Roots (The Everly Brothers album)

Roots
Studio album by The Everly Brothers
Released	December 1968
Recorded	April 10-October 7, 1968
Genre	Rock, country rock, close harmony
Length	35:57
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Gordon Anderson, Lenny Waronker
The Everly Brothers chronology
The Everly Brothers Sing (1967) Roots (1968) Everly Brothers Show (1970)

Roots is a 1968 studio album by close harmony rock and roll duo The Everly Brothers. Originally on the Warner Bros. label, the album was re-released on CD in 1995 by Warner Bros. and in 2005 by Collectors' Choice Music. The album is a classic example of early country rock.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	(Favorable)[2]

On its release, Roots was not a commercial success for The Everly Brothers,^[3] failing to widen their fanbase in spite of their excursion into the new field of country rock.^[4] At the time of its release, Rolling Stone, which awarded the album 4 stars in its coverage of the band in The Rolling Stone Album Guide,^[5] described the album as "a showcase for the superb talent of the Everlys as they are today", asserting that anyone "interested in the so-called country revival now sweeping rock should pick up this album".^[6] In his reviews of the bands subsequent albums, critic Robert Christgau often utilized Roots as a touchstone, referring to it as "sweet", "thoughtful, even-tempered, and unique" and insisting that it was the last album the duo made as a "vital team" before they "lost it".^[7] Today, the album is touted as "one of the finest early country-rock albums".^[8]

Track listing

Side 1

1. "The Introduction: The Everly Family (1952)" – 1:11
2. "Mama Tried" (Merle Haggard) – 2:18
3. "Less of Me" (Glen Campbell) – 3:03
4. "T for Texas" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 3:31
5. "I Wonder If I Care as Much" (Everly, Everly) – 2:59
6. "Ventura Boulevard" (Ron Elliott) – 2:50
7. "Shady Grove" (P. O. Wandz; credit also given to Jacquie Ertel (Phil's wife) and Venetia Everly (Don's wife)) – 2:31

Side 2

8. "Illinois" (Randy Newman) – 2:12
9. "Living Too Close to the Ground" (Terry Slater) – 2:16
10. "You Done Me Wrong" (George Jones, Ray Price) – 2:16
11. "Turn Around" (Ron Elliott) – 2:47
12. "Sing Me Back Home" (Merle Haggard) – 5:18
13. "Montage: The Everly Family (1952)/Shady Grove/Kentucky" (P.O. Wandz/Karl Davis) – 2:43

Personnel

Performance

• Don Everly – guitar, vocals
• Phil Everly – guitar, vocals

Production

• Frank Bez – photography, cover photo
• Perry Botkin, Jr. – arranger
• Nick DeCaro – string arrangements
• Ron Elliott – arranger
• Lee Herschberg – engineer, mastering
• Bill Inglot –reissue re- mastering
• John Neil – engineer
• Andrew Sandoval – re-issue re- mastering
• Dave Schultz – mastering
• Mike Shields – engineer
• Ed Thrasher – art direction
• Richie Unterberger – liner notes
• Lenny Waronker – producer, concept
• Andrew Wickham – liner notes, concept

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Ward, Edmund (31 May 1969). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. (34): 36. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
3. Unterberger, Richie. Liner notes. Richie Unterberger official website. Accessed October 7, 2007.
4. Escott, Colin. Everly Brothers. Adapted from The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Encyclopedia of Country Music', Oxford University Press. Hosted by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Accessed October 7, 2007.
5. Brackett, Nathan. (2004) The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, 4th ed, Fireside. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. p 286.
6. Ward, Edmundo. (May 31, 1969) Roots. 'Rolling Stone. Accessed October 7, 2007.
7. Christgau, Robert. The Everly Brothers. Accessed October 7, 2007.
8. Roots at AllMusic

External links

• Collector's Choice Music reissue liner notes by Richie Unterberger.