The Everly Brothers (
Don Everly, born
Isaac Donald Everly February 1, 1937, Brownie,
Muhlenberg County,
Kentucky,
Phil Everly, born
Phillip Everly, January 19, 1939,
Chicago,
Illinois) are brothers and
country-influenced
rock and roll performers, known for
steel-string guitar playing and
close harmony singing. The Everlys are the most successful U.S. rock and roll duo on the
Hot 100. Their greatest period came between 1957 and 1964.
Style
The brothers are both guitarists and use a simple vocal
harmony mostly based on parallel
thirds. With this, each line can often stand on its own as a
melody line. This is in contrast to classic harmony lines which, while working well alongside the melody, sound strange by themselves. One example of their close-harmony is "Devoted to You".