The Everly Brothers. Photo: Country Music Hall of Fame
Don Everly, one of the most influential artists in pop-music history, died in Nashville on Saturday (Aug. 21).
His death at age 84 was confirmed yesterday by Variety, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, the BBC and other worldwide media outlets. As half of The Everly Brothers, he became an inaugural inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The team is also in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Everlys have sold more than 40 million records. They toured globally for six decades.
Don and younger brother Phil Everly (1939-2014) were famed for their spine-tingling vocal harmonies, The Everly Brothers were profound influences on artists ranging from The Beatles to Simon & Garfunkel. Their sound has been cited by The Byrds, The Eagles, Peter & Gordon, The Hollies, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, The Beach Boys, Rodney Crowell, The Bee Gees and every harmony duo that has succeeded them.
Don’s driving, open-tuned, steel-string guitar work was also influential. Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones is among many who emulated it.
Don Everly was the writer behind such enduring songs as “Cathy’s Clown,” “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad),” “(‘Til) I Kissed You” and “The Price of Love.” Both he and Phil also had solo recording careers.
Born in 1937, Isaac Donald Everly was the son of country entertainers Ike Everly (1908-1975) and Margaret Everly. He was born in the family’s home state of Kentucky. Phil followed two years later. He was born in Chicago, where Ike was working in local clubs and on WLS radio.
Former coal miner Ike Everly was an accomplished guitarist whose distinctive thumb-picking style was admired by Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler and many others. Don was mentored by his father from an early age, and made his debut as a radio performer in 1945 when Ike was working at KMA in Shenandoah, Iowa. He had a regular singing segment as “Little Donnie.”
The Everly parents and their sons turned their radio appearances into a family affair when Margaret, Don and Phil joined Ike’s act. Thus, The Everly Brothers became show-biz professionals in 1949, when Don was 12 and Phil was 10. The family relocated to WROL in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1953.
Ike contacted Chet Atkins in Nashville, who took an interest in Don’s songwriting. Atkins took the teenager’s song “Thou Shalt Not Steal” to Kitty Wells, who scored a big country hit with it in 1954. In addition, Anita Carter recorded Don’s “Here We Are Again.” After he graduated from high school, the brothers moved to Nashville.
Still shepherded by Atkins, The Everly Brothers signed with Columbia Records in 1955 and issued “The Sun Keeps Shining”/ “Keep A Lovin’ Me,” both Everly originals. The single went nowhere. Atkins kept plugging away on the brothers’ behalf. They were rejected by RCA and Capitol. But Justin Tubb recorded their song “The Life I Have to Live” for Decca in 1957.
The Everly Brothers. Photo: Ed Caraeff
Wesley Rose at Acuff-Rose Publishing signed the boys to songwriting contracts and took them to Cadence Records. Acuff-Rose staff writers Boudleaux & Felice Bryant supplied the Everlys with “Bye Bye Love,” to which Don applied a rollicking Bo Diddley beat. In the summer of 1957, it rocketed to the top of the pop, r&b and country charts. Backed by Don and Chet’s ringing guitars, the single combined the brothers’ hillbilly harmonies with the punch of rhythm & blues, a perfect distillation of the emerging rock & roll sensibility.
The single’s flip side also charted. Credited to both Don and Phil, “I Wonder If I Care As Much” has since been recorded by Dickey Lee, Johnny Winter, Robin & Linda Williams, Tracy Nelson, Andy Kim and more. In 1987, it was a country hit for Ricky Skaggs.
Although they effortlessly switched harmony vocal parts, Don generally sang lead, was usually the dominant songwriter and led the band. Phil’s electrifying high harmonies and “sock” rhythm guitar rounded out their thrilling sound.
The follow-up single to “Bye Bye Love” was the even bigger hit “Wake Up Little Susie,” again penned by the Bryants. Don once again wrote the flip side, “Maybe Tomorrow.” It was subsequently sung by Don Gibson, The Browns, Englebert Humperdinck, Richard Leigh and Del Shannon, among others.
In 1957-59, the Bryants supplied The Everly Brothers with additional major hit songs – “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Bird Dog,” “Devoted to You,” “Problems,” “Take a Message to Mary” and more.
The brothers continued to contribute their own compositions to the cause. The Everly-penned success “Should We Tell Him” of 1958 was revived by The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1990. Don’s “(‘Til) I Kissed You” was a top-10 Everly hit in 1959. The song is now certified as a Million-Air song by BMI, thanks to recordings by Tom Wopat, Kenny Rogers, Connie Smith (top-10 in 1976), The Angels, Johnny Rodrguez, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Sue Thompson, Sandy Posey, Anne Murray and others. The hit single’s flip side was also a Don Everly song, “Oh What a Feeling.”
The brothers paused in their rocking and rolling to create their acclaimed 1958 LP Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. This eloquently gentle, folk/country collection was ahead of its time and an early “concept” album.
Between 1957 and 1959 the duo had eight million-selling singles. In 1960, the Everlys became the first artists to be offered a million-dollar recording contract when they signed with the fledgling Warner Bros. Records. Their presence on the label led to it becoming a major force in the music world.
The Everly Brothers. Photo: Courtesy Robert K. Oermann
Don’s song “Cathy’s Clown” became their first hit for the company. It sold three million copies, the biggest selling record of their career. It also became an evergreen, with recordings by Pat Boone, The Shadows, The Williams Brothers, The Springer Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Dee Dee Ramone and more. Reba McEntire’s giant country smash with “Cathy’s Clown” led to it being named BMI’s Country Song of the Year in 1990.
Phil provided the team with the 1960 hit “When Will I Be Loved.” Don followed suit by penning “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)” as the follow-up single. The song has since been a country hit for Hank Williams Jr. & Lois Johnson (1970), Connie Smith (1976) and Emmylou Harris (1983). It has also been recorded by Tammy Wynette, Del Reeves, Frank Ifield, Dillard & Clark, Mott the Hoople, Steve Wariner, Albert Lee, Louise Mandrell, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Bryan Hyland, The Hombres and John Prine, to name a few.
Don’s “Since You Broke My Heart” (1960) has been reprised by The Searchers, The Chocolate Watchband, Terry Jacks and Dino, Desi & Billy. The Everly Brothers hits with Warners continued, particularly overseas. “Walk Right Back,” “Ebony Eyes,” “Temptation,” “Stick with Me Baby,” “Don’t Blame Me,” “Crying in the Rain,” “How Can I Meet Her,” “No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile” and “The Ferris Wheel” were big British Everly successes in 1961-64.
The brothers served in the Marines in 1961-62. Don was troubled, hospitalized and sidelined by drug and psychological problems in late 1962.
Both Don and Phil are credited with writing 1964’s “Gone, Gone, Gone.” It has been covered by The Ventures, The Surfaris, Crow and Fairport Convention. In 2007, it was a stand-out track on Raising Sand, the Grammy Album of the Year by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.
The brothers’ composition “The Price of Love” became a No. 1 hit on the British charts in 1965. It has since been recorded by a myriad of acts, including The Move, Bryan Ferry, The Status Quo, Poco, The Highthawks, Roxy Music, The Cactus Brothers, The Kinleys, BR5-49 and Buddy Miller.
The Everlys continued to record for Warner Bros. throughout the rest of the decade. Their 1968 LP for the label, Roots, is regarded as one of the seminal country-rock records. In 1970, the siblings starred in a network TV variety series on ABC, Johnny Cash Presents The Everly Brothers.
A contract with RCA resulted in the albums Stories We Could Tell (1972) and Pass the Chicken and Listen (1973). The latter was produced by their old benefactor, Chet Atkins.
The brothers broke up in 1973. Phil settled in L.A. Don returned to Nashville.
Don issued his solo albums Don Everly (1971, Ode Records), Sunset Towers (1974, Ode Records) and Brother Jukebox (1977, Hickory Records). He made the country charts with “Yesterday Just Passed My Way Again,” “Since You Broke My Heart” and “Brother Jukebox” in 1976-77.
After a decade of estrangement, The Everly Brothers joined forces again in 1983. Their reunion concert in London’s Royal Albert Hall aired around the world on HBO.
Paul McCartney wrote their 1984 comeback single “On the Wings of a Nightingale.” It became their first music video. Don’s song “Born Yesterday” brought the duo back into the country top-20 in 1986, and it, too, spawned a hit video.
He also wrote “Asleep,” “Some Hearts,” “Be My Love Again,” “Can’t Get Over It” and “Three Bands of Steel” for the team’s 1984-88 comeback albums on Mercury Records. His “Following the Sun” and “You Make It Seem So Easy” inspired music videos in 1984 and 1986, respectively.
In 1986, The Everly Brothers were among the 10 debut selections for the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Neil Young inducted the Everlys. Of their fellow pioneer inductees—Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Little Richard—Don’s death makes Lewis the only one still living.
The Everlys final appearance on the charts was on a 1989 remake of “Ballad of a Teenage Queen” with Johnny Cash and Rosanne Cash. Heartaches and Harmonies was issued as their four-CD, boxed-set salute in 1994.
The Everly Brothers were given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 2003-04, Don and Phil toured with Simon & Garfunkel nationwide. It was the farewell concert tour for the latter duo, whose career began in imitation of the Everly Brothers.
The siblings drifted apart again around 2005. Phil eventually settled south of Nashville, in Columbia, Tennessee. He passed away in 2014.
Four Everly Brothers tribute records were released in 2013. Norah Jones and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong offered Foreverly. The Chapin Sisters issued A Date With The Everly Brothers. The albums Bird Dogs and What the Brothers Sang came from The Wieners and Bonnie Prince Billy & Dawn McCarthy, respectively.
One of Don’s last notable public appearances was when he joined Paul Simon to sing “Bye Bye Love” at the latter’s 2018 Nashville concert. In 2019, Don was voted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville.
Don and Phil Everly have been the subjects of a theater musical, 1998’s Bye Bye Love. They have provided authors with the material for at least four books, John Hosum’s Living Legends: An Illustrated Discography (1985), Phyllis Karpp’s Ike’s Boys (1988), Consuelo Dodge’s The Everly Brothers: Ladies Love Outlaws (1991) and Roger White’s The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back (1998).
Don Everly is survived by his wife of 24 years, Adela, his son Edan. and daughters Venetia, Stacy and Erin, once married to Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose. He is also survived by his mother Margaret Everly, who is 102. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
MusicRow Songwriter Chart Top 3: Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps, Jonathan Singleton
/by LB CantrellAshley Gorley tops the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart for the sixth consecutive week. He is a co-writer on current charting songs “Good Things” and “Steal My Love”(Dan + Shay), “Country Again” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Single Saturday Night” (Cole Swindell), “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton), and “Beers On Me” (Dierks Bentley, Hardy & Breland).
Hunter Phelps remains at No. 2, with “Best Thing Since Backroads” (Jake Owen), “Cold Beer Calling My Name” (Jameson Rodgers feat. Luke Combs), “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen. (Chase Rice feat. Florida Georgia Line), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “That Ain’t Me No More” (Matt Stell) and “Thinking ‘Bout You” (Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter) all charting.
Jonathan Singleton rounds out the top three on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart with Lainey Wilson’s “Things A Man Oughta Know,” Luke Combs’ “Cold as You,” and Zac Brown Band’s “Same Boat.”
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Music Publicity Executive Norma Morris Dies At 82
/by Robert K OermannNorma Morris. Photo: Courtesy Morris Public Relations
Noted Nashville music publicity executive Norma Morris died on Friday (Aug. 20) at age 82.
She had been afflicted with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s for several years. Husband and music journalist Ed Morris announced her passing on Facebook.
Norma Morris co-owned Morris Public Relations with her daughter Erin Morris Huttlinger. Often in partnership with Alison Auerbach, they have represented such clients as Exile, Vince Gill, The Time Jumpers, Pete Huttlinger, Nefesh Mountain, Steve Wariner, Ralph Stanley, Paul Cardall, Addison Agen and Teea Goans.
She was the co-author (with Ed) of Free & Low-Coast Publicity for Your Musical Act. She was also a photographer whose work appeared in People, TV Guide and other publications. Prior to living in Nashville, Norma Morris was a college textbook author and a stage performer in musicals.
She was diagnosed with the incurable Alzheimer’s and Parknson’s diseases in 2015. Married in 1960, she and Ed had lived apart for 35 years, but he moved in with her to become her full-time caregiver. He chronicled their life together during her decline in the 2021 book Stardust: An Alzheimer’s Love Story. It compiled his poignant reflections from his Facebook postings about her.
Husband Ed Morris is the former country-music editor at Billboard magazine (1981-95), an editor at Writer’s Digest, a writer for CMT.com, a columnist for Music City News and International Musician, a freelance journalist for many national magazines and the author of Ed Morris’ Complete Guide to Country Music Videos, Garth Brooks: Platinum Cowboy, The Passion of Ethel Rosenberg, At Carter Stanley’s Grave: Musings on Country Music and Musicians, A Killing Froth and Alabama. He is also a poet and a playwright.
Norma Morris’ favorite record was Willie Nelson’s Stardust, which became her “theme music” during her illness. The superstar sent her a video expressing his thanks and best wishes.
In addition to her husband and daughter, Norma Ann Chapman Morris is survived by a son, music publisher Jason Morris. Other family details and funeral arrangements are unknown at press time.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be sent to support Nashville’s Alive Hospice.
Floods Sweep Through Middle TN, Loretta Lynn Loses Beloved Foreman Wayne Spears
/by Lydia FarthingWayne Spears. Photo: Courtesy Loretta Lynn’s Ranch
On Saturday, Aug. 21, Tennessee experienced historic flooding, receiving up to 17 inches of rain over a 12-hour period. Since then, at least 22 people have been reported dead with dozens still missing and rescue crews still on the search.
“The need is great here in Middle Tennessee,” says David Buchanan, logistics manager with the Red Cross. “I have been to many disasters, and this is one of the worst I have seen. We have people who have lost everything they worked their whole lives for. We have people here who watched as their family members were swept away in flood waters. This community is hurting. We are here to try to help.”
Among the families affected by Saturday’s natural disaster is Loretta Lynn‘s who lost the longtime foreman of her Hurricane Mills ranch, Wayne Spears, amidst the rising flood waters.
The family took to social media to share the news saying, “Wayne has been a family friend to the Lynns and a fixture to the Ranch for decades and we are all devastated by his passing. The Ranch will never be the same without him but he will always be remembered for his ready smile, kind heart, and willingness to go the extra mile for everyone around him.” They continue, “Eventually we’ll rebuild our community, our ranch, our lives and our homes, but only God could build a man like Wayne Spears. There’s just no replacing that. May he rest in peace.”
The unexpected flooding took out roads, cellphone towers, buildings, homes, and telephone lines. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
For more information on the updating situation in Middle Tennessee, to volunteer, or to make a donation, click here.
The Country Community Mourns The Loss Of Don Everly
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Everly Brothers. Photo: Ed Caraeff
The weekend brought the sad news of the passing of Don Everly, half of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry members The Everly Brothers. Thoughts and prayers rolled in from all corners of the country music world and beyond upon hearing the news of his passing.
“The Everly Brothers were every bit as popular as Elvis. However, like most rock acts, they were on a small record label,” shared Don McLean. “Cadence Records made a fortune but they were in no way able to compete with RCA which is where Col. Parker put Elvis. I met the Everly Brothers in 1969 and asked them about Buddy Holly. Phil said Buddy took the plane so he could do his laundry. I think Buddy had other laundry to do as well. This started my thinking for ‘American Pie’ which I wrote later. Additionally, Don was a great lead singer and unique rhythm guitar player. Almost all their hits featured his rhythm guitar.”
“Don’s voice along with the incredible sounds of The Everly Brothers was one of the main reasons I decided on a career in music. He and his music truly influenced every singer for generations. Gone but never forgotten. R.I.P,” TG Sheppard said.
“So sad to hear about the passing of Don Everly. The music of the Everly Brothers helped me form my love for entertainment,” comments Lee Greenwood. “First class of inductees to the Rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame, their blend of harmony was special and unique. RIP.”
“The Everly Brothers are integral to the fabric of American music. Very few of us can say we were around at the beginning, and even fewer can say we’re still here. With my friend Don’s passing, I am reflective… reflective on a life full of wonderful friends, spectacular music and fond memories,” Jerry Lee Lewis adds. “There’s a lot I can say about Don, what he and Phil meant to me both as people and as musicians, but I am going to reflect today. God Bless Don Everly and long live Rock and Roll music.”
“The Everlys made a huge impact on all of us singers. Their harmonies were impeccable. They had a huge impact on rock and roll’s early days. Their records are still classic examples of the art of choosing perfect songs that highlighted their talent,” T. Graham Brown says. “Don now joins Phil in rock and roll heaven. Rest in peace, pioneer!”
“I listened to a lot of Nanci Griffith last week and I listened to a bunch of Tom T. Hall songs yesterday… Today I am cranking up some Everly Brothers,” shares Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys. “A lot of folks going home these days… Don joins Phil.”
Weekly Register: Dan + Shay Earn ‘Good Things’ In First Week After Release
/by Lydia FarthingThis week, Warner Music Nashville’s Dan + Shay have earned the top country streaming album debut. Their already Gold-certified album, Good Things, lands at No. 2 on the country charts and No. 6 overall with 33,000 total first-week streams, according to Nielsen. Additionally, “Steal My Love,” the project’s newest single, debuted at No. 40 on the top country songs chart with 3 million streams. Apart from their impressive album debut, the duo also take the second spot on the top country songs chart as “Glad You Exist” receives 7.5 million streams this week.
“Fancy Like” stays at No. 1 on the top country songs again this week, helping Walker Hayes rack up another 12 million streams for a total of 87 million RTD. “Lil Bit” (Nelly & FGL) takes third with 7.5 million streams while “Chasing After You” (Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris) re-enters the top five at No. 4, gaining 6.7 million streams. “Forever After All” (Luke Combs) rounds out the top songs earning 6.6 million streams.
Morgan Wallen continues his reign at the top of the top country streaming albums chart as Dangerous: The Double Album adds 42,500 streams, contributing to 51 million overall streams, according to Nielsen. Wallen also seals the top five albums as If I Know Me drops to No. 5 with 14,000 streams. Combs fills in the rest of the top five with What You See Is What You Get taking the third spot with 23,000 streams and This One’s For You taking fourth with 16,000 streams.
Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry Members Remember Tom T. Hall
/by Lorie HollabaughTom T. Hall. Photo: Courtesy Robert K. Oermann
Following the news of the passing of Tom T. Hall over the weekend, members of the country music family began sharing condolences and remembrances of the beloved and prolific artist and writer who fondly became known as “The Storyteller.”
“I’m devastated at the loss of one of my oldest friends of 57 years, Tom T. Hall. We were more than friends, he called me ‘Brother Bob’ and we had so much in common. We were both from the same part of the country with a similar childhood – but he was a brilliant storytelling songwriter, a trait I always recognized and admired. I think I recorded more Tom T. Hall songs than anyone! I just miss him a whole lot, there will never be another,” said Bobby Bare, fellow Country Music Hall of Fame member, Grand Ole Opry member and friend for over six decades.
“I was saddened to hear of Tom T. Hall’s passing. I loved him,” said Ricky Skaggs. “He was a great Kentuckian with a heart of gold. He was a kind and gentle man. Lots of people come to Nashville to write songs, but Tom T. came to tell stories. These stories are everyone’s story. They are America’s story. Now he can truly say, ‘me and Jesus have our own thing going.’”
“What a great loss, what a great storyteller, and what a nice man. We’ll miss you, Tom,” said Ray Stevens.
“Tom T. Hall was a great storyteller, artist, poet, friend and especially husband to the great love of his life, Miss Dixie. The only comfort I have in this loss is the idea they’re reunited tonight in heaven,” said Ronnie Milsap.
“I worked with Tom on several occasions, and he was always a gentleman. He was a very interesting songwriter and a fun person to be around. He contributed a great deal to country music and he got to live a full life,” said Don McLean.
“Back in 1978 when we sang at Mama Maybelle Carter’s funeral a saddened and shaken Johnny Cash walked up to the podium and asked Tom T. Hall to stand with him… Johnny said, “I draw strength from you, Tom!” Thank you Tom T. Hall for the songs and the strength you provided to so many … Rest Easy now and draw strength from the loving arms of Jesus… until the day,” said Joe Bonsall, The Oak Ridge Boys.
“Tom T. was one funny human being. He gave me a bull 35 years ago. He wrote me a note explaining his gift of the bull. ‘Larry my young friend, I’m mighty fond of this old bull because he’s got a bad knee, and that’s what kept me out of the Army.’ Kinda funny considering the fact that he joined the Army and later he performed for our military personnel all over the world. Yes, my friend Tom T. was one funny human being. One genuine, good human being and one of the very best wordsmiths on the planet. REST IN PEACE, my friend. Steve and Rudy didn’t get a bull but they loved old Tom T. too,” said Larry Gatlin.
“Another good friend, another legend, Tom T. Hall has left us! Tom T. was a true songwriter, The Storyteller was a great nickname for him because he really was the epitome of that. I am so glad I got to know this wonderful man. May he Rest In Peace and God Bless his family,” said Jerry Lee Lewis.
“Tom T. was the ultimate storyteller. His songwriting had the ability to make you see a story unfolding in your head. Such a unique and incredibly talented man. He will be missed,” said John Anderson.
“Tom T. Hall one of my favorite songwriters, two of my favorite songs are ‘I Like Beer and ‘Shoeshine Man!’ Of course the masterpiece was ‘Harper Valley PTA,’ what an awesome song. He will be missed,” said Mickey Gilley.
“One of my heroes. An artist for all the ages!,” said Randy Owen of ALABAMA.
“It is difficult to believe the Storyteller of our time is gone, his stories have been told and that is so hard to imagine, as we all want to hear more. If you listen to “I Love” you know Tom T, and you also know that’s why HE was loved so much. He reminded us that those little things were so special, like little baby ducks. One of the treasures that I regret losing in the flood was a handwritten note to me from Tom T. for the ‘recipes’ I had written for the Animal Land Cookbook. He said it was a gift to be able to make someone laugh in one paragraph and cry in the next, and he should know because he did that often. The treasure I regret losing most of all is Tom T. Hall as he was truly a gift. It helps to know that today he is reunited with Miss Dixie and all the dogs they’ve ever loved,” said Jeannie Seely.
“Another good friend, another legend, Tom T. Hall has left us! Tom T. was a true songwriter, The Storyteller was a great nickname for him because he really was the epitome of that. I am so glad I got to know this wonderful man. May he Rest In Peace and God Bless his family,” said Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jon Wolfe Signs With ONErpm
/by Lorie HollabaughJon Wolfe. Photo: Jeremy M. Thomas
Jon Wolfe has signed a worldwide marketing and distribution deal with ONErpm. Following the four-song teaser release of Chapter One on June 30, Chapter Two of his upcoming full-length album, Dos Corazones, is available now. The full, 17-track album project is set to premiere on Sept. 1.
“ONErpm is proud to announce a partnership with Jon Wolfe for his absolutely incredible Dos Corazones album,” says Jeff Tobias, head of country music for ONErpm. “Jon, a highly successful player in the Texas music scene, has truly created a masterpiece with this record, and we could not be more excited to be working with an artist of his caliber.”
Dos Corazones was brought to life in a little adobe house in the Chihuahuan Desert with Grammy-nominated producer Dave Brainard and one of Wolfe’s favorite writers, veteran tunesmith Tony Ramey.
“The idea was simple,” explains Wolfe. “We would all go out in the desert—off the grid—and write about the things we love: the outdoors, old guitars, beat-up pickup trucks and country music.”
Charlie Daniels Posthumously Receives Pandora Billionaire Award
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Hazel Daniels, Doug Gray (The Marshall Tucker Band), Charlie Daniels Jr. Photo: Kayla Schoen
Charlie Daniels was posthumously awarded Pandora’s Billionaire Award last week at the 2021 Volunteer Jam: A Musical Salute to Charlie Daniels held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The honor commemorates one billion streams on the national music platform.
The Marshall Tucker Band, longtime friends of The Charlie Daniels Band, were on hand to make the presentation. During the group’s set, MTB lead singer Doug Gray called Daniels’ wife of nearly 56 years, Hazel Daniels, and his son, Charlie Daniels Jr., to the stage, surprising them with the special plaque from Pandora.
“This special award and the entire night brought tears to my eyes, to see how much his fans loved him, because he loved them, too,” said Daniels’ wife. “It was such an honor. I wish everyone had fans as loyal as Charlie’s.”
“In what was an exciting, uplifting and emotional night, one of the highlights of this year’s Volunteer Jam for me was the presentation of the Pandora Billionaire Award,” Daniels’ son shared. “For an artist whose main success was when record sales were measured by Gold and Platinum albums and decades before the advent of streaming to reach that milestone, this is a real testament to dad’s legacy and to his millions of fans who continue to listen to his music. He would be honored and humbled.”
Thousands of fans packed the arena to pay tribute to Daniels during the special evening, which included performances by Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis (w/ James Dupré), Travis Tritt, Chris Young, Big & Rich, 38 Special, Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, The Allman Betts Band, the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Travis Denning, Johnny Lee, Rhett Akins, The SteelDrivers, and many more.
“We had an epic tribute to Charlie with an incredible lineup, and to top the great evening, Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band presented Hazel and Charlie Jr. with the Pandora Billionaire Award. That’s as good as it gets,” added Daniels’ manager and friend David Corlew.
To further honor the country music legend, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee also recently declared that Aug. 18 will now be the official “Charlie Daniels Day” across the state.
Beloved TV Journalist And Producer Lisa Lee Dies At 52
/by LB CantrellLisa Lee. Photo: Courtesy Academy of Country Music
Lisa Lee, senior vice president of creative and content for the Academy of Country Music, passed away on Saturday (Aug. 21) after a battle with brain cancer. She was 52.
Born Alicia Faye Young in Cabot, Arkansas, on Dec. 24, 1968, Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. After graduation, Lee got a reporting job at Cabot Star-Herald newspaper.
One of her early jobs was at KTAL-TV, an NBC affiliate serving Texarkana and Shreveport, Louisiana, where she began to be interested in entertainment stories. Although her assignments covered a variety of topics, Lee eventually convinced station management to allow her to do movie reviews; she promptly constructed her own little critic’s corner set. She also started covering country music concerts and events in the Arkansas area and surrounding states at this time.
Lee started a friendship with a reporter/producer from Jim Owens and Associates, the Nashville-based production company behind TNN Country News at the time. Soon she was checking in with the folks at Jim Owens, updating them on all the entertainment pieces she was working on, while not so subtly working to convince them to hire her. Her persistence paid off when Jim Owens and Associates hired her, and she moved to Nashville to work for the company from 1995 to 1999.
In 2000, Lee moved to CMT and CMT.com as a news correspondent and producer.
Lee also had a calling to expand the social conversation. She wrote and produced the Prism Award-winning special Addicted to Addiction, as well as the TV news specials Sex in Videos: Where’s the Line and Controversy: Tammy Wynette.
In 2004, Lisa moved to Los Angeles, becoming the Hollywood-based correspondent and West Coast News Bureau Chief for CMT Insider, the network’s interview-driven news show, where she covered music, movies, and television.
In 2007, three years after her move to L.A., Lisa accepted the Academy of Country Music’s offer to draw on her experience as a TV journalist and producer to help the Academy establish and grow their own in-house creative and video production department. As the Academy’s lead staff producer, she oversaw all video production as well as the design, creation, and editing of ACM logos, digital and printed materials including ACM Tempo magazine, the ACM Awards program book, and both the ACM and ACM Lifting Lives websites.
With her long history of production and network teamwork, Lee served as a liaison with CBS television’s creative departments and CBS.com for promos and creative content surrounding the annual ACM Awards. She was named producer of the Academy of Country Music Honors, a live industry event dedicated to celebrating the Academy’s special award honorees, off-camera category winners, and ACM Industry and Studio Recording Awards winners. Held each year at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Lisa imbued the event with a real love for the people who go the extra mile to support, expand, and protect Country Music in its most creative places.
In 2014, Lee wrote and created This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards. The deeply researched coffee table book celebrated the 50 the anniversary of the ACM Awards and included a forward by Reba McEntire.
Lee was a member of the Writers Guild of America. She was also a Leadership Music alum.
Lisa Lee is survived by her parents, Charlie and Faye Young; her husband (and high school sweetheart) Doug Lee; daughter Grayson, and son Jackson. Also, in laws Phillip and Sarah Lee of Cabot and many other Lee family members. She was preceded in death by her grandparents and brothers, Jason Young and Dennis Young.
Visitation is to be held this Friday from 5-8 pm at Moores Funeral Home, 700 North Second Street, Cabot, Arkansas followed by a memorial service Saturday. To stay updated on details for next weekend’s services, the celebration of life to be held in Nashville at a later date, and to support her family by contributing to her memorial fund, please click here.
Luke Bryan & Lisa Lee. Photo: Courtesy of Academy of Country Music
“Lisa has always been a light inside our industry,” shares Luke Bryan. “Her ability for telling not only my story but the story of so many was unmatched because it was from her heart. She truly loved her job and it showed on her face every time she was around. I will miss her.”
“I always loved getting to visit with Lisa whether it be about the music business or an interview. She was a huge asset to our business. I sure will miss her smiling face,” comments Reba McEntire.
“We lost one of our true lights yesterday. Lisa Lee was one of the most passionate and caring people I’ve ever met. Her love and appreciation of music, and the artists who made it, was everything you’d ever want,” adds Keith Urban. “I loved being interviewed by her for that reason and because she always brought such a warmth into the room. Peace be with all of her family today.”
“It is certainly a sad day for Country Music. We have lost a bright light and true leader in our business who cared deeply for telling the story of the music, artists and creators,” Lori Badgett, ACM Chair & Senior Vice President of City National Bank says. “Our hearts go out to her entire family, especially her husband, Doug and precious children, Grayson and Jackson at this terribly difficult time. We look forward to honoring her in many ways in the future.”
Lisa Lee & Kenny Chesney. Photo: Courtesy of Lisa’s Instagram
“Lisa Lee and I grew up together in this business. She was a TV reporter, producer, writer and big executive. She covered my heroes and my friends, she wrote about me and my mother,” Kenny Chesney says. “She truly cared about country music – and I absolutely cared about her. Good-bye, my sweet friend.”
“The Academy has lost a huge part of its heart and soul with the passing of Lisa Lee. She was a champion for Country Music and fiercely dedicated to the Academy’s mission for her over 15 years of service to the ACM,” shares Damon Whiteside, CEO, Academy of Country Music. “She is irreplaceable, but her heart and spirit will live on throughout our industry. ACM Honors was her favorite event, and I know she will be singing along and smiling down on us from above on Wednesday night.”
Lisa Lee & Reba McEntire. Photo: Courtesy of Lisa’s Instagram
“Ever since she joined the Academy, she became the heart, the soul and the historian for the ACM… On a personal level, I relied on her to keep me honest when it came to telling the Academy’s story. She had such depth of knowledge and passion. I will miss her tremendously,” comments RAC Clark, Executive Producer of the ACM Awards, 1999 to present, ACM Board Member and interim Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music 2019.
“I always loved getting to visit with Lisa whether it be about the music business or an interview. She was a huge asset to our business. I sure will miss her smiling face,” comments Reba McEntire.
Rock And Country Titan Don Everly Passes [Updated]
/by Robert K OermannThe Everly Brothers. Photo: Country Music Hall of Fame
Don Everly, one of the most influential artists in pop-music history, died in Nashville on Saturday (Aug. 21).
His death at age 84 was confirmed yesterday by Variety, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, the BBC and other worldwide media outlets. As half of The Everly Brothers, he became an inaugural inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The team is also in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Everlys have sold more than 40 million records. They toured globally for six decades.
Don and younger brother Phil Everly (1939-2014) were famed for their spine-tingling vocal harmonies, The Everly Brothers were profound influences on artists ranging from The Beatles to Simon & Garfunkel. Their sound has been cited by The Byrds, The Eagles, Peter & Gordon, The Hollies, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, The Beach Boys, Rodney Crowell, The Bee Gees and every harmony duo that has succeeded them.
Don’s driving, open-tuned, steel-string guitar work was also influential. Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones is among many who emulated it.
Don Everly was the writer behind such enduring songs as “Cathy’s Clown,” “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad),” “(‘Til) I Kissed You” and “The Price of Love.” Both he and Phil also had solo recording careers.
Born in 1937, Isaac Donald Everly was the son of country entertainers Ike Everly (1908-1975) and Margaret Everly. He was born in the family’s home state of Kentucky. Phil followed two years later. He was born in Chicago, where Ike was working in local clubs and on WLS radio.
Former coal miner Ike Everly was an accomplished guitarist whose distinctive thumb-picking style was admired by Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler and many others. Don was mentored by his father from an early age, and made his debut as a radio performer in 1945 when Ike was working at KMA in Shenandoah, Iowa. He had a regular singing segment as “Little Donnie.”
The Everly parents and their sons turned their radio appearances into a family affair when Margaret, Don and Phil joined Ike’s act. Thus, The Everly Brothers became show-biz professionals in 1949, when Don was 12 and Phil was 10. The family relocated to WROL in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1953.
Ike contacted Chet Atkins in Nashville, who took an interest in Don’s songwriting. Atkins took the teenager’s song “Thou Shalt Not Steal” to Kitty Wells, who scored a big country hit with it in 1954. In addition, Anita Carter recorded Don’s “Here We Are Again.” After he graduated from high school, the brothers moved to Nashville.
Still shepherded by Atkins, The Everly Brothers signed with Columbia Records in 1955 and issued “The Sun Keeps Shining”/ “Keep A Lovin’ Me,” both Everly originals. The single went nowhere. Atkins kept plugging away on the brothers’ behalf. They were rejected by RCA and Capitol. But Justin Tubb recorded their song “The Life I Have to Live” for Decca in 1957.
The Everly Brothers. Photo: Ed Caraeff
Wesley Rose at Acuff-Rose Publishing signed the boys to songwriting contracts and took them to Cadence Records. Acuff-Rose staff writers Boudleaux & Felice Bryant supplied the Everlys with “Bye Bye Love,” to which Don applied a rollicking Bo Diddley beat. In the summer of 1957, it rocketed to the top of the pop, r&b and country charts. Backed by Don and Chet’s ringing guitars, the single combined the brothers’ hillbilly harmonies with the punch of rhythm & blues, a perfect distillation of the emerging rock & roll sensibility.
The single’s flip side also charted. Credited to both Don and Phil, “I Wonder If I Care As Much” has since been recorded by Dickey Lee, Johnny Winter, Robin & Linda Williams, Tracy Nelson, Andy Kim and more. In 1987, it was a country hit for Ricky Skaggs.
Although they effortlessly switched harmony vocal parts, Don generally sang lead, was usually the dominant songwriter and led the band. Phil’s electrifying high harmonies and “sock” rhythm guitar rounded out their thrilling sound.
The follow-up single to “Bye Bye Love” was the even bigger hit “Wake Up Little Susie,” again penned by the Bryants. Don once again wrote the flip side, “Maybe Tomorrow.” It was subsequently sung by Don Gibson, The Browns, Englebert Humperdinck, Richard Leigh and Del Shannon, among others.
In 1957-59, the Bryants supplied The Everly Brothers with additional major hit songs – “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Bird Dog,” “Devoted to You,” “Problems,” “Take a Message to Mary” and more.
The brothers continued to contribute their own compositions to the cause. The Everly-penned success “Should We Tell Him” of 1958 was revived by The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1990. Don’s “(‘Til) I Kissed You” was a top-10 Everly hit in 1959. The song is now certified as a Million-Air song by BMI, thanks to recordings by Tom Wopat, Kenny Rogers, Connie Smith (top-10 in 1976), The Angels, Johnny Rodrguez, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Sue Thompson, Sandy Posey, Anne Murray and others. The hit single’s flip side was also a Don Everly song, “Oh What a Feeling.”
The brothers paused in their rocking and rolling to create their acclaimed 1958 LP Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. This eloquently gentle, folk/country collection was ahead of its time and an early “concept” album.
Between 1957 and 1959 the duo had eight million-selling singles. In 1960, the Everlys became the first artists to be offered a million-dollar recording contract when they signed with the fledgling Warner Bros. Records. Their presence on the label led to it becoming a major force in the music world.
The Everly Brothers. Photo: Courtesy Robert K. Oermann
Don’s song “Cathy’s Clown” became their first hit for the company. It sold three million copies, the biggest selling record of their career. It also became an evergreen, with recordings by Pat Boone, The Shadows, The Williams Brothers, The Springer Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Dee Dee Ramone and more. Reba McEntire’s giant country smash with “Cathy’s Clown” led to it being named BMI’s Country Song of the Year in 1990.
Phil provided the team with the 1960 hit “When Will I Be Loved.” Don followed suit by penning “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)” as the follow-up single. The song has since been a country hit for Hank Williams Jr. & Lois Johnson (1970), Connie Smith (1976) and Emmylou Harris (1983). It has also been recorded by Tammy Wynette, Del Reeves, Frank Ifield, Dillard & Clark, Mott the Hoople, Steve Wariner, Albert Lee, Louise Mandrell, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Bryan Hyland, The Hombres and John Prine, to name a few.
Don’s “Since You Broke My Heart” (1960) has been reprised by The Searchers, The Chocolate Watchband, Terry Jacks and Dino, Desi & Billy. The Everly Brothers hits with Warners continued, particularly overseas. “Walk Right Back,” “Ebony Eyes,” “Temptation,” “Stick with Me Baby,” “Don’t Blame Me,” “Crying in the Rain,” “How Can I Meet Her,” “No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile” and “The Ferris Wheel” were big British Everly successes in 1961-64.
The brothers served in the Marines in 1961-62. Don was troubled, hospitalized and sidelined by drug and psychological problems in late 1962.
Both Don and Phil are credited with writing 1964’s “Gone, Gone, Gone.” It has been covered by The Ventures, The Surfaris, Crow and Fairport Convention. In 2007, it was a stand-out track on Raising Sand, the Grammy Album of the Year by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.
The brothers’ composition “The Price of Love” became a No. 1 hit on the British charts in 1965. It has since been recorded by a myriad of acts, including The Move, Bryan Ferry, The Status Quo, Poco, The Highthawks, Roxy Music, The Cactus Brothers, The Kinleys, BR5-49 and Buddy Miller.
The Everlys continued to record for Warner Bros. throughout the rest of the decade. Their 1968 LP for the label, Roots, is regarded as one of the seminal country-rock records. In 1970, the siblings starred in a network TV variety series on ABC, Johnny Cash Presents The Everly Brothers.
A contract with RCA resulted in the albums Stories We Could Tell (1972) and Pass the Chicken and Listen (1973). The latter was produced by their old benefactor, Chet Atkins.
The brothers broke up in 1973. Phil settled in L.A. Don returned to Nashville.
Don issued his solo albums Don Everly (1971, Ode Records), Sunset Towers (1974, Ode Records) and Brother Jukebox (1977, Hickory Records). He made the country charts with “Yesterday Just Passed My Way Again,” “Since You Broke My Heart” and “Brother Jukebox” in 1976-77.
After a decade of estrangement, The Everly Brothers joined forces again in 1983. Their reunion concert in London’s Royal Albert Hall aired around the world on HBO.
Paul McCartney wrote their 1984 comeback single “On the Wings of a Nightingale.” It became their first music video. Don’s song “Born Yesterday” brought the duo back into the country top-20 in 1986, and it, too, spawned a hit video.
He also wrote “Asleep,” “Some Hearts,” “Be My Love Again,” “Can’t Get Over It” and “Three Bands of Steel” for the team’s 1984-88 comeback albums on Mercury Records. His “Following the Sun” and “You Make It Seem So Easy” inspired music videos in 1984 and 1986, respectively.
In 1986, The Everly Brothers were among the 10 debut selections for the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Neil Young inducted the Everlys. Of their fellow pioneer inductees—Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Little Richard—Don’s death makes Lewis the only one still living.
The Everlys final appearance on the charts was on a 1989 remake of “Ballad of a Teenage Queen” with Johnny Cash and Rosanne Cash. Heartaches and Harmonies was issued as their four-CD, boxed-set salute in 1994.
The Everly Brothers were given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 2003-04, Don and Phil toured with Simon & Garfunkel nationwide. It was the farewell concert tour for the latter duo, whose career began in imitation of the Everly Brothers.
The siblings drifted apart again around 2005. Phil eventually settled south of Nashville, in Columbia, Tennessee. He passed away in 2014.
Four Everly Brothers tribute records were released in 2013. Norah Jones and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong offered Foreverly. The Chapin Sisters issued A Date With The Everly Brothers. The albums Bird Dogs and What the Brothers Sang came from The Wieners and Bonnie Prince Billy & Dawn McCarthy, respectively.
One of Don’s last notable public appearances was when he joined Paul Simon to sing “Bye Bye Love” at the latter’s 2018 Nashville concert. In 2019, Don was voted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville.
Don and Phil Everly have been the subjects of a theater musical, 1998’s Bye Bye Love. They have provided authors with the material for at least four books, John Hosum’s Living Legends: An Illustrated Discography (1985), Phyllis Karpp’s Ike’s Boys (1988), Consuelo Dodge’s The Everly Brothers: Ladies Love Outlaws (1991) and Roger White’s The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back (1998).
Don Everly is survived by his wife of 24 years, Adela, his son Edan. and daughters Venetia, Stacy and Erin, once married to Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose. He is also survived by his mother Margaret Everly, who is 102. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.