After 30 years on the American charts, fans might think they know every song by the Bellamy Brothers.
But Howard Bellamy said they've had a string of hits overseas with songs that never appeared on their American albums.
"We've always had a large following overseas," Howard said by phone from Oklahoma where the duo was playing last weekend. "Over the years, we've toured in 62 countries."
The brothers play tonight at Wink's Saloon Grill and Rodeo west of Olmito. Tickets cost $100 per person and include a brisket dinner.
Howard admits they've had an unusual career for two guys considered country singers. Several of their hits have straddled the line between pop and country giving them a broad fan base.
"A lot of times, overseas they don't understand the lyrics," he said. "(‘If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me.') was song of the year in England, but in other places they didn't understand the lyrics so they didn't get the joke."
In those countries, the Bellamy's hits are based on the appal of the melody.
"Foreign markets are a strange thing," Howard said.
The duo first came to the attention of the industry by writing "Spiders & Snakes" a huge hit for Jim Stafford. With the release of their own single, "Let Your Love Flow," everybody in the world seemed to know the Florida-raised brothers.
The Bellamy Brothers' country breakthrough came in 1979, with the humorous "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me." Originally released in Ireland, it became such a huge hit, the duo's American record company decided to put it out domestically. More than a dozen chart toppers followed.
They were nominated this year for a Dove award from the Gospel Music Association for their first Gospel album, 2007's "Jesus is Coming."
"That's the last thing in the world we ever expected," Howard said.
Counting all of their releases her and abroad, "Jesus is Coming" is the Bellamys 49th album.
"We felt like it was the time to do a Gospel CD," Howard said. " In the church is where we learned to sing."
But the Bellamys didn't want to sing the same old classics everyone has heard. They wrote their own songs. "We wanted to make it fresh and new for everybody," he said.
The Bellamys still tour constantly.
"We average 175 to 200 (concerts) a year. Don't ask me why," Howard said. "We're creatures of habit. We've been doing it for 33 years. I think we're out of our element if we're not on the road. We feel more normal doing this than anything else."
Those rare times they are home, Howard and David live on their family ranch in Florida. Each has his own home plus another house for their parents in the family compound. Howard admits he can only take so much time at the ranch before he starts to get antsy.
"We're like old racehorses: we want to run," he said with a laugh. "We can't run as fast as we used to but we still like to go."
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THE BELLAMY BROTHERS will perform at 8 p.m. today at Wink's Saloon Grill & Rodeo, 10700 FM 1421 in Brownsville. Tickets cost $100 per person and include a brisket dinner and a discount on tickets to a future concert at Wink's. 956-399-9465.
