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Strumming a family tradition

The Everly Brothers, Don and Phil, were the children of Midwestern country stars Ike and Margaret Everly. They toured with their parents and performed on the family radio show throughout their childhood.

The summer of ’55 saw the two teenagers move to Nashville, where they were soon taken in by Roy Acuff’s publishing company as songwriters. A minor success came Don’s way when his Thou Shall not Steal became a hit for Kitty Wells. The brothers also recorded a country single called Keep on Loving Me and in 1957 cut the international hit, Bye Bye Love. It established an Everlys style with close country harmonies over a rocking beat.

The Everlys toured internationally with a small unit for the next few years, sporting similar suits and hairdos, leaving the fans to identify each one by the colour of the hair (Don’s was darker). Their success continued through 1962 with cumulative record sales of $35 million. They averaged a Top-10 hit every four months including four top slot hits namely, Wake up Little Susie, All I have to Do is Dream, Cathy’s Clown and Bird Dog. They remained major draws in England but theirs careers slowed down remarkably in the U.S. despite continued releases. Both were addicted to speed for a while and Don was hospitalised for a nervous breakdown. Their relationship became increasingly acrimonious until it blew over at the John Wayne Theater at Knott’s Berry farm in Beuna Park, California, on July 14, 1973. Phil smashed his guitar and marched off stage, leaving Don to announce the duo’s glaringly visible breakup.

In 1983, the Everlys returned to the spotlight. Phil’s duet with Cliff Richard, She Means Nothing to Me, reached the British Top 10 that spring. Come September the brothers reunited on stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall for a triumphant concert that was chronicled on Reunion Concert. In 1986 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have inspired several musicals, including 1998’s biographical, Bye Bye Love: The Everly Brothers Musical, which ran in Nashville and 2000s Dream, Dream, Dream, which played in Atlantic City.

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