Tony Bellamy

Tony "T-Bone" Bellamy (born Robert Anthony Bellamy, born September 12, 1946 – died December 25, 2009), was born[1][2][3] to parents James Bellamy and Olga Bellamy (nee Avila).[4] He became the lead guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the Native American rock band Redbone in 1968.[5] Bellamy was a Yaqui tribesman with Mexican descent.

He grew up in a family of dancers and musicians and learned to play the flamenco guitar as part of his musical education. His younger sister was vocalist Michaelina Bellamy, and his younger brother is Latin percussionist Renaldo "Reno" Bellamy.[6] Before joining Redbone, Bellamy had performed with Dobie Gray, and was a member of Peter and the Wolves (a band from San Francisco that evolved into the psychedelic band Moby Grape).[7][8]

Bellamy left Redbone in 1977.[7][8][9] In the early 1980s, he and his Filipino-Chicano cousin, Butch Rillera formed the R&B band "Bimbam".[9]

In 1998, Bellamy appeared with Pat Vegas in a Redbone special guest performance at the inaugural Native American Music Awards. On October 4, 2008 they appeared at the 10th Annual Native American Music Awards and were inducted into the Native American Music Association Hall of Fame.[10]

On Christmas Day, December 25, 2009, Bellamy died in a Las Vegas hospital as the result of liver failure. He was 63 years of age.[6] Some sources reported that he was born in 1940 and was 69 years of age, but this was incorrect; his family confirmed that he originally used a birth year of 1940, so that he could legally play in the clubs.[3]