History The_Everly_Brothers

1 history

1.1 family , education
1.2 1950s
1.3 1960s/1970s
1.4 solo years (1973-83)
1.5 reunion, subsequent activities (1983-2006)
1.6 phil everly s death
1.7 recent activities

history
family , education

don born in brownie, muhlenberg county, kentucky, in 1937, , phil 2 years later in chicago, illinois. parents isaac milford ike everly, jr. (1908–1975), guitar player, , margaret embry everly. actor james best (born jules guy), muhlenberg county, son of ike s sister. margaret 15 when married ike, 26. ike worked in coal mines age 14, father encouraged him pursue love of music. ike , margaret began singing together. everly brothers spent of childhood in shenandoah, iowa. attended longfellow elementary school in waterloo, iowa, year, moved shenandoah in 1944, remained through high school.

ike everly had show on kma , kfnf in shenandoah in mid-1940s, first wife , sons. brothers sang on radio little donnie , baby boy phil. family sang everly family. ike, guitarists merle travis, mose rager, , kennedy jones, honored in 1992 construction of 4 legends fountain in drakesboro, kentucky.

the family moved knoxville, tennessee, in 1953, brothers attended west high school. in 1955, family moved madison, tennessee, while brothers moved nashville, tennessee. don had graduated high school in 1955, , phil attended peabody demonstration school in nashville, graduated in 1957. both focus on recording.

1950s

while in knoxville, brothers caught attention of family friend chet atkins, manager of rca victor s studio in nashville. brothers became duo , moved nashville. despite affiliation rca, atkins arranged everly brothers record columbia records in 1956. keep a-lovin me, don wrote , composed, flopped, , dropped columbia label.

atkins introduced them wesley rose, of acuff-rose music publishers. rose told them them recording deal if signed acuff-rose songwriters. duly signed in late 1956, , in 1957 rose introduced them archie bleyer, looking artists cadence records. everlys signed , made recording in february 1957. bye bye love had been rejected 30 other acts. record reached no. 2 on pop charts, behind elvis presley s (let me your) teddy bear, , no. 1 on country , no. 5 on r&b charts. song, felice , boudleaux bryant, became everly brothers s first million-seller.

working bryants, had hits in united states , united kingdom, biggest being wake little susie, have dream, bird dog, , problems. everlys, though largely interpretive artists, succeeded songwriters, don s (till) kissed you, hit no. 4 on united states pop charts.

the brothers toured buddy holly in 1957 , 1958. according holly s biographer philip norman, responsible persuading holly , crickets change outfits levi s , t-shirts everlys ivy league suits. don said holly wrote , composed wishing them. south, phil observed of commonalities. d started in country music. although sources phil everly 1 of holly s pallbearers in february 1959, phil said in 1986 attended funeral , sat holly s family, not pallbearer. don did not attend, saying, couldn t go funeral. couldn t go anywhere. took bed.

1960s/1970s

after 3 years on cadence, everlys signed warner bros. records in 1960, remained 10 years. first hit warner brothers, 1960 s cathy s clown, don , phil wrote , composed themselves, sold 8 million copies , became duo s biggest-selling record. cathy s clown number wb1, first selection warner bros. records ever released in united kingdom.

we re not grand ole opry ... re not perry como ... re pop music. but, call american skiffle group!

other successful warner brothers singles followed in united states, such sad (to watch love go bad) (1960, pop no. 7), walk right (1961, pop no. 7), crying in rain (1962, pop no. 6), , s old fashioned (1962, pop no. 9, last top 10 hit). 1960 1962, cadence records released everly brothers singles vaults, including when loved (pop no. 8), written , composed phil, , strangers.

in uk, had top 10 hits until 1965, including lucille / sad (1960, no. 4), walk right / ebony eyes (1961, no. 1), temptation (1961, no. 1), cryin in rain (1962, no. 6) , price of love (1965, no. 2). had 18 singles uk top 40 warner brothers in 1960s. 1962, brothers had earned $35 million record sales.

in 1961, brothers fell out wesley rose during recording of temptation. rose reportedly upset everlys recording song had not published and, hence, not receive publishing royalties, , made strenuous efforts block single s release. everlys held firm position, , result, in 1960s, shut off acuff-rose songwriters. these included felice , boudleaux bryant, had written , composed of hits, don , phil everly themselves, still contracted acuff-rose songwriters , had written several of own hits. nevertheless, 1961 through 1964, everlys recorded songs other writers avoid paying royalties acuff-rose. used pseudonym jimmy howard writer or arranger on 2 selections wrote , recorded during time — ruse, however, unsuccessful, acuff-rose gained legal possession of copyrights once name substitution discovered.

at approximate time, brothers set own record label, calliope records, solo projects. using pseudonym adrian kimberly, don recorded big-band instrumental version of edward elgar s first pomp , circumstance march, neal hefti arranged , charted in united states top 40 in mid-1961. further instrumental singles credited kimberly followed, none of charted. phil formed keestone family singers, featured glen campbell , carole king. lone single, melodrama, failed chart, , end of 1962, calliope records had gone out of business.

they never stopped working duo, last united states top 10 hit 1962 s s old fashioned (that s way love should be), song recorded unreleased chordettes , given brothers old mentor, archie bleyer.

succeeding years saw everly brothers sell fewer records in united states. enlistments in united states marine corps reserve in october 1961 took them out of spotlight. 1 of few performances during marine service on ed sullivan show, on february 18, 1962, when performed jezebel , crying in rain while outfitted in respective marine corps uniforms.

following discharges active duty, everlys resumed career, little success in united states. of 27 singles on warner brothers 1963 through 1970, 3 made hot 100, , none peaked higher no. 31. album sales down. everlys first 2 albums warner (in 1960 , 1961) peaked @ no. 9 u.s., after that, of dozen more lps warner brothers, 1 made top 200–1965 s beat & soul, peaked @ no. 141.

the brothers dispute acuff-rose lasted till 1964, whereupon resumed writing , composing working bryant spouses. then, however, both of brothers addicted amphetamines. don s condition worse; taking ritalin, led deeper trouble. don s addiction lasted 3 years, until hospitalized nervous breakdown , treat addiction. (the mainstream media of time did not report either brother addicted. when don collapsed in england in mid-october 1962, reporters told had food poisoning; when tabloids suggested had taken overdose of pills, wife , brother insisted suffering physical , nervous exhaustion. years later story came out.) don s poor health ended british tour; returned united states, leaving phil carry on, joey page, bass player, taking place.

though u.s. stardom had begun wane 2 years before british invasion in 1964, appeal still strong in canada, united kingdom , australia. everlys remained successful in uk , canada of 1960s, reaching top 40 in united kingdom through 1968 , top 10 in canada late 1967. 1966 album 2 yanks in england recorded in england hollies, wrote , composed many of album s songs. everlys final u.s. top 40 hit, bowling green, released in 1967.

by end of 1960s, brothers had returned country rock, , 1968 album, roots, hailed critics 1 of finest country-rock albums. however, end of 1960s, everly brothers had ceased hitmakers in either north america or united kingdom, , in 1970, following unsuccessful live album (the everly brothers show), contract warner brothers lapsed after ten years. in 1970, summer replacement hosts johnny cash s television show; variety program, johnny cash presents everly brothers, on abc-tv , featured linda ronstadt , stevie wonder.

in 1970, don released first solo album, not success. brothers resumed performing in 1971, , rca victor records issued 2 albums in 1972 , 1973. lindsey buckingham joined them in 1972 , toured them. said final performance on july 14, 1973, @ knott s berry farm, in california, tensions between 2 surfaced, , don told reporter tired of being everly brother. during show, phil smashed guitar , walked off while don finished show, ending collaboration. 2 not rejoin forces musically on ten more years.

solo years (1973-83)

phil , don pursued solo careers 1973 1983. don found success on u.s. country charts in middle late 1970s, in nashville band, dead cowboys, , playing albert lee. don performed solo in london, in middle of 1976, @ annual country music festival. appearance received, , given thunderous applause, though critics noted performance uneven.

phil sang backup roy wood s 1975 album mustard , 2 songs warren zevon s 1976 self-titled album.

in 1979, don recorded everytime leave emmylou harris, on album blue kentucky girl.

phil recorded more frequently, no chart success till 1980s. phil wrote don t don t love me no more 1978 clint eastwood comedy film every way loose, first feature-film comedy in eastwood ever acted, in performed duet co-star sondra locke. wrote 1 many women in life 1980 sequel, way can, , played in band backed locke.

then, in 1983, phil had uk success soloist album phil everly, recorded in london. musicians on lp included dire straits guitarist mark knopfler, rockpile drummer terry williams, , keyboard player pete wingfield. track means nothing me, written , composed john david williams , featuring cliff richard co-lead vocalist, uk top 10 hit, , louise, written , composed ian gomm, reached top 50 in 1983.

reunion, subsequent activities (1983-2006)

the brothers reunion concert @ royal albert hall in london on september 23, 1983, musical re-junction of forces between them ended both of ten-year-long solo periods, initiated phil , don alongside terry slater. wingfield musical director. concert recorded live lp , video broadcast on cable television in mid-january 1984. brothers returned studio duo first time in on decade, recording album eb 84, produced dave edmunds. lead single, on wings of nightingale, written , composed paul mccartney, success (top 10 adult contemporary) , returned them united states hot 100 (for last appearance) , uk chart.

the everly brothers performing in new york

their final charting born yesterday in 1986, album of same name. collaborated other performers, singing either backup vocals or duets. in 1990, phil recorded duet dutch singer rené shuman. on top of world written , composed phil , appeared in music video recorded in los angeles. selection appeared on shuman s album set clock on rock. in 1994, 1981 live bbc recording of have dream featured cliff richard , phil sharing vocals uk top-20 hit.

phil provided backing vocals on got gold john prine s 1991 album missing years. both everlys , prine had family connections muhlenberg county, kentucky, , prine frequent performer @ everly brothers homecoming concerts in central city, kentucky, on years.

in 1998, brothers recorded cold andrew lloyd webber s , jim steinman s musical whistle down wind, , recording used in stage versions song on radio. final original recording everly brothers ever make duo.

in 1999, don , edan everly performed everly brothers kentucky flood relief.

the brothers joined simon & garfunkel in old friends reunion tour of 2003 , 2004. tribute everly brothers, simon & garfunkel opened own show , had everlys come out in middle. live album old friends: live on stage contains simon & garfunkel discussing everlys influence on career , features 4 on bye bye love; subsequent dvd features 2 solo performances everlys. paul simon, not first time had performed heroes; in 1986, everlys had sung background vocals on title track of simon s album graceland. concert in central park simon , garfunkel had given, moreover, had featured them interpreting everlys wake up, little susie.

a compilation album, titled country classics, released in 2004, consisting of tracks recorded in 1972 , 1985.

in 2006, phil everly sang sweet little corrina country singer vince gill on album these days. had supplied harmony vocals on j. d. souther s white rhythm , blues on (souther s) 1979 album re lonely.

phil everly s death

on january 3, 2014, phil everly died @ providence saint joseph medical center in burbank, california, 16 days before 75th birthday, of lung disease. phil s widow patti openly blamed husband s death on smoking habit, caused him develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, , recounted phil spending final years having carry oxygen tanks him wherever went , taking 20 different types of medications per day. stated although phil had stopped smoking in 2001, lungs had sustained permanent damage. phil s last public appearance in 2011, @ buddy holly s induction hollywood boulevard s star walk of fame, , struggling catch breath addressed crowd. patti established phil everly memorial copd foundation in 2014.

don everly claimed in 2014 interview los angeles times had given smoking in late 1960s , phil had stopped started again during breakup , had continued until 2001. don said weak lungs ran in family, father, ike, had died of black lung disease. admitted had lived difficult life brother , , phil had become estranged once again in later years, attributed vastly different views on politics , life, music being 1 thing shared closely, saying, s read each other s minds when sang. however, don stated had not gotten on phil s death, saying, thought him every day, when not speaking each other. still shocks me s gone. don added firmly believed die before brother, because older phil. in 2016 interview don said still coping loss of phil , had kept of brother s ashes in home. added pick ashes every morning , morning, while admitting peculiar ritual.

recent activities

on october 25, 2014, don everly attended 2014 annual music masters rock , roll hall of fame paid homage everly brothers. don took state theater stage , performed , brother s classic hit bye bye love. in january 2016, don everly publicly endorsed hillary clinton 2016 presidential election, citing foreign policy experience tenure secretary of state support of education. marked first time don everly had ever publicly supported political candidate, don stating following brother phil s death felt free express political views more openly, while noting diametrically opposite difference brothers shared in political views had made impossible everly brothers ever lend active support political candidates.