The Everly Brothers recorded their first single, "Keep A' Lovin' Me," in 1956, under the aegis of Chet Atkins, but did not become successful until 1957 when they began working with songwriting partners Felice and Boudleaux Bryant on the Cadence Records label. Working with the Bryants, they had a number of hits in the USA and the UK, the biggest of which were "Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up Little Susie," "(All I Have to Do Is) Dream," (the flip side "Claudette" written by Roy Orbison was also a hit) and "Bird Dog." In 1960, when they signed with Warner Brothers Records, they continued to have hits, such as 1960's "Cathy's Clown" and "The Ferris Wheel" (from 1964), but the years after 1962 saw the Everly Brothers become less commercially viable than before even as they became artistically more accomplished.
Following the British Invasion, Everly Brothers recordings like "I'll See Your Light" and "It Only Costs a Dime" (both 1965) began to reflect many of the changes in popular music they had, with their earlier work, put into motion; they recorded, with members of the Hollies contributing songs such as "So Lonely" and "Don't Run and Hide," a classic album entitled Two Yanks in England (1966), at the time somewhat under-appreciated (and currently unavailable on CD) but now considered one of their best efforts. In 1967 they had a hit single, "Bowling Green," and in 1968 they recorded another album now regarded as a classic, Roots, which featured their own compositions alongside songs by Randy Newman and others. In short, their mid- and late-'60s material is considered by many critics and listeners to compare favorably to that done by the Beatles and the Byrds.
With soft, mainly acoustic guitar backing, sweet close-harmony vocals, non-threatening lyrics, and a clean-cut image, the Everly Brothers helped bridge the gap between rock and country music in a way that appealed to fans of both genres. In addition, their approach to harmony singing influenced nearly every rock and roll group of the 1960s.
The Everly Brothers have had a total of 26 Billboard Top 40 singles. In 1986 they were among the first 10 artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
