Story by the Associated Press; curated by Dave Urbanski
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Phil Everly, one half of the pioneering Everly Brothers harmony duo that sparked the imaginations of rock 'n' roll singers for decades, has died. He was 74.
This July 31, 1964 file photo shows The Everly Brothers, Phil and Don, performing on stage. (Image source: AP/File)
His son Jason Everly says his father died Friday at a Burbank hospital of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, Everly and his brother Don molded rock 'n' roll with their high harmony while their poignant lyrics captured the restlessness and energy of a generation of young people.
Their hit records included the then-titillating "Wake Up Little Susie" and the universally identifiable "Bye Bye Love."
The Beatles, early in their career, once referred to themselves as "the English Everly Brothers," the AP noted, while Bob Dylan once said, "We owe these guys everything. They started it all."
In all, their career spanned five decades, although they performed separately from 1973 to 1983. In their heyday between 1957 and 1962, they had 19 top 40 hits.
Here are the Everly Brothers, when they were just 18 and 20 years old, singing "Bye Bye Love" live on stage:
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