The "When Music Was …… Well, Music" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Searching on YouTube for a few of my favorite Everly Brothers songs.  Loved the smooth-sounding, pitch-perfect harmonies that the two produced in the late 50s to early 60s.  They were labeled by Rolling Stone "the most important vocal duo in rock", since they were said to have influenced the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and many other artists of their time as well as beyond their time.  About a week ago one of those famous brothers, Phil Everly, died a few days before his 75th birthday.  

Phil and Don Everly in the 1960s.

Just a youngster to many of us.  He died in Burbank, California of compli- cations from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease brought on by a lifetime of smoking.  He was the younger of the brothers by two years.  Don was born in Kentucky while Phil was born in Illinois.  Their father, Ike, was also a musician who was honored as one of the four musicians of "The Four Legends Fountain" in Drakesboro, Kentucky.  The Everly Brothers got their first taste of singing on their dad's radio show.  They were one of my favorite music groups who actually expressed my feelings in music.  Music where you could understand the words, dance to the beat and would express memorable sentiments.  Sometimes even your own sentiments.  The Everly brothers had great stage presence, really neat hair and looks that I wish I would have had when I was in high school.  Matter of fact I wouldn't mind having the looks and hair now.  The Everly Brothers breakthrough hit was "Bye Bye Love" in 1957 when it rose to No. 2 on the U.S. charts.  Later that year they reached No. 1 with "Wake Up Little Susie."  In 1957 and 58 the brothers toured with Buddy Holly and were said to have changed Buddy and his group, The Crickets, from jeans and t-shirts to Ivy League suits.  Phil served as one of Buddy's pallbearers at his funeral in February 1959.  The brothers continued working together as well as with others until 1973 when their act suddenly came to an end when Phil stormed off the stage during a concert at Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in California. For years after they pursued solo careers until 1983 when they reunited with a concert in London on September 23, 1983 followed by work in the studio with a few new releases and more concerts.  In 1986 the Everly Brothers were among the first 10 artists induced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  That same year they returned to their boyhood home of Shenandoah and gave a concert to a crowd of 8,500.  Also included in the visit was a parade, street dedication and class reunion.  Don and Phil joined Simon & Garfunkel as the featured act in Simon & Garfunkel's Old Friends reunion tour of 2003 and 2004.  The live album of the tour has Simon and Garfunkel telling how they were influenced by Don and Phil.  We all have favorite songs from our favorite musicians and I'm no different.  

Phil and Don in more recent years.

My favorite Everly Brothers songs would have to be "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (a song about a guy who loves a girl and can always be with her in his dreams), "Wake Up Little Susie" (which showed a moral code about what friends and others would think about a young couple being together all night) and "That's Old Fashioned" (which expresses a moral code about being old fashioned and having only one true love).  A few years ago Carol and I saw the Everly Brothers in concert at the American Music Theatre in our hometown of Lancaster, PA.  All the fabulous songs from our youth as well as the right-on harmony that are associated with the brothers.  Only thing they lacked was charisma and personality.  They projected as rather bland and made us feel as if they were glad when the concert was over.  We were told that the bothers arrived in separate buses and didn't spend any time together backstage.  But, you could close your eyes and imagine you were fifty years younger listening to songs when music was ..... well, music!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.