Zach Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin and Brian Elmquist, collectively The Lone Bellow, came into being when Georgia natives, long-time friends Zach Williams and Brian Elmquist, got together in Brooklyn; Williams having moved to New York City following his wife’s recovery from being temporarily paralysed from the neck down due to a horse-riding accident. During his wife’s period of recovery, Williams had kept a journal and was later persuaded to use this as a basis for songwriting. Williams and Elmquist subsequently recruited Pipkin, who had recently returned to New York after a period spent working in China. The band settled on a tight, three-part harmony signature sound and began playing gigs locally; they signed for Descendant Records in 2012 and released their eponymous debut LP early the following year. Touring extensively, The Lone Bellow opened for artists such as The Civil Wars, Dwight Yoakam and Brandi Carlile, developing a strong reputation in the process.
Up until 6th September 2013, I had never heard of The Lone Bellow; however, that evening I saw Dwight Yoakam at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The Lone Bellow was opening for Yoakam, and I was blown away by their performance; specifically, their songs, the emotion and energy that they poured into the performance and their amazing harmonies. The band were, quite literally, on song. In conversation with guitar player Brian Elmquist at a later date, he made the point of mentioning how cool it had been for the band, but for Elmquist in particular, to play at the Hollywood Palladium, because the venue featured heavily in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers, which is one of his favourite movies. The scene where The Blues Brothers perform their big reunion concert at “The Palace Hotel Ballroom” has its interior shots in the Hollywood Palladium.
I subsequently caught the band playing live on 8th March 2014 at Kendal Library, in the South Lakes, northwest England; playing to a small gathering of people. It must have been something of a struggle (as for many acts) in these circumstances, playing remote venues to a small audience, in a foreign country, and written at the top of each band member’s setlist that evening were the words “Suck it up“, which probably betrays how the band members were feeling. Despite this, the band were again at the top of their game, taking advantage of the intimate nature of the gig by performing off-mic at times, to great effect. I saw the band again on 21st January 2018, at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, by which time the audience was much bigger; however, the show once again finished with the band descending from the stage to perform a song, without microphones, surrounded by the audience.
Now, some six albums into their career, the band don’t seem to have the UK on their touring schedule these days (which is a real shame), with Setlist.FM suggesting the last time the band performed in the UK was 2020.
The band members have also done work outside the band, with Williams (under the name Zachary Williams) releasing three solo albums: Dirty Camaro (2021), 2022’s Battle Born (which was more of an EP), and 2026’s Western Desert Sky (Zachary Williams Band). Pipkin (along with Elmquist) contributes to her brother Mike Donehey’s 2021 LP Flourish. Elmquist has his own output, often collaborating with other artists, as well as contributing a song to the recent Buffalo Traffic Jam album Pictures of You. Additionally, he produced, sang backing vocals (along with Pipkin), and has three co-writing credits on Act I, the superb debut album from Kashus Culpepper from earlier this year.
The classic clip, subject of this piece, is from a performance the band did in November 2013, shortly after I had seen them supporting Yoakam; it depicts a young band in full flow with a debut album to promote. The song, Green Eyes and a Heart of Gold, typifies the band’s output of the time, written by Elmquist; it displays an infectious tempo and melody, and, of course, those harmonies, all with an energy, flamboyance, and charisma that characterises The Lone Bellow’s live performances. It sees the trio, augmented by Jason Pipkin (husband of Kanene) on bass and drummer Brian Griffin (who has worked with so many well-known artists, including The Black Crowes, Brandi Carlile, Richard Marx, and The Chicks).
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