Howard Bellamy - vocals, guitar; David Bellamy - vocals, guitar; Billy Crain - lead guitar; Danny Jones - pedal steel guitar; Ron Taylor - keyboards; Wally Dentz - bass, harmonica; Rick Lanno - drums
This show was captured long after the band had seen their biggest success, but while they still had a sizeable draw on the country music circuit. At this time, they had recorded 10 songs that had made it to the top of the country charts, and shortly after this show was recorded, they would write and record a new song called "You'll Never Be Sorry," that stayed on the country charts for a remarkable 27 weeks.
Recorded at New York's legendary Lone Star Cafe on 52nd Street, the Bellamy Brothers open the show with "I Love It," and go through a series of material from several of their albums, including the country hits, "Dancin' Cowboy," "Honey, We Don't Know No One In Nashville," "Jeannie Rae," and the novelty songs, "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me)," and "Redneck Girl." Hearing all these songs together it is clear to see why the Bellamy Brothers have been enduring act for over 30 years.
Howard and David Bellamy grew up in Florida, where their parents had a successful orange grove plantation. Their father was a country swing musician on the side, and the boys grew up in a musical family listening to their father's country music, rock 'n' roll that their older sister introduced to them, and calypso music that the migrant works on their parent's farm would sing while in the fields. After attending college at the University of Florida, Howard landed a job playing organ for Percy Sledge and later, Little Anthony & The Imperials. When David got out of school, the two brothers formed a soul band called Jericho, relocating in Atlanta.
Eventually, they moved back to Florida, and one of David's songs, "Spiders & Snakes" would end up in the hands of popular country artist, Jim Stafford. Stafford liked the song enough to record it, and the two brothers soon saw success when the song soared to the top of the Country charts, and eventually #5 on the pop charts. The success of "Spiders & Snakes" got them a spot on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and brought them to the attention of the Nashville A&R brass. The group signed with Curb Records in 1976, and the initial singles were released to little fanfare or success. Then, when a roadie for Neil Young named Larry Williams (who had been a friend of Howard's), gave them one of his songs, "Let Your Love Flow," the brothers immediately cut it.
Curb, knowing a hit when it heard one, released the song and within a few months, the Bellamy Brothers had a #1 hit on both the country and pop charts. They would continue recording and touring but didn't see another major hit until 1979, when they wrote and recorded the massive country hit, "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me)."