Home > The Everly Brothers

The sons of two Kentucky country musicians, The Everly Brothers recorded their first single, "Keep A' Lovin' Me, " in 1956, under the aegis of Chet Atkins, but did not become successful until 1957 when they began working with songwriting partners Felice and Boudleaux Bryant on the Cadence Records label.

They had a hit with the single "Claudette," written by Roy Orbison. Working with the Bryants, they had a number of hits in the USA and the UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state in Western Europe, usually known simply as the United Kingdom the UK Britain or less accurately as Great Britain . The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly, the biggest of which were "Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up Little Susie," "(All I Have to Do Is) Dream," and "Bird Dog." In 1960Events January-February January 1 Independence of Cameroon January 9 Aswan High Dam construction begins in Egypt January 11 Chad declares its independence. January 14 Ralph Chubb, the gay poet and printer, dies at Fair Oak Cottage in Hampshire. January 23, when they signed with Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records was launched on March 19, 1958 by Warner Bros. In 1960, they signed the Everly Brothers (previously on Cadence Records) with the first ever million dollar contract in history. In 1963 they purchased the Frank Sinatra label, Reprise Re, they continued to have hits, such as 1960's "Cathy's Clown" and "The Ferris Wheel" (from 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort), but the years after 1962 saw the Everly Brothers become less commercially viable than before even as they became artistically more accomplished. Following the British InvasionThe British Invasion was an influx of rock and roll performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States in 1964 and the years immediately afterward. Following the successful export of Elvis Presley and other rock 'n' roll acts in th, Everly Brothers recordings like "I'll See Your Light" and "It Only Costs a Dime" (both 19651965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). Events January-February January 4 United States President Lyndon Johnson proclaims his " Great Society" during his State of the Union address. January 14 Prime Ministers of N) began to reflect many of the changes in popular music they had, with their earlier work, put into motion; they recorded, with members of the HolliesThe Hollies are a British rock and roll band formed in the early 1960s. They signed to Parlophone in 1963 as label-mates of The Beatles, and released their first album in the US in 1964 as part of the first wave of British Invasion releases. They are comm contributing songs such as "So Lonely" and "Don't Run and Hide," a classic album entitled Two Yanks in England ( 1966), at the time somewhat under-appreciated (and currently unavailable on CD) but now considered one of their best efforts. In 1967 they had a hit single, "Bowling Green," and in 1968 they recorded another album now regarded as a classic, Roots , which featured their own compositions alongside songs by Randy Newman and others. In short, their mid- and late-'60s material is considered by many critics and listeners to compare favorably to that done by the Beatles and the Byrds.

With soft, mainly acoustic guitar backing, sweet close-harmony vocals, non-threatening lyrics, and clean-cut white faces, the Everly Brothers were, in their heyday, never perceived as a threat to society, as were performers such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard; they are one of rock and roll music's most important acts because their music, while arguably containing just as much subversion and sexual tension as that of many another group, helped bridge the gap between rock and country music in a way that appealed to fans of both genres. In addition, their approach to harmony singing influenced nearly every rock and roll group of the 1960s.

The Everly Brothers have had a total of 26 Billboard Top 40 singles. In 1986 they were among the first 10 artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. The Everly Brothers have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. They still perform regularly as a duo around the world.