Don and Phil Everly were, respectively, 19 and 21 years old when “Kentucky” appeared on the Everly Brothers LP, Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, in the summer of 1958. Just kids who were making a name for themselves with hits like “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up , Little Susie,” pure shots of Eisenhower America innocence made sublime by those oft-imitated but never matched close vocal harmonies. But “Kentucky” is something else, a vision of the green grass of home, with an air of longing that make even those crystalline voices ache with world weariness.
It’s that ache that likely drew Dawn McCarthy and Will Oldham to the song, their rendition of which closes out their upcoming Everly tribute LP, What The Brothers Sang. In their hands, the hymn-like qualities of “Kentucky” are amplified. The Bluegrass State isn’t “the dearest land outside of heaven” — it is heaven. Maybe the Lord lives in Louisville. words / t wilcox
just gorgeous.
1 | madeleine January 31st, 2013 at 11:17 amYes, the Lord does in fact live in Louisville. But he turned around for a second and ear-x-tacy was gone
2 | Sam January 31st, 2013 at 11:40 amJust beautiful! I think this may be the same version from Roots? A criminally under rated album.
3 | Simon January 31st, 2013 at 2:25 pmsooo ready for that will oldham Everly record
4 | max head January 31st, 2013 at 2:27 pmJust did a review on the new Dawn McCarthy Will Oldham album it is chock full of Everly goodness, they cover some pretty obscure Everly tunes and do a great job.
5 | Scott February 1st, 2013 at 4:15 pm