The Everly Brothers And Some Other Early Rockers

Phil Everly died January 3 2014 at age 74. One half of the 1950's Everly Brothers duowith his brother Don who had iconic hits like "Cathy's Clown", "When Will I Be Loved", "Wake Up Little Suzi", "All I Have To Do Is Dream". They had massive hits on both side of the Atlantic and were cited as influences by the like of The Beatles (who they also toured with), Byrds, Hollies, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkle and Linda Ronstadt and later Rockpile (who both covered "When Will I Be Loved") for their harmony singing. Although they were too clean cut to be really be cool sex symbols.

THE EVERLY BROTHERS ~ "ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM" & "CATHY'S CLOWN";


Originally from Kentucky the Everly's actually came from a long tradition of Singing Brother Duos which included the Stanley Brothers, Louvin Brothers, Lilly Brothers, Delmore Brothers and The Monroe Brothers with relatively little R&B or Gospel influences and it's likely that they would have sounded pretty much the same even if Rock & Roll never happened.

THE EVERLY BROTHERS ~ "WAKE UP LITTLE SUZI";


In spite of their clean cut image the boys lived the rock and roll lifestyle. Like Elvis they spent a brief spell in the Army and then got hooked on speed. Don had at least one nervous breakdown. Divorces and fist fights followed until they effectively broke up in the 1970's. After middling solo careers they reformed but behind the scenes the brothers were not on speaking terms. I know someone who booked them in the 1980's and he told the story of working with them. They arrived in separate planes, stayed in separate hotels, they took separate taxis to the venue, skipped a sound-check, entered the stage from opposite sides and after the show they left that way. At no point did they actually speak to each other. They aren't the only duo who acted that way, Sam & Dave and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee did the same. Still they weren't actual brothers. That must have led to some awkward Christmases. Anyway they did apparently reconcile for good when they were invited on tour with Simon & Garfunkle in the 1990's.

THE EVERLY BROTHERS ~ "BYE BYE LOVE";


THE EVERLY BROTHERS ~ "WHEN WILL I BE LOVED"


Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith; Western Swing/Hinky Tonk guitarist from the 1940's, 50's & 60's. Did the original "Guitar Boogie" and "Dueling Banjos" ~ 93

ARTHUR "GUITAR BOOGIE" SMITH ~ "GUITAR BOOGIE";


ARTHUR "GUITAR BOOGIE SMITH" ~ "CHICKEN STRUT";


George Shuffler, 88, Bluegrass guitarist w/The Stanley Brothers ("Man Of Constant Sorrow", "Pretty Polly", "Takes A Worried Man") & The Bailey Brothers ~ 88

THE STANLEY BROTHERS ~ "TAKES A WORRIED MAN";


THE STANLEY BROTHERS ~ "THE RANK STRANGER";


King Fleming ~ Jazz/R&B pianist and band leader from the 1940's, 50's & 60's. Played with Wynonie Harris on Apollo, Johnny Alston and His Orchestra, Oliver "King" Perry's Pied Pipers ~ 91

WYNONIE HARRIS ~ "ROCK MISTER BLUES";


WYNONIE HARRIS ~ "PUT IT BACK";


JOHNNY ALSTON ORCH ~ "RED LIGHT";


Little Joe Cook ~ Singer w/1950's Doo Wop Group Little Joe & The Thrillers ("Do The Slop" & "Peanuts" also sang with The Evening Stars and The Sherries ~ 91

LITTLE JOE & THE THRILLERS ~ "PEANUTS";


Little Jimmy Scott ~ American Jazz singer from the 1950's & 60's; solo and w/Lionel Hampton and Charlie Parker did hit version of "Sweet Embraceable You" ~ 88

LITTLE JIMMY SCOTT ~ "SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A MOTHERLESS CHILD";


Freddie "Fingers" Lee; British guitarist who played on 1960's recordings by Gene Vincent, Screaming Lord Sutch and Marty Wilde ~ 76

GENE VINCENT & THE BLUECAPS ~ "BLUE JEAN BABY" & "SEXY WAYS";


GENE VINCENT & THE BLUECAPS ~ "RIP IT UP";


SCREAMING LORD SUTCH & THE SAVAGES ~ "JENNY JENNY" & "TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN";


SCREAMING LORD SUTCH ~ "JACK THE RIPPER";


Ceer Veerman; Singer Guitarist with 1960's & 70's Dutch Psyche-Pop band The Cats and The Mystic Four ~ 70

THE CATS ~ "LET'S DANCE";


Gary Burger; Singer with 1960's American/German Garage Band The Monks 72;

THE MONKS ~ "MONK CHANT";


THE MONKS ~ "OH HOW TO DO NOW";


Jerry Corbitt ~ Guitarist with 1960's Folk Rock band The Youngbloods ("Come Together")

THE YOUNGBLOODS ~ "GET TOGETHER" & "SUNLIGHT";


Paul Goddard ~ Bassist w/1970's Southern Rock Band The Atlanta Rhythm Section ("Spooky", "So Into You") ~ 68

THE ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION ~ "Spooky";


Roy Campbell Jr. ~ Free Jazz trumpet player, solo and played with Don Cherry,Yo La Tengo, William Parker, Peter Brotzmann, Matthew Shipp ~ 61

PETER BROTZMAN QUARTET;