The Bellamy Brothers
Howard (b. 2 February 1946, Darby, Florida, USA) and David (b. 16 September 1950, Darby, Florida, USA). Bellamy became one of the top country acts of the '80s after beginning their career in pop and soul. The brothers' father played bluegrass music but David Bellamy's first professional job was as keyboardist with the soul band the Accidents in the mid-60s, backing artists including Percy Sledge. The brothers formed the band Jericho in 1968, but disbanded three years later. They then began writing songs for other artists, and David's Spiders And Snakes was a Top 3 pop hit for Jim Stafford in 1973-74. The Bellamy Brothers signed to Warner Brothers Records the following year and in 1976 reached the top of the US charts and the UK Top 10 with Let Your Love Flow. Although they continued to release albums and singles for the next few years, their days as a pop act were over. In 1979 the double-entendre-titled If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me became the first of 10 country number singles for the group. This became their biggest hit in the UK where it made the Top 3. By the late '80s, having transferred to Curb Records, the brothers still recorded Top 10 country singles on a regular basis, and enjoyed a strong following.