The Beatles were one of the most successful pop-music groups of the 1960s. Also called the Fab Four, this quartet of British musicians created a body of songs and recordings that many people still enjoy. The members of the Beatles were rhythm guitarist John Lennon (October 9, 1940–December 8, 1980); bass guitarist Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942); lead guitarist George Harrison (February 25, 1943–November 29, 2001); and drummer Ringo Starr (originally Richard Starkey; born July 7, 1940). All were largely self-taught as musicians. BeginningsThe group began in the working-class neighborhoods of Liverpool, a port city in northern England. As teenagers Lennon and McCartney shared an enthusiasm for American rock and roll. In 1957 McCartney joined Lennon's band, which was then called the Quarrymen. McCartney's friend Harrison signed on as lead guitarist soon afterward. In the early years the group had several other members, including drummer Pete Best and guitarist Stuart Sutcliffe. Influenced by the music of such U.S. performers as Little Richard and Buddy Holly, the Beatles played in small clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, West Germany. They soon became confident musicians with a special sound all their own. After using several names for the group, they settled on the Beatles. Brian Epstein, who ran a record store in Liverpool, found out about the Beatles in late 1961. Convinced of their talent and promise, he became their manager. Epstein told the band members to improve their image by wearing suits instead of leather jackets. More importantly, he got them a recording contract with one of Britain's largest music companies. At the music company, record producer George Martin showed songwriters Lennon and McCartney how to arrange their songs. Martin also suggested that the Beatles replace Best, their drummer, with Starr. Early workThe Beatles' first recorded song was
"Love Me Do"
(1962). The group had its first hit early in 1963 when the upbeat
"Please Please Me"
climbed to the top of the British charts. At first the group's songs were fairly simple, but their precise playing and talented voices stood out. In 1963 the Beatles released the album Please Please Me. Later that year they followed up with the album With the Beatles, featuring the popular song
"All My Loving."
BeatlemaniaPeople in Britain started calling the excitement over the band Beatlemania. In February 1964 the Beatles appeared on a popular U.S. television program called The Ed Sullivan Show. Teenagers across the United States liked the musicians so much that girls screamed and fainted over them and boys copied their look. By April 1964 the Beatles held the top five spots on the U.S. singles charts. The band had started the so-called British Invasion of the U.S. music scene. Back in England the Beatles continued recording and turning out hits. They also filmed A Hard Day's Night (1964), a movie about the Beatlemania phenomenon. With their increasing success, the Beatles became more adventurous in their music. They combined different musical styles and took inspiration from Indian religious ideas. The album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) showed that the band's music had become more complex. Later yearsIn 1968 the Beatles founded their own record label, Apple. They recorded the popular albums The Beatles (1968), Abbey Road (1969), and Let It Be (1970). By that time the pressures of fame were tearing the band apart, and the Beatles officially broke up in 1970. All four members went on to their own musical careers—Lennon with his Japanese-born wife, Yoko Ono; McCartney with a new band called Wings and later as a solo performer; and Starr and Harrison as solo artists. In 1980 Lennon was killed in New York City; in 2001 Harrison died of cancer. Fans remembered both musicians with fond memorials and tributes. The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Lennon (1994), McCartney (1999), and Harrison (2004) were also inducted as solo performers. McCartney was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. |