Everly Brothers: Gone, Gone, Gone but Not Forgotten

The passing of Don makes us a recall a few of their early and vastly influential hits, plus covers/tributes by The Beatles, The Who, Keith Richards & Norah Jones, Simon & Garfunkel....

Don Everly has passed away at the age of 84, closing the oft-overlooked saga of the Everly Brothers as one of the most important contributors to early rock ‘n roll, starting in 1956, especially on the vocals end. Here are just a few of their hits (omitting the much-heard “Wake Up Little Suzie” and “All I Have to Do Is Dream”), with probably the greatest harmonies of our time which only siblings can achieve, though everyone from Simon & Garfunkel to Gram & Emmylou and a thousand others have tried. Many of their songs were written by the legendary couple, Boudleaux and Felice Bryant. Tensions between the two brothers became infamous, right down to politics—Don describing himself as a “liberal Democrat” with Phil more conservative. Enjoy and then share and subscribe, it’s still free.

Don & Phil

“When Will I Be Loved,” later covered by Linda Ronstadt and others. Don was always, always, on the right.

“Love Hurts” (see versions by Roy Orbison and Gram & Emmylou).

“Gone, Gone, Gone”—more obscure but made it onto the hit Robert Plant/Alison Krauss lp.

“Cathy’s Clown,” written by Don and Phil, a smash.

“Till I Kissed You.”

With Paul & Artie on their first hit, “Bye Bye Love.”

When John & Paul paid tribute with “Two of Us.” Paul even exclaims to John, “Take it, Phil,” on one version. PLUS here John & Paul fool around with “Bye Bye Love” in the studio while George practices “Two of Us” in background.

Paul later wrote “On the Wings of a Nightingale” for the boys, here in a stellar live version.

Do we have Keith Richards dueting with Norah Jones on “Love Hurts”? Yes we do.

Little-remembered very early Who cover (1966) of song composed by the Everlys, “Man With Money.”

Even the two finest Brit singers of their time, Sandy Denny and Linda Thompson, could not match the Everlys on their cover of “When Will I Be Loved.”

Gram and Emmylou covered “Sleepless Nights” on his final recording but, sorry, here’s the original.

From their reunion concert, a phenomenal “Crying in the Rain.” Richard Thompson lurking in the background on guitar.

Later, in 1987, they still had the harmonies, on Mark Knopfler’s “Why Worry.”

But to close on a true highlight, also from reunion, “Let It Be Me.”