History

In Memory: Phil Everly

by Jessica Blankenship
Everly Brothers
This past weekend, the world of music lost one half of the popular duo, The Everly Brothers.  Phil Everly passed away, leaving a legacy onto multiple genres of music.  While Don was born in Kentucky, Phil was born in Chicago, they maintained Kentucky roots.  They began performing with their musical parents, Ike and Margaret Everly.  After high school, they would hit the Top 10 Singles chart 15 times and sold over 35 million records in the first five years of their career.  The first number one hit was “Bye Bye Love,” which reached the top of the country charts in less than a month.  It remained in the Top 10 for 6 months and their first gold record.

The Everly Brothers were the first Grand Ole Opry members to have a Top 10 recording single in country, pop, and r&b charts – all at the same time.  Bye-Bye Love and All I Have To Do Is Dream are identified by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as two of “500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll.”  

When they signed with Warner Brothers, they were the first act in music history to sign a $1 million recording contract.  They recorded “Cathy’s Clown.”  Over the years, 35 of their singles made it on the Billboard Charts.

Here are a few of their achievements:
Grand Ole Opry Members
Hollywood Walk of Fame
1986 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
1997 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
2001 Country Music Hall of Fame
2002 Kentucky Music Hall of Fame
2004 Vocal Group Hall of Fame