The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers — Don (1937-2021) and Phil (1939-2014) — were among the most important vocal acts in rock and roll history. Their close-harmony singing, rooted in Appalachian country music, influenced the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and every rock act that used vocal harmonies. Bye Bye Love (1957), Wake Up Little Susie (1957), All I Have to Do Is Dream (1958), and Cathy's Clover (1958) were massive hits that bridged country and rock and roll. Their harmonies were so tight that the two voices often sounded like one. The brothers had a famously volatile relationship and did not speak for a decade after a notorious onstage breakup in 1973. They reunited in 1983 for a celebrated concert at the Royal Albert Hall. They were among the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.