The Everly Brothers recorded a folk masterpiece during their glory years as one of rock and roll's most influential pioneers.
"Songs Our Daddy Taught Us," recorded in 1958 after the Everlys had scored pop hits with "Wake Up Little Susie" and "Bye Bye Love," arrived as folk acts began rivaling rock performers in popularity.
With the death of Don Everly Saturday at age 84 at his home in Nashville, the Everly Brothers are receiving deserved tributes as giants of early rock and roll. Don's younger brother Phil died in 2014.
The Everlys released 15 top 10 hits from 1957 to 1962, and were hugely influential. Their angelic harmonies, driving acoustic guitars and sexual vulnerability and swagger set a standard for the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter and Gordon, the Hollies, Graham Parsons, the Byrds, and so on.
National obituaries honoring Don Everly have given little attention to the Everlys' folk masterpiece, "Songs Our Daddy Taught Us." Along with giving traditional songs a timeless glow, Don and Phil revitalized vintage country hits like "That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine," first recorded by Gene Autry in the 1930s.
Their rendition of the traditional English ballad "Barbara Allen" to me is the best folk recording ever made. Their chiming voices make the ancient lyrics almost unbearably sad, and Don Everly never falters in playing a basic 3/4 rhythm pattern on his acoustic guitar. Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and singer Norah Jones's 2013 album "Foreverly" re-produced the Everlys' album note for note.
After starting out as child performers in their family's musical act, the Everlys skyrocketed to fame after starting out in Nashville as songwriters. While Don wrote "Cathy's Clown" and "Til I Kissed You" and Phil "When Will I Beloved," many of the duo's greatest hits were written by the married songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.
Don, with a register a bit lower than Phil's, sang most of the lead vocals, with Phil doing the high harmony and guitar fills. Don's driving acoustic guitar had its own electric power. Keith Richard called him one of the greatest rhythm guitarists.
The Everlys came from the country harmonic tradition of the Louvin and Delmore Brothers and Jim and Jesse, adding the urban flavor of rock and roll. While not raw like Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, they possessed an edge and flair.
Their voices were like a single instrument, ethereal and yet familiar. Along with their essential songs of early rock and roll, let's remember their accomplishment as folk music interpreters.
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