Anthony Bellamy or Tony "T-Bone" Bellamy, born as Anthony Avila[1][2] on 12 September 1946[3] to parents James and Olga Bellamy, died 25 December 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada,[4] was a Mexican-American Yaqui Indian[2], who became the lead guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the Native American rock band Redbone, in 1968.[5]
Before joining the band Redbone, Bellamy had performed with Dobie Gray, and a member of Peter and the Wolves (a band from San Francisco that evolved into the psychedelic band Moby Grape). Bellamy grew up in a family of dancers and musicians and learned to play the flamenco guitar as part of his musical education.[6][7]
Bellamy left Redbone in 1977.[6][7][8]
In the early 1980s Bellamy formed, together with his cousin Butch Rillera, the R&B band "Bimbam"[8], which performed several times at "Medley's" in Fountain Valley, California.[9] Medley's is a bar/restaurant owned by Bill Medley, former member of the Righteous Brothers.
In 1998 Tony Bellamy appeared with Pat Vasquez 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]
Tony Bellamy died at age 63 in a Las Vegas hospital on Christmas Day, 25 December 2009, as the result of a liver failure.[4] Tony has five children[3]. Some sources reported that Tony was born in 1940 and was 69 years of age, but this is incorrect; Bellamy's family confirmed that Tony originally used a birth year of 1940 so that he could legally play in the clubs.[3]
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