From Variety (http://variety.com/2014/music/news/phil-everly-of-the-everly-brothers-dies-at-74-1201025269/)
Phil Everly, who along with his brother Don made up one of the most
influential vocal duos of the 20th century, died Friday in Burbank of
complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 74.

“We are absolutely heartbroken,” his wife Patti told the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-phil-everly-of-the-everly-brothers-dies-at-74-20140103,0,2091176.story#axzz2pNJwFwBN), saying the
disease was due to the late musician’s lifetime of cigarette smoking. “He
fought long and hard.”

The Everly Brothers rose to fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s and hold
the record for the most Top 100 singles by any duo in history. Among their
biggest hits were “Wake Up Little Suzie,” “Bye Bye Love,” “Cathy’s Clown,”
“When Will I Be Loved” and “All I Have to Do is Dream.”

Total bummer. My mom listened to them all of the time in the house when I was growing up. It informed my love of music, and it's probably a major reason why I love many of the bands I do (Avett Brothers, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case and others). I've often thought that harmonies sung by family members tend to have a quality that can't be replicated.

My brothers played them when I was growing up. RIP