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Terry Smith’s Site

Isaac Donald Everly
born 1st. February 1937 in Brownie, Kentucky
died 21st. August 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee

Phillip Everly
born 19th. January 1939 in Chicago, Illinois
died 3rd. January 2014 in Burbank, California

 

Since the late '50s the Everly Brothers have been my absolute favourites. Bought all the singles (even those after they stopped having hits), all the LPs, all the CDs and all the boxed sets (and CDs of their offspring). First saw Phil on the tour of the UK in '62 (Don was too ill to appear), was at the Royal Albert Hall for the reunion concert and saw them many other times. Always excellent with a top class backing band.

No need to go into their major credentials but a few things that you may not know (all tracks are truncated, if you want to hear them in full you'll have to buy them).

Their (Don's actually) first writing success was "Thou shalt not steal" recorded by Kitty Wells in 1954 (Don was 17). She was the number one female country star at the time and this must have been massive for Don. Another link is that in 1953 she recorded "Hey Joe" (a hit for Frankie Laine) which was written by Boudleaux Bryant, writer (with wife Felice) of "All I have to do is dream", "Love hurts" etc.
"The air that I breathe". A huge success for the Hollies (and one of our favourites), an original? No. Phil recorded it before they did.
"Love her". A big hit for the Walker Brothers but who got there first?
You will not know that two of my favourite tracks are "No one can make my sunshine smile" and "(So it was, so it is) So it always will be". Also "Empty Boxes" deserves a mention.

A couple of tracks from their offspring:
Edan Everly (son of Don) - Dead Flowers (the title track of the 1992 album by "Edan")
Jason Everly (son of Phil) - Cecilia (I pick this because the original, by Simon & Garfunkle, was a favourite of one of my late friends, Brian Phillips)

As an aside, today (4th. July 2017), I was in Peascod Street, Windsor and a young lad was busking (vocal and guitar). As I approached him he started singing "All I have to do is dream"! Had to give him a few shillings!


Everly Brothers