Bobby Belfry
of Nyack, NY

Description

I grew up in Franklin Square, NY, a quiet and family-oriented town on Long Island.  Along with my kid sister Nora, I enjoyed a loving and secure upbringing from hard working parents Jean and Robert (Bel) Belfry.  I am elated to still be in touch with so many of the wonderful people I grew up with (thank you Facebook!) and attended school in the company of at Polk Street School and H. Frank Carey High School where I was fortunate enough to have exceptional music and art teachers who encouraged my talents.  I went on to sing and study art in college at CW Post.

After school was out, I joined every band that would have me. I sang with a popular cover band (The Keep) at colleges and night clubs around the Tri-State area, including the esteemed Dublin Pub and OBI in Montauk.  My first foray as a songwriter happened with my band (TELL) where I wrote lyrics and began to investigate my spiritual and mystical beliefs.

From the pop/rock world, I was drawn to musical theater, which led to the night club scene of jazz and the art of cabaret where I discovered Rodgers & Hart, Stephen Sondheim and Johnny Mercer, et. al.  This ushered me to my beloved Brandy's Piano Bar, where I have been blessed to be in residence for 19 years. 

I am an award winning singer/songwriter, whose last album, entitled “LIVE: In The Heart Of The Universe” was released to great response. The CD/DVD, which features new songs written and performed by me and my band the last several years in the New York club scene, has also garnered airplay on radio stations around the U.S and has made many fans throughout the world along with my debut album, "Imperfect Rhymes" which has also received great critical notice: "Bobby Belfry is one to savor, embrace and lend the hand of fame to...smooth jazz outlets will have a ball with this shrewd offering" said Chuck Taylor of Billboard Magazine. Two cuts from Rhymes have been included on a popular jazz compilation, "In Love With Jazz", released in Poland and South Korea.

I have frequently performed at Feinstein’s, The Metropolitan Room, Don't Tell Mama and The Duplex, along with a recent engagement at The Oak Room in The Plaza Hotel, Lincoln Center, Town Hall, The Russian Tea Room, The Rainbow Room, Bitter End, China Club, CBGB’s, Smoke, The Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Kennedy Center, and The Cinegrill in Hollywood.

I have also performed on MSNBC (interview by Soledad O'Brian) and was a frequent guest on WOR Radio's The Joey Reynolds Show, whose theme song, penned by me, was played for an audience of millions, nightly.

I have been the recipient of the Back Stage Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist and the MAC Award for outstanding Pop/R&B Vocalist and several Critics Choice Vocalist Awards.

Filmmaker, Victor Mignatti (R Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet", The Real World) has included me in his documentary "This Time", which follows the careers of diverse artists in the music industry by weaving our music-filled stories, exploring the relationship between faith and persistence to longevity and the process of making music against all odds. The film had made rounds in film festivals and will soon have a theatrical release followed by a fully-loaded DVD and soundtrack.

My forthcoming CD is an absolute labor of love entitled, "One Lucky Day" is being produced by the gifted jazz musician David Budway. The set includes jazz standards I have performed in my NY club act for the last 15 years.