DeKalb County natives Charlie and Ira Loudermilk, better known as the Louvin Brothers, created some of the most impressive country music of the 1950s. In both their lyrical and musical approach, the Louvins helped forge a link between country music’s rustic roots and its movement toward urban sophistication, influencing young singers in both the country and popular music genres with their intricate harmonies and stellar musicianship. The Louvins were as adept at writing and singing heart-wrenching songs like “I Wish It Had Been a Dream” as they were with humorous tunes like “Cash on the Barrelhead.” They received numerous honors, among them their induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1979, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. As songwriters, singers and musicians, the Louvin Brothers excelled as all-out performers and rightfully remain lauded as country music legends.

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Encyclopedia of Alabama

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