“The truth is, I didn’t discover the blues...it discovered me.”

You instantly believe Russell Keefe when he says this, the words spoken with a voice reminiscent of Tom Waits or Joe Cocker. The warm, broad smile that follows reassures you that he knows the world enough to know what he’s talking about.

The Manchester-born founder and lead singer of TBelly has a distinguished career in music to rest his laurels on, but he’s clearly focused more on what’s ahead of him and his new-found band than he is on what’s behind him.

As a member of Les KcKeown’s legendary Bay City Rollers, Keefe (as well as bandmates Kevin Magill and Ross Lardner) toured the world and recorded multiple studio and live records, furthering the iconic band’s worldwide success. But it was a batch of new songs that Keefe says fueled this new direction. “I started writing the songs a year or so ago and this blues style just came out. It suited my voice and it suited the type of songs I was writing. But there are other elements in the songs, and in the band too. TBelly certainly has its roots in the blues, but it’s very much a contemporary sound that we bring.”

About his songwriting process, Keefe adds, “Only two of the songs on this album have come from me deliberately sitting down at my piano and writing songs ––the rest have come in various ways––walking to the pub, or inspired by noticing the people I come across in everyday life. One evening I was walking through town and saw this old guy who had clearly been drinking a little, dancing a waltz with himself. That influenced the song “Night at the Ritz.” So sometimes I’d get an idea, or hear a melody in my head and over time it’d evolve into the songs you hear on the album.”

Bass player Riad Abji and backing singer Debs Bonomini fill out the band’s roster, and join Keefe and company on the 11 songs that make up TBelly’s forthcoming debut album Dead Men Don’t Pray.

“We set up drums, we set up amps, we set up mics and we played as a band––just like you’re supposed to,” says Keefe. “That’s the energy that’s on this record: people playing together, and having a blast.”

Recorded at the Brighton Electric recording studio and co-produced by Keefe and Paul “win” Winstanley, the band’s debut album Dead Men Don’t Pray is now available worldwide on Cabin Music/ECR Music Group.

ECR Music Group
on AirPlayDirect: http://www.airplaydirect.com/ecrmusicgroup

PRESS:

“Sometimes a new band comes along and you wonder where they’ve been all these years. With superb rock-tinged guitar, funky piano and sleazy Blues harp, TBelly make some fine music, but it is their vocal performance that grabs the ear and engages the spirit. Blues songs can compress deep and complex feelings into a few lines, but when they are projected with this kind of power and conviction, they can also open a door into a world of shared experience.”
—All About Blues Music

“An intense, electric, melodic and smart debut. Powerhouse band TBelly may declare that Dead Men Don’t Pray in the album’s title, but for all those still living: hear this record.”
—Blues Matters

“UK blues group TBelly boasts some curious pedigree. Founder Russell Keefe, drummer Kevin Magill and Ross Lardner were all members of Bay City Rollers. Add in bassist Riad Abji, backing singer Debs Bonomini and harmonica player Al Richardson, the group is making some pretty exciting sounds in a genre that can get long in the tooth of late. The band tours North America this summer.”
—The Province

“This five-piece from England is about contemporary blues, and lead singer Russell Keefe has a bulldog growl at once familiar and gutbucket.”
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“If it’s blues with raunch and punch you’re after, then have a close listen to TBelly’s debut album Dead Men Don’t Pray. From Russell Keefe’s raspy, ‘Tom Waits- style vocals, scorching guitar licks, pounding piano, ultra-tight rhythm and all the other elements you would expect from a hot blues band, this album doesn’t disappoint with every track a standout that will leave you breathless.”
—The Blues & Roots Music Blog

“The band may ask ‘Where’s The Doctor’ but a regular dose of this album will keep you uplifted and inspired as Russell and the band bring life and vigor into their rendition of their Blues. The title track will get you moving and you will want to play it again and again. A great debut album and I am already looking forward to their next album and their live gigs.”
—Big Blues Bonanza

“A new British band to check out for sure, who have produced a most enjoyable full-length debut album...definitely recommended!”
—Blues in the Northwest