LIVE: Annual Music Masters: The Everly Brothers Tribute at State Theater, Cleveland, OH (10/25/14)
It came as somewhat of a pleasant surprise when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced they would honor the Everly Brothers at this year’s Music Masters concert. In the past, the HOF has tended choose more common-man-friendly artists like the Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin, rather than Don and Phil Everly, who have all too frequently been pushed into the footnotes of rock ‘n’ roll history behind other ’50s stars like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. Saturday’s show, however, finally gave the Everly Brothers the recognition they deserve, as artists from every corner of the music industry came out to celebrate the duo’s extraordinary tunes and acknowledge their influence on everything from the British Invasion to modern country music.
Because the Everlys were a two-man band, duets were the order of the night and probably the best way to pay tribute to the Brothers’ exquisite harmonies. From the first to the very last performance, every break left the audience wondering who would be paired with whom to sing which song next. And although each act was truly excellent, I was especially excited when two of the country music’s greatest female singers, Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris, took the stage together. Their distinctive voices blended even more beautifully than I could have imagined as they sang the opening notes of “All I Have to Do Is Dream.”
Considering the Everly Brothers were siblings, it only made sense that a few sister acts were thrown into the mix, such as Allison Moorer and Shelby Lynne, who teamed up on a rollicking, modern country rock version of “Price of Love.” Lynne mentioned that she and Moorer cut their teeth on Everly Brothers’ records, and the sisters made sure to do their heroes justice by putting out a wonderfully sad, yet sweet rendition of “Maybe Tomorrow,” in which their similar voices called to mind the Everlys’ own parallel harmonies.
The second family duo consisted of Muscle Shoals natives Laura and Lydia Rogers, known as the Secret Sisters, deeply rooted in traditional country, much like the Everly Brothers themselves. I’ve been a fan of the Secret Sisters for a few years now, and it was simply amazing to hear them do a stripped-down live set, their soothing voices joined only by an acoustic guitar as they crooned through “Lonely Island” and “On the Wings of a Nightingale.” If you’re an Everly Brothers fan and haven’t heard of these ladies before, I strongly encourage you to look them up, as the two groups’ styles are quite comparable.
Although some of the artists were a little obscure, there were other performers who needed no introduction. Graham Nash was certainly one of them, as proven by the fans’ deafening response when he walked onstage in his snazzy Western shirt. Nash is most likely the biggest Everly Brothers fan on the planet, and he actually insisted on participating in their tribute as soon as he heard about it. So it’s no surprise that his duet with country star Vince Gill on “Cathy’s Clown” was one of the best of the night. I was certainly cheering just as passionately as the rest of the audience, since it’s not every day that I get to hear one of my favorite artists singing one of my favorite Everly Brothers tunes.
Another crowd favorite was Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon fame. Besides his splendid covers of “Walk Right Back” with Vince Gill and the Hollies-penned “Hard, Hard Year” with Nash, he impressed upon us all just how important the Everlys had been to burgeoning British musicians like himself. He also noted just how funny it was that the Brits got rock ‘n’ roll from the Americans and then sold it right back to them. I can’t say he doesn’t have a point there.
Asher certainly wasn’t lying about the Everlys’ impact on British musicians of the ’60s. In fact, a few who weren’t even in the theater just couldn’t help joining in. Donovan appeared via video and charmed the crowd with an impromptu acoustic performance of “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad),” and before that, Waddy Wachtel read an amusing little note from Keith Richards, who sent his best wishes all the way from Australia. It just goes to show that the Everlys have gained some very dedicated — and illustrious — fans over the years.
Even the alternative scene has been touched by the Brothers’ music. Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Dawn McCarthy recorded a full album of Everly Brothers covers last year, and then brought their impressive singing chops to the table for this year’s tribute concert. I was simply blown away by the gorgeous atmosphere they created with their version of “Omaha,” and I especially adored McCarthy’s fantastically rich voice. Their cover of “Kentucky” was lovely as well, and the overall performance made me eager to pick up What the Brothers Sang to hear their other reworkings of the Everlys’ music.
To put an even more unique, soulful spin on the Everly Brothers’ tunes, R&B artist Ledisi sang an emotional duet with legendary blues guitarist Keb’ Mo’ on “Let It Be Me,” followed by a piano-accompanied version of “Sleepless Nights,” which Ledisi shared with Vince Gill. Ledisi and Gill’s vocals on “Sleepless Nights” were so deeply evocative, I doubt I will ever hear a more moving cover of that song.
With so many talented and experienced musicians on one stage, it’s nearly impossible to pick out the number one performance of the night. Some of my personal favorites included Peter Asher and J.D. Souther on “Crying in the Rain,” Souther and Alison Krauss’s “Gone, Gone, Gone” (which Krauss had previously recorded with Robert Plant), Waddy Wachtel and Graham Nash with “Lucille,” and of course, Emmylou Harris singing the song she was practically born to sing, “Love Hurts,” with fellow country artist Rodney Crowell. I can never be grateful enough for getting to hear her perform that heartbreaking song in a live duet, nor will I ever forget it.
While it’s safe to say the everyone in the audience came away impressed, a few audience members noted after the show that none of the vastly skilled guitarists in the band, such as Albert Lee, Waddy Wachtel, Phil Cranham, and Keb’ Mo’, were given a chance to really show off what they could do with their instruments. Although I admit it is a shame that we didn’t get to hear very many solos by these greats, the true beauty of the Everly Brothers’ songs is that they are so simple and direct, which means that extensive jamming might cause some of their poignancy to be lost. Moreover, these talented guitarists were there to honor the Everlys, not toot their own horns, and I admire them for restraining themselves and showing such respect toward the music and its creators.
Personally, my only complaint was that the concert felt too short, as each artist was only able to do a few songs. Of course this makes perfect sense, since there was only so much time for each person to perform, but even knowing this, I still found myself wanting to hear more from every single one of these fabulous musicians.
However, as Bonnie “Prince” Billy said in an interview earlier that day, the most exciting part of the night was always going to be sharing the same space with the legend himself, Don Everly, who was present in the audience along with Phil’s widow, Patti Everly. At the end of the show, in a surprise move that floored absolutely everyone, Don joined the entire cast in a spontaneous sing-along of his and his brother’s first hit, “Bye Bye Love.” Needless to say, Graham Nash totally geeked out, sharing the mic with his idol and taking over Phil’s part while Don sang the verses. For me, hearing that very same voice I’d heard countless times before on the Everlys’ old recordings (really, his voice has barely aged!) was such an uplifting experience that I wish every Everly Brothers fan could have been there to witness it along with me.
Not only did the Music Masters concert serve as a testament to the lasting quality of the Everly Brothers’ music, but it put together some spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime performances that those of us in the audience were incredibly lucky to see. It was truly a magical show, and in the end, we have the Everly Brothers to thank for making it all possible.
(Cover photo via Cleveland Plain Dealer)
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Greg McGarvey
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Janet Pitchford