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]
Track listing
Side 1
"The Introduction: The Everly Family (1952)" – 1:11