Random Obscurities: Johnny Cash, Ike Everly & The Everly Brothers

Christmas is all about spending time with those close to you and remembering and all those who once was – all those who are now gone, who contributed to this mad circle called life.

Ike Everly (1908-1975), was a coal miner from Muhlenberg County, who also had a very innovative style of playing that became a significant influence on country music legend Merle Travis.

After years of gigging around Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, Ike – seeking to escape a life in the mines – relocated his family to Shenandoah, Iowa in the late 1940’s, where he managed to get his own radio show on KMA and KFNF, sand it wasn’t long before he started to bring in his two little sons to sing.

First known to the public as ‘Little Donnie and Baby Boy Phil,’ by the time they boys reached their teens, they caught the attention of a family friend, Chet Atkins, who also was the manager of RCA Victor‘s studio in Nashville, and who made sure they got in touch with the right people in the industry. The rest is history.

The Everly Brothers went on to become one of the biggest and most influential vocal duos of all time, becoming the inspiration for a multiply of modern groups, such as The Beatles, who actually performed under the name The Foreverly Brothers at some point.

So, here in the final days before Christmas 2015 – from all of us to all of you – a little clip from, The Johnny Cash Christmas Show, featuring a rare performance of Ike Everly with his two beloved superstar sons, singing, ‘That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine’.

In loving memory of Phil Everly (19 January 1939 – 3 January 2014)

…and a Merry Christmas to Don Everly.

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Words: Anders Knudsen