“People talk of situations, read books, repeat quotations.” — Bob Dylan, “Love Minus Zero/No Limit”
Join Bob Dylan Center Director Steven Jenkins for an online discussion with music and media journalist Barry Mazor about his definitive biography of one of the most influential acts in pop music history, the Everly Brothers.
From 1957 through 1962—between the Elvis years and the rise of the Beatles—the Everly Brothers charted nearly three dozen hits including “Wake Up, Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Cathy’s Clown” and “Let it Be Me.” Their foundational rock ‘n’ roll, gentle pop balladry and sweet-and-sour Appalachian-style harmonies harkened back to classic country singing and influenced artists such as the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. “Blood harmony” refers to the kind of close harmony seemingly only obtainable by siblings, and Don and Phil Everly were unparalleled in this symbiotic musicality.
However, as Barry Mazor reveals through expansive reporting and exclusive interviews, the brothers had a complicated relationship often far less harmonious than their singing. From their rural Kentucky origins and massive international fame to falling out of fashion in the wake of the rise of rock bands and singer-songwriters, and their many comebacks—ultimately leading to induction in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame— Don and Phil Everly stand as progenitors of Americana roots music. Their story is one of artistic brilliance, creative contention and the familial ties that bind.
Zoom in for this virtual chat as Mazor discusses “Blood Harmony” and fields questions from Jenkins and attendees.
“No one writes about American music more knowledgeably or more thoughtfully than Barry Mazor. In ‘Blood Harmony,’ he brings into high relief perhaps the greatest of the brother duets.” — T Bone Burnett
Presenting Supporters: Joe Donnelly and Becky Thorson
Details:
This event will take place virtually via Zoom.
Thursday, May 21, 2026
6 p.m. CT
Tickets:
$5 for nonmembers
Free for Bob Dylan Center members
About Barry Mazor:
Barry Mazor’s previous books include “Ralph Peer and the Making of Popular Roots Music” and “Meeting Jimmie Rodgers: How America’s Original Roots Music Hero Changed the Pop Sounds of a Century.” He has written on roots and country music for the Wall Street Journal for more than twenty years, and previously served as senior editor and columnist for No Depression magazine. Mazor’s artist profiles, interviews, essays and reviews have appeared in Oxford American, Washington Post, Village Voice, Crawdaddy and many other publications. In 2008, he received the Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism. Mazor is based in Nashville.
About the Bob Dylan Center Book Club:
The Bob Dylan Center Book Club is a series of conversations with writers, artists and performers about their latest releases. Featured authors discuss their memoirs, share stories of their adventures in the music industry, and delve deep into the careers and legacies of pivotal figures. In keeping with the mission and activities of the Bob Dylan Center, which celebrate fearless creativity, conversations focus on stirring music, iconic musicians and the mysteries of the creative process.
Book Club sessions take place on Zoom on every other month, begin at 6:00 pm CT, last for one hour, and are open to Bob Dylan Center members and the general public. Bob Dylan Center Director Steven Jenkins moderates the conversations with a diverse range of guests, and registrants are invited to contribute questions and comments via the Zoom chat box.
