Omaha-bred mother-daughter duo The Belles generate engaging traditional country music for the modern age. Led by Jaymie Jones and her 20-year-old daughter, Kelli, they mix pop-rock rebellion with classic-country values, making music that appeals across generations.
Kelli: "A couple of themes run through our recent music. 'Set in My Ways' and 'Didn’t Break Mine' talk about being true to yourself and being strong. Then there is the heartbreak side of 'Same Thing' and 'The Leavin,' which show that it’s okay to put your heart out there and get your heart broken because that's the only way to find love and grow.
"I grew up watching my mom and her sisters sing in their band called Mulberry Lane. I always imagined I’d be a singer too, and I could naturally hear harmony from a super-young age. So eventually, I asked my mom if I could be her backup singer when she started a solo project. She said yes. I loved it so much that after two shows, and some encouragement from a few folks, I told her I wanted to be in a duo with her instead of singing backup. Mom said OK — let’s try it. And the rest is history — or herstory.
Jaymie: "When we first started out, Kelli was just fourteen, and we’d play coffee houses and small fairs in the summer. As Kelli grew up — she’s twenty-one now — she took over all the leads and developed a really identifiable voice that’s part Stevie Nicks, part Dolly, and I feel my job is just to blend with her. I sing below her, and I love to find interesting harmony parts and 'lock in' so that we sound like one voice, but in harmony. (Cowboy and Indians - Kristin Brown)
