Beatlemania and Me
It was 50 years ago today - sound familiar! Well, I
remember it well. I was not quite four yet, we were living in
Burkesville, KY and had gone to Glasgow to visit Pampie (my great-grandmother)
and Grandma (Mom's mom).
When we got over to Grandma's house, the Ed Sullivan Show had
come on and I was watching when he introduced "The Beatles". I
surely didn't know alot at that time in life, but I knew one thing, I
liked The Beatles. A lot!!
So began the last 50 years of countless hours of listening,
singing along, playing along on piano or flute, and reading everything I could
get my hands on about them. And the Internet sure did make all of that
even easier!
I was at my Pampie's house, sitting on her front porch glider
while she read the newspaper to me, the day Ringo Starr became a father for the
first time. Twenty five years later I was home on maternity leave with
Renee when I read in the paper that Ringo had become a grandfather!
Early on the morning of December 8, I woke up to a Beatles song
playing. I hit the snooze and when my nine minutes were up, another
Beatles song was playing. As I lay there listening, when the next song
started with no interruption I sat straight up in bed and said "OMG - one
of them is dead".
I still have the Time magazine that featured George Harrison the
week after his death.
When I was twelve, for Christmas I got a stereo and two sets of
Beatle compilation albums - the red and blue covered ones. I must have
listened to them until the grooves were gone! My Mom told me years later
that she and my Dad had thought they would die if they had to hear the Beatles
one more time!
The summer I turned 50 years old, Paul McCartney came to
Nashville for the first time in 38 years. Not only did I get to share
that night with Paul, but with my daughter Renee. It was literally one of
the best nights of my life.
Tonight I'll be watching as the Grammy Salutes The Beatles is on
television. I'll sing along, laugh and I'm sure tear up at some scenes.
I'll be both happy for the times had and sad for the ones missed.
Thank you to The Beatles for a lifetime of songs and smiles!
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