Don Everly of rock ‘n’ roll pioneers Everly Brothers dies aged 84

Don Everly, right, has died aged 84.
Don Everly, right, has died aged 84. Credit: AP

Don Everly, one half of rock 'n' roll pioneering group the Everly Brothers, has died aged 84.

A family spokesperson said Don died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, according to the LA Times.

His brother, Phil Everly, died in January 2014 at age 74.

A statement, provided to the LA Times, said: "Don lived by what he felt in his heart. Don expressed his appreciation for the ability to live his dreams ... with his soulmate and wife, Adela, and sharing the music that made him an Everly Brother."

The Everly Brothers are credited with inspiring a generation of rock music after becoming hugely popular in the UK with a string of hits released between 1957 and 1962.

Don, right, and Phil Everly fell out in the 70s but reunited and continued to perform into the 2000s. Credit: AP

They had 29 songs make the UK top 40 chart, with four of them reaching number one.

Some of their most popular songs include “Bye Bye Love,” “Let It Be Me,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream” and “Wake Up Little Susie".

Performers from the Beatles to Simon & Garfunkel have cited the Everly Brothers as key influences.

Nancy Sinatra paid tribute to the Everly Brothers on Twitter, writing: "Touring with Phillip and Donald was literally thrilling. To have the privilege of singing with their breathtaking iconic voices was one of the great gifts of my career. Godspeed, Donald. I love you."

Fellow rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis said the Everly Brothers are "integral to the fabric of American music".

He added: "With my friend Don’s passing, I am reflective … reflective on a life full of wonderful friends, spectacular music and fond memories. There’s a lot I can say about Don, what he and Phil meant to me both as people and as musicians, but I am going to reflect today."

The Everly Brothers broke up amid quarreling in 1973 after 16 years of hits, then reunited in 1983, “sealing it with a hug,” Phil Everly said.

Don, right, and his brother Phil impacted a generation of rock music. Credit: AP

Although their number of hit records declined in the late 1980s, they had successful concert tours in the U.S. and Europe.

They were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

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