For Belles of Blue, bluegrass isn't simply a musical style-it's a family inheritance. Sisters Nancy Decker and Dollie grew up in a home where guitars, accordions, gospel harmonies and ministry were part of everyday life, eventually taking that music on the road with their family. But after the devastating losses of their father and brother, the music nearly stopped altogether. Nancy says she eventually felt God reminding her that a musical "mantle" had been passed down, prompting the sisters to carry on a legacy that continues today as Belles of Blue.
Now the sisters are charging into a new chapter with their spirited single "Hebrew Children," an energetic retelling of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that combines traditional bluegrass instrumentation, family harmonies, humor and an unapologetic message about refusing to compromise one's faith. The song also arrives ahead of their forthcoming 12-track album, Old Pine Box, due this fall through Sound Biscuit-a project Nancy once thought might mark the end of her recording career. Instead, she says an unexpected record deal, new singles and festival invitations stretching into 2027 and 2028 have convinced her that retirement may have to wait.
In this interview, Nancy Decker shares the remarkable family history behind Belles of Blue, the childhood Sunday School memory that inspired "Hebrew Children," why the sisters no longer worry about fitting into the bluegrass establishment, and how what was supposed to be one final recording project has unexpectedly opened the door to a whole new season of music and ministry.
Listen to the new song here.
Q: For readers meeting Belles of Blue for the first time, tell us about the story behind the group. How did two sisters with a shared love for bluegrass come together to create this unique musical ministry?
Dollie and I come from a large family of seven children, with me being the oldest and her the youngest. As far back as I can remember, music has always filled our home. Our mother was a fabulous pianist and accordion player and had a voice that did not need a microphone. Our father had a smooth, soft voice and would harmonize with her as he played the guitar. Dad playing the red Gibson J45 and Mom with her red accordion and singing at church is a fond memory for all of us.
Dad pastored several small country churches over the years, but in 1978 he felt the call to evangelize, and before we knew it, we were on the road in an old bus, holding revivals and performing Southern gospel and bluegrass music. The '80s found the family performing at bluegrass festivals throughout the Midwest, and for six years, The Murdy Family was a regular at the Silver Dollar City Mountain Folk Festival in Branson, Missouri.
During this time, Dollie was running around playing with my own two children while I performed with Mom, Dad and our brother. I was married in 1982, and she wasn't born until 1984. She would come to stay with us in the summer, and it was then that she began learning my songs and singing harmony, later learning the bass and performing with me.
The family ministry continued until we lost Dad to a stroke in 2005 and a brother to cancer in 2006. These great losses hit us hard, and the music came to a halt. Trying to sing without our dad was heartbreaking. God revealed to me that a mantle had been passed down and we needed to pick it up. I shared this with my sister, and we decided that we would just do the best we could with a guitar and bass. We created a trio with our mother, and she sang harmony with us until she passed away in 2017. It is an honor to still be carrying that mantle today.
Q: Your new single, "Hebrew Children," retells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego with energy, humor and unmistakable bluegrass spirit. What first inspired you to turn this childhood Bible story into a song?
Several years ago, I wanted to write an upbeat, exciting gospel bluegrass song, and when I first sat down with my guitar and started to write, God brought this story to my heart.
Going to Sunday School every week was the highlight of church for me as a kid. In the '70s, we didn't have video or DVD tapes to watch, but what we did have were these awesome flannel-graph stories, and I was mesmerized by the bright colors, the realistic characters and animals, and the way that they stuck to the board. Bible stories were way better than any fairy tale that I had ever heard!
One of these amazing stories was the Three Hebrew Children. As a kid, I understood why they had refused to bow down to the king's idol, but in my six-year-old mind, that was pretty dumb, and I told my teacher-who was probably my mom-so. All they had to do was just be quiet and blend in and no one would know the difference! Leave it to the pastor's daughter to point that out!
Thank goodness that Sunday School lesson opened my eyes, and I grew up to understand the importance of only worshiping God, standing for what you know is right, and not letting anyone or anything force you to bend from what you believe. Life has certainly thrown some "fiery furnaces" at me, but God has been there to deliver me every time!
Q: The track blends traditional bluegrass instrumentation with rich Ozark-style harmonies. How would you describe the musical identity of Belles of Blue, and what do you hope sets your sound apart in today's bluegrass scene?
The Belles of Blue don't sound like anyone else, and we don't look like anyone else; that's for sure! Too many bluegrass groups today sound the same. We may be bluegrass, but our Southern gospel heritage and faith come through in our voices and flow out across our audiences. There is something special that happens the minute we start singing, and folks can feel it. We feel that this is what sets us apart from other groups.
We used to worry about being accepted, but we don't do that anymore. Before every show, we remind each other that we are who we are. All we can do is be ourselves. Dad always said, "Just be yourself. It's good enough!" And it is.
Q: The message of "Hebrew Children" is one of standing firm in faith despite overwhelming pressure. Why do you think this biblical story still resonates so powerfully with audiences today, and what encouragement do you hope listeners take from it?
We live in a very different world today, and Christians are expected to accept and go along with issues and events that we know are wrong. We are having to decide if we are going to just go with the flow, follow the rules and just blend in, or are we going to take a firm stand when we are faced with making a choice?
Sin is still sin, no matter how you sugarcoat it, and the Bible is still true no matter how you want to change parts of it. We must be determined not to bend and not to bow but stand for what we know is right, and God will be there to take care of the outcome!
My favorite part of this song is the line, "We put three men in but now there's four!" By the time that we get to this line, we are all feeling it, and from the amens and waving hands in the audience, they are too!
Q: Between Nancy's decades of performing and songwriting and Dollie's work as a writer and storyteller, you both bring different gifts to the table. How do your individual strengths complement one another when you're writing, arranging and performing together?
The 20-year age difference between us has its advantages. My years of experience have come in handy as band leader and for the many different scenarios that happen when performing. My skills as a retired teacher keep the band organized and ready to go. Dollie is nicknamed "Jolly Dollie" for a reason. Her laughter, positive outlook and encouragement keep me and the rest of the group going. She engages the audience from the stage and keeps everyone smiling.
When it comes to songwriting, you develop methods that work and know the ones that do not. I bring the guitar to the table and usually a story or an idea, while Dollie is famous for bringing one verse and part of a chorus of something and then handing it over to the guitar player to finish!
We often collaborate with our sister Daisy, who is a great lyricist. It is not unusual to keep the coffee pot going all night long while we take a story apart and put it back together again as a song.
Q: As you look to the future, what is your vision for Belles of Blue? Are there new songs, recordings, tours or ministry opportunities you're especially excited about in this next chapter?
This album with Sound Biscuit was going to be my last big project before retiring for good, but it has become apparent that God has other plans. I wanted to get a few songs out on radio and end my music career with a bang. I know now that this is not going to happen for many years to come. The day we met Dave Maggard changed everything and our door finally opened. What started out as just a job to record some music turned into four singles on major platforms and a record deal.
Our full album Old Pine Box is due out this fall, and we are excited about that. There are 12 original songs written by us. There are some fantastic musicians on this album, including our longtime friend and mandolin player Jeffrey Woodard. We were happy to have our sister Sharry Lovan sing on this project. Our family harmony was so tight that Dave put us all in separate booths and we sang at the same time!
Belles of Blue will be performing in September at festivals in Kentucky and Missouri and are already getting invites for 2027 and 2028. We encourage churches and festivals to reach out to us about performing. We love bringing our music to new places.
I see Belles of Blue continuing to minister, bless and give hope through music for a long time. We still have lots of songs to share, so hopefully another album will be in the works in the future.
