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RIP Don Everly

After a decade of estrangement, the Everly Brothers chose the Royal Albert Hall in London as the venue for their historic reunion concert on September 22, 1983. It was an unforgettable evening, all tensions seemingly resolved as the harmonies soared once again on all those great hits of the ’50s and ’60s. Phil died in 2014, aged 74. Now Don has gone, too, at 84. Here’s how I reported the reunion concert in The Times, with a wonderful photograph by Nobby Clark.

9 Comments Post a comment
  1. A delight to read your original piece from 1983 – thanks for posting!

    August 22, 2021
  2. Diana #

    Cried when Phil died. Cried again this morning for Don.

    August 22, 2021
  3. Marou #

    Lovely piece of writing.

    August 22, 2021
  4. neilmorton #

    Wonderful, Richard

    Sent from my iPhone

    August 22, 2021
  5. Dennis Smith #

    Thank you for another spot-on piece of writing Richard. Seems to get better with time like a good wine matures to only improve with age.
    So sad that we are losing someone from our youth almost on a daily basis at the moment.
    Another consequence of the passing years I guess.
    What memories they reawaken to treasure once more whilst bringing a tear to the eye.

    August 22, 2021
  6. Can’t thank you enough for your remembrances, and to acknowledge your gifting(s) as a narrator of daze gone bye-bye (love), presence tense sonics, and perhaps artistry yet to come.

    “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Phil.1:27 / NASB)

    August 22, 2021
  7. simon surtees #

    Very reflective. I saw them only once live at the Simon and Garfunkel Hyde Park Show. It was quite obvious that Paulmwas in awe fmthem, knowing full well how inspired he had been as a teenager by their musicianship. S&G themselves had a slow start to the concert, but when Don and Phil came on for their ludicrously short 15 minute set, they set the evening off. After that all S&G had to do was play off the at,osphere the Everlys had created.

    August 22, 2021
  8. Simon Caulkin #

    Thanks, Richard. One of the first records I bought was their first EP; listened to ‘All I Have to Do Is Dream’ and, especially, ‘Problems’, quintessential teenage angst! – under the bedclothes. The sound of my youth. RIP – to that, and Don

    August 23, 2021
  9. Henry Ayrton #

    “Every kid whose life was turned around by pop music in the period between Elvis and The Beatles feels something special for The Everly Brothers.” Yes, that nails it perfectly. Those harmonies provided the soundtrack to the adolescence of so many of us.

    August 23, 2021

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