A Legend Leaves His Impact: RIP Phil Everly

There's sad news today. Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers died Friday at age 74. The youngest of the musical duo alongside his older brother, Don, Everly passed in Burbank, Calif. due to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to the Los Angeles Times. Many are sad to see this rock legend go, as the brothers inspired many other celebrated bands. Rolling Stones magazine cited the pair as having influenced the likes of the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel, among other renowned artists.

Two years apart in age, the brothers grew up in a home full of musicians, joining their parents on the road, first singing as the Everly Family. The duo eventually signed with Acuff-Rose Music and later signed with Cadence Records where they produced their first single, "Bye Bye Love." With their growing career, the Everly Brothers were able to land 35 Billboard Top 100 singles with 26 of those songs being in the top 40. If these accomplishments weren’t enough, the two also hold a record for the most Top 100 singles by any duo, according to CNN. That’s impressive to say the least.

The brothers have left a mark on history and it seems fair to say that for any of you young, budding musicians, and even those of you who listen to music at all (which I’m assuming is 99.9 percent of the population), Everly helped shape music and how it is today. The impact of his work — as well as his brother’s — is evident when you listen to their songs. Whether you heard them on the oldies' station growing up or actively sought out the renowned duo, you might be surprised how many of their tunes you recognize.

Here's a compilation video of all their tunes and some celebrity responses to the news of his death. RIP Phil Everly.