Tony Bellamy, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2009)
Tony "T-Bone" Bellamy (born Robert Anthony Bellamy; September 12, 1946 – December 25, 2009), was born to parents James Bellamy and Olga Bellamy (nee Avila). He became the lead guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the Native American rock band Redbone in 1968. 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. 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).Bellamy left Redbone in 1977. In the early 1980s, he and his Filipino-Chicano cousin, Butch Rillera formed the R&B band "Bimbam".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.Bellamy died on December 25, 2009 in a Las Vegas hospital of liver failure, at age 63. Some sources reported that he was born in 1940, and 69 at the time of his death, 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.