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Bottom Line:

Some years back, when I was still listening to "country" radio, it was fairly common for the Bellamy Brothers to be thought of as a bit of a joke - the guys who always got a "default" nomination in the "Best Duo" category just so Brooks & Dunn would have some competition. I thought then, as now, that this was, and is, entirely unfair to a couple of guys who carved out a niche in the country-fried rock category for themselves and their music stands as a testimony to their talents and abilities.


They are much more than a "default."

All Number Ones
With the release of this collection of their number one hits, coming in as their 50th album, the Bellamys have undertaken a major tour to promote it, starting out June 15 in Kansas City, Missouri, and continuing throughout 2008 and into 2009, including two international legs that'll take 'em all through Europe and back across America.

These 12 songs are an excellent overview of the history of the brothers, who have been recording together for four decades, producing a bevy of classic country and country-rock hits. They may have started out on the rock charts with their international smash, "Let Your Love Flow," but they came back to their roots and stayed there, and it's as a country duo they are best known as now.

The Songs:

From country anthems like "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" and "Redneck Girl" to the notable country-rock rhythms of "Let Your Love Flow," the Bellamy Brothers have always, consistently, proven they are a true part of country music history.

Possibly the only reason there hasn't been a number one hit lately for them is more due to them being "too country" rather than any lack of musical skill or ability. The real deal, even from the pop-rock influenced Urban Cowboy era, is too country for today's "country" charts. After all, there's no doubt that "For All The Wrong Reasons" and "Sugar Daddy" are borderline pop songs. But David Bellamy has a way with words, most of these songs were written by this half of the brothers (the other being Howard), including retrospectives like "Old Hippie" (one of my favorites) and "Kids of the Baby Boom."

David and Howard Bellamy have been performing most of their lives, with David Bellamy handing Jim Stafford a top 5 hit with "Spiders and Snakes" in 1973, and then producing their first album for Curb Records in 1975. Grammys and award nominations followed, including more nominations in the Best Duo category in both the CMAs and AMCs than any other duo (and no matter what the smart-aleck DJs on the local station said, they were deserved).

Release Date: May 6, 2008 Label: Curb Records

Track List:

1. Let Your Love Flow
2. If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me
3. Redneck Girl
4. Do You Love as Good as You Look
5. When I'm Away From You
6. For All the Wrong Reasons
7. Dancin' Cowboys
8. Sugar Daddy
9. I Need More of You
10. Old Hippie
11. Kids of the Baby Boom
12. Too Much Is Not Enough