However, nothing provided as much attraction as the rock & roll they heard on their sister’s records and the radio. From the Everly Brothers to the Beatles, the Bellamy Brothers soaked up the sounds of contemporary pop and rock. In their late teens and early twenties, they once again became infatuated with country music, thanks to the music of George Jones and Merle Haggard.
Both Howard and David learned how to play a variety of instruments in their childhood. Neither child had any formal training, but Howard managed to learn the guitar, banjo, and mandolin, while David learned the piano, accordion, fiddle, banjo, organ, and mandolin.
Both brothers went to college at the University of Florida. While they were students, they had their first paying gigs — playing fraternity parties. Howard and David both earned degrees at the University of Florida; Howard majored in veterinary medicine, while David earned one in psychology.
During the late ’60s, the two performed in a number of bands, both together and separately. Playing in a never-ending series of bands and clubs proved tiring, and the brothers moved back home to work on their songwriting.