The Louvins were rowdy and they were purists. Charlie was the sweeter one. Ira was known to smash his mandolin on stage at shows. When “rock and roll” came into vogue in the 1950s, the duo went on tour with Elvis Presley. As the story goes, Ira told Elvis his music was “trash” and strangled the young feller. This wasn’t the first or last fight involving the Louvins. They had 20 country hits that topped the charts and they loved Jesus. For the cover of Satan Is Real, the brothers posed in front of burning tires and a 12-foot plywood Devil. The Louvin Brothers broke up in 1963 after releasing their last single, “Must You Throw Dirt In My Face.” Two years later, Ira died in a car accident, and Charlie passed away in January of this year.
The Louvins were rowdy and they were purists. Charlie was the sweeter one. Ira was known to smash his mandolin on stage at shows. When “rock and roll” came into vogue in the 1950s, the duo went on tour…
 
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