Don Everly, one half of the rock’n’roll duo the Everly Brothers, has died at his home in Nashville at the age of 84. His younger brother Phil had died in 2014.
The duo, who had 15 US top 10 hits between 1957 and 1962, were described as “the most important vocal duo in rock” by Rolling Stone magazine. The Everly Brothers were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year, 1986, alongside the likes of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, and went on to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys in 1997.
By my reckoning, only Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins are left from the pioneers of Rock and Roll.
Farewell, Don. At the age of 5, “Wake Up Little Susie” was, I think, the first 45 rpm record I asked my Mom to buy for me. I still have that 64 year-old record and many others by Don and Phil, all scuffed and scratched and well-played.
One of my first music memories is hearing Bye,Bye,Love. It obviously had a profound influence since it’s stuck with me all these years. In 1986 I was fortunate to see The Everly Brothers perform with a crack band featuring the great Pete Wingfield on keyboards. They had recently released the ‘Born Yesterday’ LP. Besides their own music, the Everly’s also appeared on recordings by many other artists, including Paul Simon’s Graceland. They were a huge influence to so many.
I remember well the time that my grandpa’s friend Tom let me, 14 years old and without even a learner’s permit, drive his Mercedes all over Boca Raton - with him riding next to me, mind you - and the Everly Brothers blasting the whole time, from the stereo (whose CD player was located in the trunk, this being a mid-90s vehicle.) So despite being 35, the Everly Brothers wound up being the soundtrack to at least one of my youthful escapades.
As a teen, I was fascinated by their harmonies. It’s always been a frustration for me not to really understand how that’s done, even though I can sing fairly well. So long, Birddog.
Oh, Lonesome Me
Bye Bye Love
Wake Up Little Susie
All I Have to Do is Dream
Devoted to You
When will I be Loved
Roving Gambler
Lightning Express
That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine
Oh, So Many Years
Kentucky
Ebony Eyes
Yeah, Merle Travis gets all the credit for alternating-bass style, but Ike Everly was nine years older and an important early practitioner of the style. Not long ago, there was practically no information about him online, and now you can watch him playing in videos.
Same here. I’ve read that Lennon and McCartney were influenced by those harmonies. I think I can hear it in the early Beatles but, like you, I’m not sure how it’s done. Sometimes I can clearly hear what one of the voices is doing for a few seconds, so it seems like it wouldn’t be hard to figure out.
