Roots

AMG Review of Roots

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

Considered one of the finest early country-rock albums, this showed the Everlys, unlike virtually every other top ock & roll act of the '50s, keeping abreast of contemporary ock and pop trends. In the manner of their 1958 LP Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, the concept was to cover songs by performers and composers who had been influential on the duo (including Jimmie Rodgers and Merle Haggard), traditional standards, and a couple of numbers by Ron Elliott of the Beau Brummels. Although this laid-back, tasteful, acoustic-oriented recording isn't as outstanding as their classic early hits, the vocals are superb, conveying qualities of innocence tempered by experience.