Brother Phelps
| Company type | Duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Ricky Lee Phelps, Doug Phelps |
| Headquarters | Edmonton, Kentucky , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Number of employees | 2 |
| Parent | None |
Brother Phelps was a country music duo from Edmonton, Kentucky, composed of siblings Ricky Lee Phelps and Doug Phelps, who both contributed vocals and guitar. The pair departed from the Southern rock ensemble The Kentucky Headhunters to establish their own act. Their first single, "Let Go", released in 1993, climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard country charts. Between 1993 and 1995, they placed six singles on the charts, though only one additional track reached the Top 40. They issued two records under Asylum Records. The duo parted ways in 1995; Doug resumed his role as lead vocalist with The Kentucky Headhunters, while Ricky Lee embarked on a solo path.
Biography
Born in 1953 in Edmonton, Kentucky, Ricky Lee Phelps and his younger brother Doug Phelps, born in 1960 in Leachville, Arkansas, grew up in Arbyrd, Missouri. Doug completed his education at Southland High School located in Cardwell, Missouri. Both brothers joined The Kentucky Headhunters in 1986—Ricky Lee took on lead vocals, and Doug handled bass guitar as well as backing vocals. The band’s debut album, Pickin' on Nashville (1989), yielded four singles that reached the Top 40 on country charts. Following the less successful second album, Electric Barnyard (1991), Ricky Lee and Doug exited to form their own group. Mark Orr succeeded Ricky Lee as the lead singer for The Kentucky Headhunters.
The name Brother Phelps was inspired by their minister father. In 1992, they signed with Asylum Records and transitioned from Southern rock to a more traditional country style. Their debut single "Let Go" achieved a peak position of No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1993—outperforming any previous singles by The Kentucky Headhunters. The duo’s first album, also named Let Go, was released that same year.
Their sophomore and final album, Anyway the Wind Blows (1995), which included a rendition of J.J. Cale’s title track, did not generate any Top 40 hits. The partnership dissolved in 1995; Doug returned to The Kentucky Headhunters as lead vocalist after Orr’s departure, while Ricky Lee continued with solo projects.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Heat | ||
| Let Go |
|
56 | 21 |
| Anyway the Wind Blows |
|
43 | 24 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1993 | "Let Go" | 6 | 8 | Let Go |
| "Were You Really Livin'" | 28 | 54 | ||
| 1994 | "Eagle over Angel" | 53 | 54 | |
| "Ever-Changing Woman" | 62 | 90 | ||
| 1995 | "Anyway the Wind Blows" | 53 | 48 | Anyway the Wind Blows |
| "Not So Different After All" | 65 | 77 | ||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Let Go" | Steven T. Miller and R. Brad Murano |
| "Were You Really Livin'" | Sherman Halsey | |
| 1994 | "Eagle over Angel" | Steven T. Miller and R. Brad Murano |
| "Ever-Changing Woman" | Michael McNamara | |
| 1995 | "Any Way the Wind Blows" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organization | Award | Nominee/Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Country Music Association Awards | Vocal Duo of the Year | Brother Phelps | Template:Nom |
| 1995 | Template:Nom |