's concert
The country classic duo Bellamy Brothers will be performing at Flathead High School on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
The concert is sponsored by the Flathead County Deputy Sheriff's Association.
The Bellamy Brothers have always pushed the borders of country music, adding strong elements of rock, reggae, and even rap.
Howard and David Bellamy released their first single, "Nothin' Heavy" in 1975. The song flopped. Dennis St. John, who was a friend of the Bellamys and Neil Diamond's drummer, suggested that the duo record a song written by Larry E. Williams, one of Diamond's roadies. After some encouragement, the Bellamy Brothers recorded and released Williams' song, "Let Your Love Flow." The song broke the doors wide open for the brothers, topping the pop charts and climbing into the country Top 30, as well as being a major hit in Britain, West Germany, and Scandinavia.
The Bellamy Brothers quickly released their debut album, also called "Let Your Love Flow," which became nearly as successful as the single.
The Bellamy Brothers' country breakthrough happened in 1979, with the tongue-in-cheek "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me." Initially, the song was a hit in Ireland, convincing the duo's American record company to release it as a single.
The song rocketed to number one on the country charts, which led to the top-five success of "You Ain't Just Whistlin' Dixie." The Bellamy Brothers' success continued to roll forward in 1980, as they scored two straight No. 1 hits - "Sugar Daddy" and "Dancin' Cowboys." They earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group and the CMA named them the Most Promising Group of the Year. Throughout 1980 and 1981, the group continued to rack up the hits, including "Do You Love as Good as You Look" and "They Could Put Me in Jail."
After they released the number one "For All the Wrong Reasons," the brothers followed with "Get into Reggae Cowboy," which was a groundbreaking country record that incorporated Jamaican rhythms. In 1982, the group was given a lifetime membership of the Federation of International Country Air Personalities, as well as being named the Top Country Duo by Billboard.
Throughout 1983, the brothers logged a number of hits. For the next three years, the brothers were at their peak, both popularly and artistically, scoring a number of hit singles that showcased their continuing musical development as well as their increasing lyrical sophistication, as indicated by the Vietnam vet anthem "Old Hippie" and "Kids of the Baby Boom."
The duo released the album "Angels & Outlaws Vol. 1," singing their best-known songs with other country artists, in 2005.
Tickets for the Bellamy Brothers are $25. They are available in advance at Music One and Books West in Kalispell, and on show night at the door.