The Louvin Brothers were an American country vocal/ harmony duet, consisting of brothers Ira and Charlie Loudermilk. Their professional career began after winning a talent contest by singing There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea. Brief stints on Apollo, Decca, and MGM led to them being signed by Capitol Records. At first their recordings were strictly gospel, but they switched to country with the 1955 release of When I Stop Dreaming. Their career continued until 1963 when they broke up due to Ira's volatile temper and addictions. Charlie began a successful solo career in 1964 but Ira was killed in a car crash in Jefferson City, Missouri in June 1965. Songs he had recorded for a solo album were released posthumously. The Louvin Brothers were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.