The Beatles Tennessee Connections |
August 19, 1966: The Beatles play in Memphis at the Mid-South Coliseum John Lennon recalled "that's when I knew, that was the last tour" after someone threw fireworks on stage during the last of two shows while playing If I Needed Someone |
By John Beifuss from The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Published in the Tennessean, Aug 20, 2006 It was 40 years ago, and the city of Memphis didn't want the band to play. At least that was the official stance the mayor and Board of Commissioners took in a unanimous resolution passed August 10, 1966, to express "official disapproval" and "advised The Beatles that they are not welcome in the City of Memphis." The Blue Meanies didn't stand a chance. On August 19, 1966, Britain's Beatles - Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon - performed two concerts at the Mid-South Coliseum, at 4 and 8:30pm. Tickets were $5.50. The Memphis date was the eighth in a 14-city tour that would be the last ever for the band that remains the most influential in rock history. For each Memphis show, the Beatles performed 11 songs in about 28 minutes, after almost two hours of music from an interesting roster of opening acts: the Ronettes; Boston garage greats the Remains; Pennsylvania bubblegum popsters the Cyrkle ("Red Rubber Ball"); and Nashville R&B singer Bobby Hebb ("Sunny"). The first show attracted 7,589 fans; the second, 12,539. Disc Jockey George Klein and Johnny Dark acted as master of ceremonies. When The Beatles took the stage, "It kind of reminded me of the movie "King Kong" when all the flashbulbs started going off," Dark later remembered. "There were so many flashbulbs it was almost like a strobe light." Onstage, the Beatles - wearing "modish dull/grey suits" in the afternoon and "dark green creations with chartreuse shirts" at night, according to the local newspaper - exchanged such familiar hits as "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "A Hard Days Night" for mostly newer material. The songs performed in Memphis apparently were "Rock And Roll Music", "She's A Woman", "If I Needed Someone", "Day Tripper", "Baby's In Black", "I Feel Fine", "Yesterday", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "Nowhere Man", "Paperback Writer", and "Long Tall Sally". The Commercial Appeal reported in a front-page story the next morning: "The musical performance of the long-haired Englishmen was hard to judge as the shrieks and screams of the paying guest almost drowned them out." During a between-shows press conference, McCartney noted that "little things like money" had prevented the Beatles from recording what would become the album "Revolver" at Stax in Memphis. Lennon said The Beatles admiration for the guitar playing of Steve Cropper was one of the reasons they wanted to record in Memphis. However, Atlantic Vice President Gerald Wexler told The Commercial Appeal that Beatles manager Brian Epstien cancelled tentative plans for a two-week studio session at Stax because "he was not pleased with the security and housing plans he found during a one-day visit to Memphis." The anti-Beatles resolution which described Memphis as "a City of Churches" was inspired by Lennon's then much-publicized remark that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now. ...I don't know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity." In the days leading to the Memphis shows, The Commercial Appeal reported on several "Beatle burnings" in reaction to Lennon - protest rallies in which Beatles records were broken and burned ("Foot in Moptop's Mouth Is Hot One," stated a headline). Eighty police officers worked the show. "I've never had so much security at an event, even Bob Hope," promoter Early Maxwell said. |
JUNE 1970 NASHVILLE Beatle Ringo Starr records his second solo album, called "Beaucoups Of Blues" Session musicians include: Pete Drake, D.J. Fontana, Jerry Reed, Charlie McCoy and Charlie Daniels |
1974 :Paul McCartney & Wings Spend Six Weeks in Nashville Tennessee He wrote and recorded a song about Printers Alley called Sally G., along with the flip side Juniors Farm & more. They were recorded with Wings (Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCoulloch & Geoff Britton) during their stay in Nashville. They were here to record songs, and prepare for a Paul McCartney & Wings world tour. Paul McCartney Midi Web Sight Juniors Farm was named after the farm they stayed at while in the Nashville area (Lebanon) owned by Curly "Junior" Putnam |
See pictures of my trip to New York including the Dakota Apartments, and the World Trade Center Twin Towers |
Nashville Remembers John Lennon after the murder of John Lennon on December 8, 1980 in New York City |
1981: Beatle Movies double-feature in Nashville Yellow Submarine & Let It Be at the Hickory Hollow Cinemas on February 19, 1981 |
Signed by original Beatles drummer Pete Best while in Nashville in the 1980's to give a speech at Opryland and do a book signing for his book "Beatle". Pete Best played on ten songs on the 1996 Beatles Anthology 1 |
1997: George Harrison in Jackson TN at singer Carl Perkins funeral. The Beatles recorded many songs by Carl Perkins and other artists on Sun Records. Ringo also recorded an album at Sun Records in Memphis |
November 29, 2001: Former Beatle George Harrison died in Los Angeles at the age of 58 after a long battle with cancer GEORGE HARRISON 1943-2001 |
An image from a T-shirt, I purchased at the John Lennon Vigil, held at the 103.3 KDF radio station soon after John Lennon was killed |
Jerry Lee Lewis and George at Carl Perkins funeral in Jackson TN |
1993: Paul McCartney brings his "New World" Tour to the Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis See our Paul McCartney Area Concerts Page |
2000: Ringo Starr & his All-Starr Band at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville |
NASHVILLE BEATLE FACTS: 1963: Soldier Of Love, written by Nashville's Buzz Cason is recorded and ends up on The Beatles "Live At The BBC" album in 1994. Buzz Cason told me he found out about 1980, The Beatles had recorded his song, and remarked "that was a big one". Also on that album is a song written by Chuck Berry, Memphis Tennessee Ringo Starr appeared in Nashville on the Johnny Cash Show while promoting his solo album "Beaucoup of Blues" in 1970. He stayed at the downtown Ramada Inn. John was here during "the lost summer" and stayed at the James Robertson Hotel. |
Picture from Newspaper |
A replica of a Beatles Ticket Stub from the last of two shows in Memphis on Friday August 19, 1966 |
It was 40 Years Ago Today, The Beatles in Memphis TN Memphis leaders gave icy reception Audiences for shows had different reaction Read Details Below: Memphis officials did not want the Beatles to come Read the song list, outfits & attendance figures . Opening acts included Nashville's Bobby Hebb They almost recorded "Revolver" in Tennessee They admired Nashville guitarist Steve Cropper And much more information! CLICK ON NEWSPAPER ARTICLE TO ENLARGE |
The Beatles only concerts in Tennessee took place at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis Tennessee |
Pat Adams at the Dakota |
TENNESSEE CONCERTS SEARCH ENGINE Search this website Website by Pat Adams. pat@tennesseeconcerts.com |
Ringo Starr from The Beatles in Nashville in 2008 |
Picture by David Hofer Jr |
Picture by Pat Adams |
See our pictures of Ringo Starr at the Wildhorse Saloon from July 6, 2008 Ringo Starr at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville Tennessee We had the best table in the place (front/center) and got some great pictures of Ringo, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Billy Squire and others. What a show, Act Naturally, It Don't Come Easy, What Goes On, Photograph, Oh My My, Boys, I Wanna Be Your Man, Liverpool 8, With A Little Help from My Friends and more. Speaking of help from friends, Edgar Winter did an 8 minute version of Frankenstein (playing keyboards/sax/drums), Gary Wright with Dream Weaver, Billy Squire did The Stroke, Colin Hay performed Who Can It Be Now, and Hamish Stuart played Pick Up The Pieces. The band did more of their hits, also. |
Picture by Pat Adams |
See my own video of the line to see Ringo Starr in Nashville July 6, 2008 at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville Tennessee |
Ringo Starr ask for Peace & Love for his birthday in Nashville My own video, on the eve of his July 7th birthday, Ringo Starr in Nashville Tennessee, wants "Peace & Love" for his 68th birthday. |
See our own YouTube video of Paul McCartney in Nashville Paul McCartney walks out on stage for his very first Nashville concert. |
Our Beatles |
John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney & Pete Best |