The Bellamy Brothers
Headline Northeast Texas
Music Festival, Saturday

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

"Mama said slow down. I was going too fast.....I had some wild friends. We did some crazy things. We kept some long late night hours.....We took it to the edge, running full speed ahead...." were the words from a popular 1980's hit by The Bellamy Brothers, and most of the crowd from Sulphur Springs, that traveled to Winnsboro to hear the popular duo were "going a little bit slower." However, many could still remember those times and had a great time attending the 7th Annual Northeast Texas Music Festival.

Many made a stop at Lou Viney's Winery and Bistro for supper and enjoyed a full menu of Italian food that included choices of "Jazzy Chicken Curry," Groovin' Greek Chicken Salad," "Rockin' Chicken and Pasta with Marinara Sauce," or "Swingin' 3 Cheese & Fruit." Others chose, "Foot Stompin' Stuffed Grape Leaves" or "Hip Hoppin' Stuffed Mushrooms." The wine list included Chenin Blanc "Dixie," Lou Viney Rouge, "Derby," "Belle," or Muscat Canelli "Phat Cat." The perfect ending to a great meal was enjoying the wide selections of desserts and the Texas Cream Sherry.

 

 

The Music Festival began at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, with "The C" on stage, also known as Dale Cummings, a native of Winnsboro, as he performed a singing and dancing routine to rock and roll classics. Next, was Myra Rolen, who is currently reviewing songs for her first CD. Rolen regularly performs at fairs, oprys, and music festivals.

Cole Scoggins, of Mt. Vernon, was the next performer, as he delighted the crowd with a wide range of music, that pleased the crowd. Cole was followed by The Cross Roads Band, a Gospel Music Band that was formed in 2005, and featured a wide selection of contemporary and classic gospel. Cheyenne Smith, The Wildhorse Band, Rhonda Henderson, and The Luke Williams Band all performed sets during the afternoon and early evening.

 

 

Then, at approximately 8:00 p.m., The Bellamy Brothers took the stage, and began an outstanding performance that took many in the crowd back to their teenage and college days, as the group hit the Country and Western scene in 1976, with their first hit, "Let Your Love Flow."

Saturday night's performance included that number one hit, and a host of others, including, "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me," "Feelin' the Feelin', " "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend," "Sugar Daddy," and "Old Hippie." Loud cheers rang throughout the crowd, as they broke into "Kids of the Baby Boom," and "Do You Love As Good As You Look."

 

The next generation of The Bellamy Brothers,
Jesse and Noah Bellamy, sons of David Bellamy,
as they performed "Wild and Willy."

 

The crowd remembered the words to "Big Hair," "Dancing Cowboys," and "For All the Wrong Reasons." And, then it was "swamp" time, as the brothers performed "Catahoula," the popular song about the dog in the Florida Everglades. And, then David Bellamy introduced "Drug Problems," as song from the brother's new gospel album, entitled "Jesus Is Coming." The song featured lines about "being drug to church on Sunday, being drug by your ears, when you were bad, and drug to Grandpappy's farm to work...." and ended with the lines, "I thank you for giving me a drug problem, it still affects everything I do...If kid still had this kind of drug problem, I believe the world would be a better place!"  The crowd answered with a loud round of applause.

 

 

Then, David Bellamy introduced "the next generation of Bellamy Brothers," his two sons, Jesse and Noah Bellamy, who sang their recent number one hit on The Texas Country Music Chart, "Wild and Willy." The duo then accompanied their dad and Uncle Howard, in the vocals on another song from the new Bellamy Brothers Album.

 

Fans enjoyed "World's Greatest Lover," and cheered when the refrains from "I'd Lie to You For Your Love," as "I'm a doctor. I'm a lawyer. I'm a Movie Star. I'm an astronaut. I own this bar...." reverberated from the roof!

Howard and David Bellamy sang a few more songs from their "Angels and Outlaws" Album, and the crowd broke into laughter as Howard admitted that about all he could remember about the album was that Dolly Parton performed on it!"

 

 

The show ended with an oncore presentation of "You Ain't Just Whistlin' Dixie," that almost anyone in the crowd, from Northeast Texas could identify with the lyrics.

The Bellamy Brothers were available to sign autographs, as long line formed, and visited with fans until well past 11:00, as producers of the show announced that plans were already underway for the 8th Annual Northeast Texas Music Festival, next year.

 

 

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