Roots (The Everly Brothers album)

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Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
Rolling Stone	(Favorable)[4]

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On its release, Roots was not a commercial success for the Everly Brothers,^[5] failing to widen their fanbase in spite of their excursion into the new field of country rock.^[2] At the time of its release, Rolling Stone, which awarded the album 4 stars in its coverage of the band in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide,^[6] described the album as "a showcase for the superb talent of the Everlys as they are today", asserting that anyone "interested in the so-called country revival now sweeping rock should pick up this album".^[7] In his reviews of the bands subsequent albums, critic Robert Christgau often utilized Roots as a touchstone, referring to it as "sweet", "thoughtful, even-tempered, and unique".^[8] Today, the album is touted as "one of the finest early country-rock albums".^[1]

Side 1

1. "The Introduction: The Everly Family (1952)" – 1:11
2. "Mama Tried" (Merle Haggard) – 2:18
3. "Less of Me" (Glen Campbell) – 3:03
4. "T for Texas" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 3:31
5. "I Wonder If I Care as Much" (Don Everly, Phil Everly) – 2:59
6. "Ventura Boulevard" (Ron Elliott) – 2:50
7. "Shady Grove" (P. O. Wandz; credit also given to Jacquie Ertel (Phil's wife) and Venetia Everly (Don's wife)) – 2:31

Side 2

8. "Illinois" (Randy Newman) – 2:12
9. "Living Too Close to the Ground" (Terry Slater) – 2:16
10. "You Done Me Wrong" (George Jones, Ray Price) – 2:16
11. "Turn Around" (Ron Elliott) – 2:47
12. "Sing Me Back Home" (Merle Haggard) – 5:18
13. "Montage: The Everly Family (1952)/Shady Grove/Kentucky" (Terry Slater, Karl Davis) – 2:43