Singer Don Everly, of American rock ‘n’ roll duo Everly Brothers, dies at 84
- Don Everly’s close-harmony singing with his brother, Phil, generated dreamy, chart-topping hits
- Tributes from the music world were led by Carole King, Roy Orbison Jnr and Julian Lennon
US country rock pioneer Don Everly, who was the surviving half of the Everly Brothers, has died aged 84 after a career delighting fans with a string of hits such as Bye Bye Love and Wake Up Little Susie.
His death on Saturday in the music hub of Nashville, Tennessee was announced by the Country Music Hall of Fame, which called him “one of the most talented and impactful artists in popular music history”. No cause was provided.
Tributes from the music world were led by Carole King, Roy Orbison Jnr and Julian Lennon, who tweeted: “R.I.P. Don Of ‘The Everly Brothers’ who along with his brother Phil, wrote some of the most memorable & classic songs of all time … Thank You for the Music.”
The duo, credited with influencing rock and country singers for decades, were among the inaugural honorees in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, alongside Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis. In 2001 they were inducted into its country counterpart.
Don’s brother Phil Everly died in 2014, aged 75.