A History of The Beatles

Events 1 - 100 of 387

• 1957-01-16 Cavern Club opens on Matthews Street in Liverpool, England, home of many performances by The Beatles

• 1960-08-18 The Beatles give their 1st public performance at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany

• 1961-01-05 The Beatles perform with Paul McCartney on bass guitar for the 1st time, at Litherland Town Hall, in Lancashire, England
• 1961-02-09 The Beatles first gig at Liverpool's Cavern Club; they would play there nearly 300 times over the next two years
• 1961-03-21 The Beatles' first appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool
• 1961-06-22 Beatles record "Ain't She Sweet", "Cry for a Shadow", "When the Saints Go Marching In", "Why", "Nobody's Child" & "My Bonnie", in Hamburg, Germany

• 1961-06-24 Tony Sheridan, backed by the Beatles, records "If You Love Me Baby" (aka "Take Out Some Insurance On Me, Baby") in Hamburg, Germany
• 1961-08-02 The Beatles 1st gig as house band of Liverpool's Cavern Club

• 1961-12-13 The Beatles sign a formal agreement to be managed by Brian Epstein

• 1962-01-24 Brian Epstein signs management contract with the Beatles
• 1962-03-07 The Beatles made their broadcasting debut on BBC radio

• 1962-05-09 The Beatles sign their 1st contract with EMI Parlophone
• 1962-05-24 The Beatles record "Sweet Georgia Brown" & "Swanee" in Hamburg, Germany to close out their contract with producer Bert Kaempfert; Tony Sheridan later dubs vocal over tracks

• 1962-08-16 Ringo Starr replaces Pete Best as Beatles' drummer, first official concert two days later
• 1962-08-28 Tony Sheridan & Beat Brothers (The Beatles) record "Ya Ya (Parts 1 + 2)" in Hamburg, Germany
• 1962-09-04 Beatles record "How Do You Do It" at EMI Studios in London
• 1962-09-11 Beatles record "Love Me Do", "PS I Love You", and a slow version of "Please, Please Me" ,with session player Andy White on drums; Ringo relegated to tambourine
• 1962-10-01 Brian Epstein signs a contract to manage The Beatles through 1977
• 1962-10-05 The Beatles release their first record, "Love Me Do"
• 1962-10-17 The Beatles make their live television debut, appearing on Manchester's local "People And Places" program, performing ‘Some Other Guy’ and their new single ‘Love Me Do’
• 1962-10-18 Tony Sheridan & Beat Brothers (later known as The Beatles) record "Let's Dance" in Hamburg, Germany
• 1962-10-26 The Beatles record "Ask Me Why"
• 1962-11-26 The Beatles re-record "Please Please Me" at a faster tempo, based on producer George Martin's suggestion
• 1962-12-17 Beatles 1st British TV appearance on "People & Places"
• 1963-01-11 Beatles release single "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why"; peaks at #2 in UK, and #3 in US
• 1963-01-31 Tony Sheridan & Beat Brothers (later known as The Beatles) record "What'd I Say" & "Ruby Baby"
• 1963-02-02 Helen Shapiro begins tour (Beatles are part of undercard)
• 1963-02-11 Beatles record 10 of the 14 tracks for their 1st UK album "Please Please Me"
• 1963-02-16 Beatles top British rock charts with "Please, Please Me"
• 1963-02-22 Beatles begin their own music publishing company (Northern Songs)
• 1963-02-25 Beatles release their 1st US single - "Please Please Me"
• 1963-03-05 Beatles record "From Me to You" & "Thank You Girl"
• 1963-03-09 Beatles began 1st British tour, supporting Tommy Roe & Chris Montez
• 1963-03-12 Beatles perform as a trio, at Granada Cinema, in Bedford, England, as John Lennon is ill with a cold
• 1963-03-22 The Beatles release their 1st album, "Please Please Me"
• 1963-04-05 Beatles receive their 1st silver disc (Please Please Me)
• 1963-04-12 Beatles third single, "From Me To You" is released in UK
• 1963-04-14 Quiet Beatle George Harrison is impressed by unsigned British blues band "Rolling Stones"

• 1963-05-10 Decca Records sign The Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison [1]
• 1963-06-04 1st broadcast of "Pop Go the Beatles" on BBC radio
• 1963-06-20 Beatles form "Beatles Ltd" to handle their income
• 1963-06-29 Beatles' 1st song "From Me to You" hits UK charts
• 1963-07-01 The Beatles record "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You"
• 1963-07-05 1st Beatles' tune to hit US charts, Del Shannon's cover of "From Me to You" at no. 87
• 1963-07-15 Paul McCartney is fined £17 for speeding
• 1963-08-01 Beatles Book is sold out on its 1st day of sale
• 1963-08-03 Beatles final performance at Cavern Club in Liverpool, England
• 1963-08-23 Beatles release single "She Loves You" in the UK
• 1963-08-25 Paul McCartney is fined 31 pounds & given a 1 yr suspended license for speeding
• 1963-09-15 The Beatles headline The Great Prop Prom at Royal Albert Hall, London; The Rolling Stones are one of the opening acts [1]
• 1963-09-28 NYC DJ "Murray The K" plays The Beatles "She Loves You" on the radio
• 1963-10-13 The term "Beatlemania" is coined after Beatles appear at the London Palladium
• 1963-10-17 The Beatles record "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at EMI Studios in London
• 1963-10-25 The Beatles begin their 1st full foreign tour in Karlstad, Sweden, performing twice at a secondary school auditorium
• 1963-10-29 "Meet the Beatles" booklet is published

• 1963-11-04 John Lennon utters his famous quip at a Royal Variety Performance "For our last number, I'd like to ask your help. The people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And for the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry…" at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London

• 1963-11-22 The Beatles release their second album "With the Beatles" in UK
• 1963-11-28 The Beatles "She Loves You" unusually, returns to #1 in UK record chart and reaches 1 million copies sold
• 1963-11-29 "I Want to Hold Your Hand" single released by the Beatles in the United Kingdom
• 1963-12-06 The Beatles begin a tradition of releasing a Christmas record for fan club members
• 1963-12-13 Capital records signs right of first refusal agreement with The Beatles
• 1963-12-26 The Beatles release "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" in the US
• 1964-01-01 "Top of the Pops", British pop music television program premieres; acts performing include Dusty Springfield; The Rolling Stones; Dave Clark Five: The Hollies; Swinging Blue; and The Beatles

• 1964-01-10 Vee-Jay Records releases "Introducing the Beatles", the 1st Beatles album released in the US
• 1964-01-11 The Beatles single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" reaches #80 in US (Cashbox)
• 1964-01-18 The Beatles make their first appearance on US Billboard Chart with single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at #45
• 1964-01-20 Capitol Records releases "Meet The Beatles" album by the Beatles, in US
• 1964-01-25 The Beatles get their first US #1, "I Want to Hold your Hand" (Cashbox)
• 1964-01-29 The Beatles record in German language versions of their hits "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" ("I Want to Hold Your Hand") and "Sie Liebt Dich" (She Loves You") at EMI's Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, France
• 1964-02-01 The Beatles' 1st #1 hit "I Want to Hold Your Hand," topped the Hot 100, stays #1 for 7 weeks before being replaced by "She Loves You", also by The Beatles
• 1964-02-03 "Meet the Beatles" album goes Gold
• 1964-02-07 Beatles land at New York's JFK airport, for 1st US tour
• 1964-02-09 1st appearance of the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show", live from New York; broadcast draws 73.7 million television viewers
• 1964-02-11 Beatles 1st live appearance in US, at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C.
• 1964-02-12 Beatles 1st NYC concerts, two shows at Carnegie Hall
• 1964-02-14 British pop music duo Peter & Gordon release single "A World Without Love" (written by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon-McCartney)
• 1964-02-15 Beatles' "Meet the Beatles!" album goes #1 & stays #1 for 11 weeks
• 1964-02-16 The Beatles' 2nd appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", live from Deauville Hotel in Miami, Florida; broadcast draws about 70 million television viewers
• 1964-02-19 UK flies ½ ton of Beatles wigs to the US
• 1964-02-21 UK flies 24,000 rolls of Beatles wallpaper to US
• 1964-02-22 Beatles arrive back in England after their 1st US visit
• 1964-02-23 The Beatles' 3rd appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", featuring 3 performances taped on February 9, prior to their live debut
• 1964-03-02 Beatles begin filming "A Hard Day's Night", George Harrison meets future wife Pattie Boyd
• 1964-03-21 Beatles' single "She Loves You" goes #1 in the US & stays #1 for 2 weeks
• 1964-03-23 "In His Own Write", a book of short stories, poems and drawings by John Lennon is published

• 1964-04-01 John Lennon is reunited with his father Freddie after 17 years

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• 1902-07-07 James McCartney, father of Beatle Paul McCartney, born in Everton, Liverpool, England (d. 1976)
• 1915-10-13 Jack Fallon, Canadian-British jazz double and electric bass player, fiddler (The Beatles -"Don't Pass Me By"), and concert promoter, born in London, Ontario, Canada (d. 2006)
• 1918-08-12 Sid Bernstein, music producer and concert promoter (Beatles; Rolling Stones), born in New York City (d. 2013)
• 1920-06-18 Jack Ellory, British orchestral and session alto and bass flute player (Philharmonia Orchestra; The Beatles - "The Fool on the Hill"), born in Cornwall, England (d. 2009)
• 1920-12-12 Dick James [Leon Vapnick], British dance band vocalist and Beatles' music publisher (Northern Songs), born in London, England (d. 1986)
• 1922-02-14 Murray the K [Kaufman], American disk jockey (5th Beatle), born in New York City (d. 1982)
• 1923-02-22 Norman "Hurricane" Smith, British sound engineer (The Beatles, 1962-65), producer (Pink Floyd; The Pretty Things), and musician ("Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?"; "Don't Let It Die"), born in Edmonton, London (d. 2008)
• 1923-10-16 Bert Kaempfert, German orchestra leader, songwriter ("Strangers in the Night"; "Danke Schoen"), and record producer (The Beatles first recordings), born in Hamburg (d. 1980)
• 1925-12-15 Jack Rothstein, British concert violinist (London Czech Trio), conductor (Viennese Orchestra of London), and session player (The Beatles - "I Am the Walrus"; "Within You Without You"; Paul McCartney - “Here Today”), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 2001)

• 1926-04-02 David Mason, British orchestral, solo and session trumpet player (The Beatles - "Penny Lane"), born in London, England (d. 2011)
• 1928-02-19 Mike Sammes, British arranger, session, pop and easy-listening vocalist (The Mike Sammes Singers; Disneyland; The Beatles - "I Am The Walrus", "Good Night"; Olivia Newton-John - "Let Me Be There"), born in Reigate, England (d. 2001)
• 1928-03-29 Derek Simpson, British cellist (Aeolian String Quartet, 1956-81; Beatles - "Strawberry Fields Forever), and teacher, born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England (d. 2007)
• 1928-05-20 Al Aronowitz, American music journalist (New York Post; Saturday Evening Post), introduced The Beatles to Bob Dylan, born in Bordentown, New Jersey (d. 2005)
• 1929-06-13 Alan Civil, British horn player (played horn solo in Beatles "For No One"), born in Northamptonshire, England (d. 1989)
• 1930-07-27 Andy White, Scottish drummer, played on 1st Beatles official recording session ("Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You"), born in Glasgow (d. 2015)
• 1930-07-27 Jack Emblow, British jazz and session accordionist, and bandleader (BBC Radio; Cliff Adams Singers; Beatles - "All You Need Is Love"), born in Lincoln, England
• 1931-12-18 Allen Klein, American rock and roll business manager - ABKCO (Sam Cooke; Rolling Stones, Beatles), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 2009)
• 1932-05-07 Derek Taylor, English publicist for the Beatles, born in Liverpool, Merseyside (d. 1997)
• 1932-06-25 Peter Blake, British visual artist who designed The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, born in Dartford, Kent, England
• 1932-09-11 Ian Hamer, British jazz trumpeter and session musician (Beatles - "Got To Get You Into My Life"; Top of the Pops studio band), born in Liverpool, England (d. 2006)

• 1933-03-04 Leon Wildes, American immigration attorney (successfully defended John Lennon against US government deportation efforts), born in Olyphant, Pennsylvania (d. 2024) [1]

• 1935-05-27 Mal Evans, British Beatles roadie and assistant, born in Liverpool, England (d. 1976)
• 1936-01-07 Hunter Davies, Scottish-British journalist, author (The Beatles: The Authorised Biography), and broadcaster, born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland
• 1936-02-03 Jim Marshall, American photographer (The Beatles final concert in San Francisco; Woodstock Festival), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2010)
• 1936-06-04 Alan Branscombe, British jazz and session pianist, vibraphonist, and saxophonist (Tubby Hayes; Beatles - "Got To Get You Into My Life"), born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England (d. 1986)
• 1936-12-05 Robert Freeman, English photo-journalist and graphic designer (early Beatles album art and film posters), born in London (d. 2019) [1]
• 1938-04-29 Klaus Voormann, German rock bassist (Manfred Mann - "Mighty Quinn"; John Lennon; George Harrison; Harry Nilsson; Carly Simon), and album cover artist (Beatles - Revolver; Ringo Starr - Ringo), born in Berlin, Germany
• 1938-05-20 Astrid Kirchherr, German photographer, helped establish The Beatles image, born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 2020)
• 1938-07-08 Alan Aldridge, British artist, graphic designer and illustrator whose artwork was used in record covers for The Beatles and The Who, born in London, England (d. 2017)
• 1939-09-10 Cynthia Lennon (née Powell), first wife of Beatle John Lennon (1962-68), and mother of singer, photographer, activist Julian Lennon, born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England (d. 2015)
• 1939-11-13 Robert Whitaker, British photographer whose work was used on Beatles and Cream album covers, born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England (d. 2011) [1]
• 1940-05-10 Arthur Alexander, American singer-songwriter ("Lonely Just Like Me"), whose songs were covered by The Beatles ("Anna"), The Rolling Stones ("You Better Move On"), and Bob Dylan ("Sally Sue Brown"), born in Sheffield, Alabama (d. 1993) [1] [2]

• 1940-06-23 Stuart Sutcliffe, Scottish visual artist and rock bassist (The Beatles, 1960-61), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1962)

• 1941-10-13 Neil Aspinall, British rock and roll road manager (The Beatles), and music executive (Apple Records), born in Prestatyn, Wales (d. 2008)

• 1942-04-19 Edwin "Eddie" Kramer, South African-British recording engineer, producer and photographer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Beatles), born in Cape Town, South Africa
• 1942-05-02 Alexis Mardas, Greek electronics engineer, entrepreneur, and Beatles hanger-on also known as "Magic Alex", born in Athens, Greece (d. 2017)

• 1944-04-15 John Wilbraham, British classical, baroque, and session trumpeter (Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields; English Chamber Orchestra; The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour), and educator, born in Bournemouth, England (d. 1998)
• 1945-11-26 Ethan Russell, American photographer and author (photographed covers for the Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Who), born in Mt. Kisco, New York
• 1945-12-05 Geoff Emerick, British sound engineer and record producer (Beatles; Elvis Costello), born in Crouch End, North London, England (d. 2018)
• 1946-04-05 Jane Asher, English actress (Deep End) and girlfriend of Paul McCartney, born in Willesden, London, England
• 1946-08-04 Maureen Starkey [Mary Cox], British ex-wife of Beatle Ringo Starr, born in Liverpool, England (d. 1994)

• 1947-01-13 Chris Thomas, British sound engineer and record producer (Beatles; Pink Floyd; Procol Harem; Elton John; The Pretenders), born in Brentford, Middlesex, England
• 1947-04-20 Ken Scott, British record producer and engineer (The Beatles, Elton John, Pink Floyd), born in London, England
• 1947-12-30 Jeff Lynne, British rock singer-songwriter and record producer (ELO - "Livin' Thing"; Traveling Wilburys - "Handle With Care"; Beatles - "Free As A Bird"), born in Shard End, Birmingham, England
• 1963-04-08 Julian Lennon, English singer-songwriter ("Too Late for Goodbyes"), philanthropist (The White Feather Foundation), photographer, and son of Beatle John Lennon and his 1st wife, Cynthia, born in Liverpool, England
• 1965-09-13 Zak Starkey, English rock drummer (Oasis; The Who), son of Beatle Ringo Starr, born in London, England
• 1967-08-19 Jason Starkey, occasional drummer and son of Beatle Ringo, born in London, England
• 1969-08-28 Mary McCartney, British photographer and daughter of Beatle Paul and Linda McCartney, born in London, England
• 1970-11-11 Lee Parkin Starkey, British fashion designer, and daughter of Ringo Starr and his first wife Maureen, born in London, England
• 1977-09-12 James McCartney, British musician son of Paul & Linda McCartney, born in London, England

• 1969-03-20 British Beatle John Lennon (28) weds Japanese artist Yoko Ono (36) in Gibraltar, near Spain (his second marriage, her third), until his death in 1980
• 1978-09-02 British musician George Harrison (35) marries American record label marketer Olivia Arias (30) at the Henley-on-Thames Register Office in England

• 1981-04-27 Beatle Ringo Starr (40) weds American actress Barbara Bach (33) at Marylebone Town Hall, London, England
• 2002-06-11 British musician Paul McCartney (59) weds former English model and anti-landmines campaigner Heather Mills (34) at Castle Leslie in County Monaghan, Ireland; divorce in 2008
• 2003-08-30 Daughter of Paul McCartney and fashion designer Stella McCartney (31) weds British publisher Alasdhair Willis on the 300-acre Gothic Estate in Scotland's Isle of Bute
• 2011-10-09 Musician Paul McCartney (69) weds New Yorker Nancy Shevell (51) in a civil ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall, London

• 1968-11-08 Cynthia Lennon is granted a divorce from The Beatles member John Lennon

• 1939-10-10 Eleanor Rigby, a real person whose name may have suggested the title to The Beatles song (b. 1895)
• 1958-07-15 Julia Lennon, mother of Beatle John, dies in an auto accident
• 1962-04-10 Stuart Sutcliffe, Scottish visual artist and rock bassist (The Beatles, 1960-61), dies of a brain hemorrhage at 21

• 1970-07-07 Louise Harrison, mother of Beatle George, dies at 59
• 1976-01-05 Mal Evans, British Beatles roadie and personal assistant, dies in a confrontation with police at his Los Angeles home at 40
• 1976-03-18 James McCartney, father of Paul McCartney, dies at 73
• 1976-04-01 Freddie Lennon, father of John Lennon (Beatles), dies at 63
• 1980-06-21 Bert Kaempfert, German orchestra leader, songwriter ("Strangers in the Night"; "Danke Schoen"), and record producer (The Beatles first recordings), dies of a stroke at 56

• 1982-02-21 Murray the K [Kaufman], American disk jockey sometimes referred to as the 5th Beatle, dies of cancer at 60
• 1986-02-01 Dick James [Leon Vapnick], British dance band vocalist and Beatles' music publisher (Northern Songs), dies of a heart attack at 65
• 1986-10-27 Alan Branscombe, British jazz and session pianist, vibraphonist, and saxophonist (Tubby Hayes; Beatles - "Got To Get You Into My Life"), dies at 50
• 1989-03-19 Alan Civil, British horn player (played solo on Beatles "For No One"), dies of liver and kidney failure at 59
• 1993-06-09 Arthur Alexander, American singer-songwriter ("Lonely Just Like Me"), whose songs were covered by The Beatles ("Anna"), The Rolling Stones ("You Better Move On"), and Bob Dylan ("Sally Sue Brown"), dies of a heart attack at 53 [1]

• 1994-12-09 Maureen Starkey [Mary Cox], English ex-wife of Beatle Ringo Starr, dies of leukemia at 48
• 1997-09-07 Derek Taylor, Beatles publicist, dies of cancer at 65
• 1998-04-05 John Wilbraham, British classical, baroque, and session trumpeter (Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields; English Chamber Orchestra; The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour), and educator, dies at 53

• 2001-05-19 Mike Sammes, British arranger, session, pop and easy-listening vocalist (The Mike Sammes Singers; Disneyland; The Beatles - "I Am The Walrus", "Good Night"; Olivia Newton-John - "Let Me Be There"), dies at 73
• 2001-11-16 Jack Rothstein, British concert violinist (London Czech Trio), conductor (Viennese Orchestra of London), and session player (The Beatles - "I Am the Walrus"; "Within You Without You"; Paul McCartney - “Here Today”), dies at 75

• 2005-08-01 Al Aronowitz, American music journalist (New York Post; Saturday Evening Post), introduced The Beatles to Bob Dylan, dies of cancer at 77
• 2006-05-22 Jack Fallon, Canadian-British jazz double and electric bass player, fiddler (The Beatles - "Don't Pass Me By"), and concert promoter, dies at 90

• 2006-09-03 Ian Hamer, British jazz trumpeter and session musician (Beatles - "Got To Get You Into My Life"; Top of the Pops studio band), dies at 73
• 2007-06-22 Derek Simpson, British cellist (Aeolian String Quartet, 1956-81; Beatles - "Strawberry Fields Forever), and teacher, dies at 79
• 2008-03-03 Norman "Hurricane" Smith, British sound engineer (The Beatles, 1962-65), producer (Pink Floyd; The Pretty Things), and musician ("Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?"; "Don't Let It Die"), dies at 85
• 2008-03-24 Neil Aspinall, British music executive (The Beatles), dies of lung cancer at 66
• 2009-07-05 Jack Ellory, British orchestral and session alto and bass flute player (Philharmonia Orchestra; The Beatles - "The Fool on the Hill"), dies at 89
• 2010-03-24 Jim Marshall, American photographer (The Beatles final concert in San Francisco; Woodstock Festival), dies at 74
• 2011-04-29 David Mason, British orchestral, solo and session trumpet player (The Beatles "Penny Lane"), dies of leukemia at 85
• 2011-09-20 Robert Whitaker, British photographer whose work was used on Beatles and Cream album covers, dies at 71

• 2015-04-01 Cynthia Lennon (née Powell), first wife of Beatle John Lennon (1962-68), and mother of singer, photographer, activist Julian Lennon, dies of cancer at 75
• 2015-11-09 Andy [Andrew] White, Scottish drummer, drummed on early Beatles records ("Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You"), dies at 85

• 2017-01-13 Alexis Mardas, Greek electronics engineer, entrepreneur, and Beatles hanger-on also known as "Magic Alex", dies of pneumonia at 74
• 2017-02-17 Alan Aldridge, British artist, graphic designer and illustrator whose artwork was used in record covers for The Beatles and The Who, dies at 78
• 2018-10-02 Geoff Emerick, British sound engineer and record producer (Beatles; Elvis Costello), dies of a heart attack at 72
• 2019-11-06 Robert Freeman, English photo-journalist and graphic designer (early Beatles album art and film posters), dies of pneumonia at 82 [1]
• 2020-05-12 Astrid Kirchherr, German photographer, helped establish The Beatles image, dies at 81
• 2024-01-08 Leon Wildes, American immigration attorney (successfully defended John Lennon against US government deportation efforts), dies at 90 [1]