60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
9/25/64 – “Gomer Pyle, USMC” premiers on CBS television.
A spin-off featuring the popular character from “The Andy Griffith Show,” Jim Nabors and company would make The Top Ten in the Nielsen Ratings for all five years that it aired.
Also on 9/25, Beatles Manager Brian Epstein turns down an offer of $3.5 million pounds for The Beatles’ contract
Also on 9/25 – The Temptations begin recording “My Girl,” a future #1 Hit
THIS AND THAT ... BEATLES EDITION:
Disney+ has announced the premier of a brand new
Beatles documentary, debuting on Thanksgiving Day again this year, this time profiling
the band’s meteoric rise here in America (when we finally caught up to the rest
of the world) in 1964 … which is also the title of the new doc. So we've got that to look forward to after our Thanksgiving Dinner and pumpkin pie!
Speaking of 1964, don't forget about the special re-release of all of The Beatles' Capitol Records albums on vinyl, in their original packaging (with new commentary from Bruce Spizer), recapping their creative output for their first year on the American charts. Between this and the recently-released, new deluxe edition of John Lennon’s 1973 album “Mind Games” ... the announcement that George Harrison’s “Living In The Material World” will be receiving the 50th Anniversary treatment … the fact that Ringo has a new COUNTRY album coming out next month … and the fact that this weekend Paul McCartney’s 50+ year-delayed “One Hand Clapping” will be playing in theaters all over the world, it's hard to tell if it’s 1964, 1974 or 2024 anymore!!! (kk)
Meanwhile, I no sooner typed this than it was announced that Ringo has had to cancel the last two dates of his current tour because he’s too ill to perform!
From The Fest For Beatles Fans:
On Tuesday, September 24th, 2024 in Philadelphia,
PA, Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band announced that unfortunately they have
to cancel their upcoming last two shows, including tonight’s performance at
TD Pavilion at The Mann in Philadelphia, PA and tomorrow night at Radio City
Music Hall in New York City due to illness.
Ringo has come down with a cold and after consulting a doctor, he was advised
to cancel these two remaining shows and get rest.
That means that as of today, the following two shows have been canceled:
Tuesday, September 24th at TD Pavilion at The Mann Philadelphia, PA
and Wednesday, September 25th at Radio City Music Hall – New York Cit,
NY
Ticket holders will be notified via email and will be automatically refunded or
should contact their point of purchase for refunds.
As always, Ringo and the All Starrs send peace and love to their fans and hope
to see them soon.
Look for Shelley Sweet-Tufano's review of the Ringo / All Starrs show she saw recently, coming up in Sunday's edition of Forgotten Hits.
And finally this, from Clark Besch ...
Nearly 60 years ago: The Beatles in Lincoln!
After your mention of the Kansas City concert being 60 years ago, I mentioned it to others and it brought up the Beatles’ 1966 Lincoln concert! "Whaaa?" you say?
Many of you have seen tons of Beatles concert footage over the decades, but it is stunning and sad to think that no one filmed much (any?) of their Christmas shows or (basically) their last UK concert (in 1966)!
The Fabs only did one concert in the UK in 1966 (prior to their Germany / Phillipines / Japan / USA tour). This was on May 1st at the Wembley NME Awards show with the Rolling Stones, The Who, Yardbirds, Small Faces, etc. They only performed five songs and it was never filmed or videotaped. John nearly didn’t go on as he suddenly changed the running order during the show: The Day the Beatles Played Their Final Scheduled U.K. Concert What a lineup!
SOOO, had there been a Lincoln concert, it would have been AFTER the last UK concert! Looks like the "Bad Boy" mentioned in the article below did not get his way on their last concert day. Maybe he was mad and then didn't let the UK have that song for 1 1/2 years after issuing it in US? It first appeared in the UK on "A Collection of Beatles Oldies," issued in December, 1966, while here in the US, "Bad Boy" was an LP cut on my beloved fave "Beatles VI" album in early summer, 1965!
Moral of the story? 'Now Junior, BEHAVE YOURSELF! WOO!"
Here's a copy of the Beatles plan to "Perform in Lincoln, Nebraska" story I sent out in 2016:
----- Forwarded Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 09:14:45 AM CDT
Subject: 50 Years Ago: Beatles in Lincoln!
50 Years ago today! The Beatles played LINCOLN at Memorial Stadium!!!
(well, almost)
See story and Lincoln Journal clippings below.
I met Jim Dier's son in the mid-90's I guess. He told me this incredible story of the Beatles attempted Nebraska concert that his father had orchestrated. It was indeed cool to hear. His father (if memory serves correctly) had actually been an important cog in the Eisenhower administration as some kind of press or info guy, I think.
In the mid-60's he formed a promotion company and brought artists to Lincoln. Jim's son (David?) told me how one time (late ‘65 or early ‘66) they booked the McCoys (who had a #1 national hit with "Hang on Sloopy" in late 1965) to perform a concert here. The McCoys were all mid-teens!! Rick Derringer was their leader and was only 14 (I think) at the time and he told me how here were these KIDS running around the house that were suddenly rock stars! I believe Rick did the guitar solo on Weird Al Yankovic's "Eat It" 80's hit.
Anyway, they sent for contracts with Brian Epstein and got them for the band to perform August 13, 1966, in Lincoln at Memorial Stadium. I believe they planned to hire fifty guards or police to patrol and keep people off the playing field. Epstein wanted a percentage of the gross and/or an amount of money I cannot recall. Dier promised the University he would protect the playing field as Bob Devaney wished. In the end, time got short and we lost out due to lack of time for a decision as the UNL people dragged their heels deciding.
In the end, Detroit got that date (the day AFTER the Chicago concerts) and, to my understanding, Detroit did not sell out. Dier said the Lincoln show would have sold out if nothing else, due to it being the only concert in the area by the band. They ended up doing Chicago as the first concert of their tour and Detroit the next day. Both were two show gigs. One afternoon and one evening show. The Chicago shows were at their International Ampitheater.
Of course, these concerts and tour came right on the heels of John Lennon's controversial Jesus comments. Airplay was not affected in Lincoln, as KLMS played their 45s just the same.
The day I met Jim's son, Jim was still living, but died not long after and I never met him. Jim's son did think the Beach Boys and the Rumbles were to open for the Fabs, but that seems pretty far-fetched.
March 6, 1966 - Lincoln Journal-Star Paper
March 7, 1966 - University of Nebraska Paper, the Daily Nebraskan
And for a closer, how about this exceptionally clean shot of John and Paul during their Quarrymen days, sent in by Timmy …
