CONCERT REVIEW – THE BELLAMY BROTHERS

Howard and David, the Bellamy Brothers, sang for a solid ninety minutes at the Sisseton Performing Arts Center on Saturday, September 17. That we recognized almost everything they sang shows how many hits they have had. David introduced himself by saying he’d celebrated his 72nd birthday the previous day. (Which means he was born two days before me.) Howard is 76 years old. I’d previously talked to Howard when I spotlighted him in my newsletter: https://dianediekman.com/dianes-country-music-newsletter-27-january-2021/.

When they kicked off “Kids of the Baby Boom,” I felt as if, wow, this is actually real. I’d never seen them perform, and here they were in real life. That was their tenth number one song (1987) in the space of ten years. It was written by David, the songwriter for most of their songs.

CONCERT REVIEW – THE MUSIC OF RANDY TRAVIS

I finally met Randy Travis!! I’ve been his fan and have followed his career ever since first hearing “On the Other Hand” on my car radio while driving to Susie’s Nashville East in Virginia Beach in 1986 to go dancing. After getting my University of Illinois Press contract in 2019 to write his biography, I’ve corresponded with Randy and his wife, Mary, via email.

So I was excited to learn the Music of Randy Travis Show was coming to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, on August 28. (more…)