Knoxville - Two Years That Mattered

In 1953, after short stints at KNF Radio in Shenandoah, Iowa, and WIKY in Evansville, Indiana, Margaret pushed to move the family closer to Kentucky, and even more importantly closer to the mecca of country music…Nashville, Tennessee. They packed up their car and headed to Knoxville, Tennessee. Immediately upon their arrival, they auditioned for the “The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour '' on WORL. Much to their surprise, they were hired immediately! Cas Walker’s show may have been an outlet to promote his grocery stores, but he also had a knack for picking fresh talent, such as a 10-year-old Dolly Parton in 1956! They were hired as the Everly Family, but very shortly it became apparent that the boys could go farther as a duo. Margaret and Ike quietly stepped aside and began cutting hair to support the boys’ dreams. It was during the Knoxville years, that the boys discovered Rock
and Roll and more specifically that Bo Diddley beat.

Thou Shalt Not Steal - Chet Atkins

In 1953, Ike Everly began a correspondence with Chet Atkins. Chet was already a fan of Ike’s distinctive thumb-picking style. Ike proudly told him about his talented sons, Don and Phil. When Ike and Chet eventually met face to face in 1954, this would change everything for the brothers. Don had recently penned the song “Thou Shalt Not Steal,” and Atkins was very interested, placing it with the legendary Kitty Wells, who recorded it. The first royalty check was $600. This was back when most people earned about a dollar per hour! They quickly got new tires for the family car. Don went out and bought himself some fancy brown suede shoes and pink slacks, according to Margaret Everly. The pretty boys were already stopping traffic and not just for their ducktails and long hair, although the hair was always iconic in its own right. We have to remember that these were two very fashion-forward and slightly rebellious cool young men. The world just didn’t know about them yet.

20 Minute Recording Session / Columbia Record Deal Goes Bust

The boys and Margaret headed to Nashville in 1955, upon Don’s high school graduation. After what felt like a long time (actually only a few months) of knocking on doors and busking at the backstage alley of the Grand Ole Opry, the brothers landed their first recording contract. The contract consisted of initially recording four songs. Unfortunately, the label was only going to pay for 20 minutes of recording time, in which the brothers would have to prove themselves. Phil recalled in later years, they knew that the recording session had not gone well. And sure enough, Columbia promptly dropped them!
Archie Bleyer and “Give Me a Future”

In early 1957, Archie Bleyer, the owner of New York City-based Cadence records, was looking for a country act. Archie came to Nashville inquiring about talent to the head of Acuff Rose Publishing, Wesley Rose. Wesley suggested the Everly Brothers, who he had recently signed to a management and publishing deal. A short time later the brothers were signed with Cadence, and a recording session was booked at RCA’s Studio B with Chet Atkins at the helm. The first song they decided to record was a song that had been turned down by virtually every act in town. It was penned by Acuff Rose writers Boudleaux and Felice Bryant. That song was Bye Bye Love! 

When Country Music Became Rock & Roll

But a funny thing happened in the studio that day. The brothers had always been seen as a country act, but they didn’t really want to play country in the traditional sense. They had their own ideas. One of the most significant, but not fully understood, was the fact that Don and Phil had been deeply impressed with the music of Bo Diddley and other acts like him. So, during the Bye Bye Love session, Don suggested adding a lick that he had created for one of his songs called “Give Me a Future” onto the front of “Bye Bye Love.” It utilized an open G tuning and an unusual rhythm. Everyone that was at the session knew immediately that this was like nothing they had heard on the front of a song before. Phil, in later years, always said that without that lick, he doesn’t know what would have happened to them. People need to remember this was in early 1957. The term “rock and roll” had not really been coined yet.  Having a separate guitar intro that was not just a repeat of part of the song was totally new and groundbreaking.

The brothers had gone into the recording session on March 1st, 1957 as country artists but came out later that day as Rock & Roll pioneers. They had successfully bridged the gap between Country and Rock, and in the meantime, invented a new sound.  

A Duo for the Record Books

After Bye Bye Love exploded onto the Pop charts, the Country charts, and even the R&B charts, Don and Phil faced the legitimate fear of being a one-hit-wonder. Luckily for them, Boudleaux and Felice Bryant immediately recognized the brothers’ style as singers and innovative guitar players. The next song they gave Don and Phil, “Wake Up Little Susie,” had a blank space after each stanza purposely designed for the brothers to add one of their signature guitar riffs. Don took the opportunity and ran with it, creating yet another Everly signature guitar lick for the ages. Keith Richards called Don Everly “One of the finest Rhythm Guitar Players.” 

And the hits kept coming in ‘57, ‘58, ‘59, and ‘60...“All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “Bird Dog,” “Devoted to You,” “Problems,” “Til I Kissed You,” and  “Let it Be Me,” just to name a few.

No one had ever seen or heard this combination of musical styles before. Groundbreaking intros and guitar riffs borrowing heavily from Rhythm and Blues. Their breathtaking and soul-wrenching Appalachian blood harmony, combined with elements of classic country music, all presented by two exceptionally handsome, ready-made teen heartthrobs. The world of music was changed forever. 
Roots Part 1

The brothers, always innovators, made a bold decision in 1958 to follow up their victorious chart debuts with an album called “Songs Our Daddy Taught Us.” This concept album, an homage to their father Ike, was truly ahead of its time. It was an album of traditional roots music, released at the peak of their commercial success. It was a daring move that showed their appreciation to their parents and more specifically to their father, for all he had taught them and sacrificed over the years.