The Everly Brothers rock groups of the 1960s. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Simon & Garfunkel developed their early styles by performing Everly songs. The Bee Gees, The Hollies, The Marmalade, and other rock and roll groups that feature harmony singing were also influenced by the Everlys. The music of the Everly Brothers influenced the Beatles, who referred to themselves as "the English Everly Brothers" when Paul McCartney and John Lennon went hitchhiking south to win a talent competition. They based the vocal arrangement of "Please Please Me" on "Cathy's Clown." Keith Richards called Don Everly "one of the finest rhythm players."
Gibson Everly Brothers Flattop unusual in that it featured star-shaped inlays on the rosewood fretboard, and it had a large double tortoise grain pickguard, which covered most of the top of the body. As the pickguard covered most of the top of the guitar, it limited the vibration of the top, thus limiting the sound of the guitar. The standard finish on the guitar was black, though a few models were natural or sunburst finish. The Everly Brothers Flattop was discontinued in 1972, but was reissued as the "Gibson J-180" in the mid-1980s. The Everly Brothers used these guitars throughout the 1960s, both live