More about Dan Ealey

After I re-watched the video I just added to the blog, I decided to see if I could find any more information about Dan and his time with Paul McCartney in Tennessee in 1974. I was a little surprised to find him selling his Paul and Linda autographs on ebay. I was happy to find the story from the video in print form (because I am sure the video will not last but a few months). So here is the story again.

When Paul McCartney and Wings took over a farmhouse in Lebanon 36 years ago, Dan Ealey used his teenage ingenuity to get past the gate.

In the summer of 1974, Ealey had a plan. The newspaper said McCartney and his new band were hanging out at a Wilson County farm. Ealey convinced Melody Maker magazine that he was an experienced reporter who could get a scoop. With a typewritten letter and a name to drop, he found the front gate of songwriter Curly Putman's farm and spotted McCartney's band members killing time on the lawn.

"I said, 'Hey we got a guitar in the car. You guys want to see this Les Paul?'" said Ealey. "And they say, 'Hey, bring it out,' and my first question is, 'Hey, can you show us the opening lick to "Band On the Run?"' And Jimmy McCullough shows us the opening riff, and after that, we were just hanging out and talking about music."

He was in every day for three weeks, often bearing gifts, like an embroidered Henley shirt for McCartney. Ealey was trusted to man the gate one night when special guests -- Jerry Reed, Chet Atkins and Roy Orbison -- arrived.

"I could see Paul in the binoculars, and he's got the shirt on I had given him," Ealey said.

Soon, Ealey got brave enough to take a borrowed cassette recorder to the farm. His tapes, never broadcast before, capture "Let Me Roll It," "My Love," "Go Now," "Maybe I'm Amazed" and a new tune the group seemed to be practicing forever.

"Two months after they leave, I'm driving down the road, and I've got my radio on," Ealey said. "And he says, 'A new song by Paul and Wings: Junior's Farm.'"

It's been 36 years, but not a single detail has faded.

"He went out of his way to be nice to me," Ealey said. "I was behind the doors and behind the gates and hanging out with him, and it was a magical time for someone who's always been a Paul McCartney fan."

Video about a guy who met Paul in Tennessee

This is an amazing story! I just wish he had his fan photos available online to save because I am sure the news story will go down in a few months.



http://www.wsmv.com/video/24407054/index.html

I can't get the link to work right on this blog, so you all will have to cut and paste it onto your browsers. Sorry about that.

Toy Beatles

I thought this was a really cute photo of a young fan showing The Beatles a model Beatle set or something like that.

Kathy meets George

Here is a story about a fan named Kathy Gerdsen who met The Beatles in Atlantic City in 1964 and kept contact with the Harrison family until the death of George's father.

Gerdsen said she met the Beatles after one of their concerts in the Atlantic City Convention hall. She had been in the hall with the rest of the screaming girls, then when leaving the hall, noted that there were two ambulances parked by one of the backstage exits.

"Most people thought the Beatles had already left," she said. "But I saw the ambulances and went towards them. It was a chance thing. I climbed on the back of the ambulance, turned around, and bumped straight into Paul. He was leaning against the gurney. The police pulled me off."

Yet, she got to talk to them as the rest of the Beatles climbed into the ambulances. George and Ringo climbed into one. John joined Paul in the second.

"Before they left," she said, "I asked George how I could keep in contact with them. He told me to write his parents at Macketts Lane, Liverpool and that's what I did."

Over the years, Gerdsen wrote faithfully and said she grew close with George's parents, Harry and Louise.

"Then in 1974, George came to Madison Square Garden to do a concert with Ravi Shankar. I got a post card from his father to meet them at the Plaza Hotel."

She said she spent the day with George's father and his brother, Pete, took photos, and later continued correspondence and telephone conversations.

"George's father passed away several years ago. George's brother, Harry, sent me notice," she said. Although she continued communicating for a while, correspondence eventually faded out.

Excited fan writing

I love finding things that were written by fan during the time when the Beatles were a "new" band. This is a letter of some sort that was written by a fan while she was watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in 1965. How excited she seemed to be as she wrote this. It really put on a smile on my face. I hope you also enjoy it. Don't forget that if you click on the images, they get larger and much easier to read.

John

John is just too cute!!!!

Paul brought to you by your local friend Beatles photo blog

Here are some Paul fan photos that I took from the Beatles photo blog. I am sure that you all check out Tammy's blog on a daily basis. It is 100 times better than this one ever will be and so that is why I take photos from it from time to time. :) The truth is that it is nice to be on friendly terms with so many other loyal Beatle fans from around the world. I love the fact that we all share photos and information with one another. To me that is part of what being a Beatle fan is all about....

Sneaky Ringo

I love this photo of Ringo sneaking around the door like that. I just wish this photo wasn't deteriorating....

Asher

Sometimes I have to chuckle at some of the fan taken photographs that I find. In a copy of a Beatles fan scrapbook that I got from an auction years and years back, I found these photos. Jane Asher's mother and Jane Asher's clothing. I so wish I knew the background information about these photos and who Lyn is. But still they are a neat find.

Welcome to Miami

So these aren't really "new" photos to any Beatle fan. But I didn't know the information about the fans in the photo until I read about it in Dezo Hoffman's book. I find this interesting. Here is what he said,

Even in the sea the Beatles couldn't escape from their admirers, but sometimes fans could be fun. Here they are frolicking with some girls form Miami Beach High School who were working as part-time models at a car show. Ringo with fans Barbara Turchin and Carol Olesky; he later dated Barbara, taking her to a drive-in movie. When the Beatles left Miami, as a parting gift Ringo gave her a ring.

So let me get this straight. Ringo, the 23 year old, went on a date to a drive in movie with a girl that he met on the beach who is a student at the local high school and models on the side? I guess that is something I don't really want to think about too much. Anyhow....I wonder if Barbara still has that ring? Maybe Ringo just has a thing for girls named Barbara

Dedication

This photo was taken on the train from Washington D.C. back to New York City in February 1964. Here is what the photographer, Dezo Hoffman has to say about the photo:

These girls followed the boys from New York t Washington in the hope of meeting
them, finally tracking down their idols on the train back to New York

And all I can think is "way to go!!" So they traveled in the snow from New York to Washington D.C. with a slight chance they could meet the Beatles. But they did it! And I bet the girls in this photograph talk about that meeting even to this very day!

Fan mail

Today I got a book that I won off ebay called The Beatles Conquer America. It is full of photographs of the Beatles in early 1964 taken by the famous Dezo Hoffman. It has photos from France, New York, Washington D.C. and Miami. It is a really beautiful book with many photos that were new to me. I plan on scanning a lot out of it for my files.

First I wanted to focus on the photos that feature the Beatles with fans. The first two were taken by Dezo in New York City. Fan Club presidents from the area were chosen to go to the Beatles hotel room and help with the fan mail. Can you even imagine that? And by the looks of these photographs, the girls took the job seriously. They aren't screaming or crying but appear to be working! It seems like I read a story written by one of these girls about her experience. I will have to see if I can find it.

Schmoko took the message and he wrote it on the wall....

Here is another fan photo of the Memphis, TN 1966 press conference. I find it strange that only one professional photograph of this press conference has ever surfaced, but at least a dozen fan photos are around. I wonder how many fans were at this particular conference. One would think that security would have been a bit tighter because of the threats due to John's "Jesus statement." Unfortunately I have never heard or even read a transcript of what was completely said during the conference. What a shame....

Mustashed Macca

Anyone know where the McCartney family is here?

It was over 20 years ago today...

This article and photographs were published in the Winter 2009 (Issue #35) of the British Beatles Fan Club magazine. Both are by David Koppel.

On Monday 1st June 1987 the "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album was issued on compact disc for the first time. To celebrate the CD release, and the fact that it was twenty years since the original LP was issued, EMI held a huge launch party in Studio 2 at Abbey Road. The party was attended by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, George Martin, Peter Blake, Roy Orbison, Roy Wood and BBC DJ Anne Nightingale as well as many other celebs.

This was pretty much my first job as a photographer. I recall a friend of mine, Michael Mirecki, being the official photographer, a gig he got through someone that he knew at Abbey Road Studios (she was the studio head). We both went on a recce a few days before the launch and the plan would be that I would assist him by taking pictures so that we would have two bites at the cherry. We were told we would be the only snappers there and would have access to all parts of the building. What we didn't realise is that the entire world's press would be assembled in studio 2!!

On the day of the launch Paul and Linda arrived and Macca was taken into the control booth at the top of Studio 2 where all the knobs and buttons are, so that he could meet EMI executives and Abbey Road engineers. When it was time for him to come back down to the studio I was waiting at the foot of the stairs with crowds of people all around. It was a scrum and a fight to try to get any shots as Macca came down the stairs. Waiting at the foot of the stairs was Elsie, the Abbey Road tea lady. She and Paul posed for anyone that could get close, but sorry Pete, I missed that one.

Down in the studio there was a huge cake in the shape of the Sgt. Pepper bass drum. McCartney cut the cake and the press were going mad trying to get the perfect shot - yet again I missed out. The Daily Mail's photographer Alan Davidson (nicknamed "the Bruiser") was singled out by Macca who said to him, "you're the one nobody likes." Along with Paul and Linda was some old geezer who didn't stop moaning about only being recognized for doing the Sgt. Pepper album cover and not really being appreciated as an artist in his own right. I think his name was um, er...oh yeah Sir Peter Blake.

It all seemed over in no time and Macca went back up into the control room where he was joined by George Martin and Roy Orbison amongst others. Beforehand I had managed to get my Sgt. Pepper album signed by the great man and also had a photo with him and Roy Wood, who Macca had just grabbed. As with all these moments, it was over in a flash. I remember doing some shots of Roy Orbison and his wife as they walked up the stairs at Abbey Road and then a few shots of Paul and Linda in the studio's car park as they got into their car to be driven off.

Sadly, back then I was too inexperienced (and way too keen on getting things signed) to obtain anything really good out of the day, as can be seen by these shots that the BBFC editor described as "pathetic" and "couldn't you afford colour film?" But it was an exciting start and the first of many times that I would photograph Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr down the years...

Georgie

This is an interesting photo....

We brought ya the flowers....

I wonder how many boquets of flower Paul McCartney has been given in his lifetime. I really do enjoy this photo. Paul is wearing his pink jacket and the fans look so happy to see him!

Early Kinfauns

Bruno sent me this photo of George outside Kinfauns before the big paint job of 1967. I have to say that my boyfriend (who is NOT a Beatles fan and knows nothing about them and thinks it is "cute" that I have a blog about them) saw this photo and said that it looked like someone took a photo of "that guy" (George) and glued it in front of his house. I am not so sure....

Photos in black and white

Linda and Paul

I have no answer for you little lamb....

Beatlefest Chicago 2010

It turns out that I am going to Chicago for my 11th Beatlefest (err...fest for Beatle fans) after all. I will only be able to attend on Friday and Saturday. But I am still super excited. I am especially excited to hear Chris O'Dell speak and Klaus Voorman again.

Just wondering if any readers of this blog will be there as well???

I will try my best to take photos of the fan photos they always have on display and hopefully buy some to scan!

When I was youger, so much younger than today.....

A couple of shots of Paul during the making of Help!

Little James

Wow! Paul's son, James, looks the same now as he did as a baby!

George Harrison was a beautiful man

I can't speak for others who have Beatles photo blogs, but I have the worst time coming up with titles for each post. So this time I just typed in the first thing I thought of when I saw this picture for the first time tonight.

The lady is a champ

Maureen and Ringo were such an awesome couple. It still upsets me that their marriage broke up, even though I do like Barabra...

Anyhow...do you all think the October 1968 date on this photo is acurate? How quickly will the Beatles girls blogs be posting this photograph as well? It is a good one!

Diana the luckiest secretary in the world!

Several days ago I posted a really beautiful photo of George, Paul and Ringo with a pretty young girl. One of our favorite blog contributor, Bruno, emailed me this week with some information about that young girl. Her name is Diana Vero and she worked for Brian Epstein. During the summer of 1964 she toured America with The Beatles as their touring secretary! What an awesome job! Bruno sent me this article about her (which I typed up so you all can easily read it) from the August 27, 1964 issue of the Daily Express as well as a black and white photograph. Very neat. Thanks Bruno!!!!!!

The world's most envied teenager stood in the Hollywood sunshine in a sleek one piece swimsuit, ready to dive into the deep end of an ice-blue Hollywood pool.

Waiting for her in the water were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

"I can't believe it," 19 year old Diana Vero told me. "I must be dreaming."

Then with a shout of "But it must be true!" she arched her back and plunged into the water to join her bosses -- The Beatles.

Brown haired Diana from Atherstone, Warwickshire works for manager Brian Epstein in the Beatles' London headquarters. Twenty-four hours before the Liverpool quartet set out on their second American tour she was told "get packed. You're coming too as touring secretary."

Diana who earns 12 pounds a week, climbed out of the pool and told me, "I'm the luckiest girl in the world. There are thousands of girls in England - in fact all over the world - who would give their right arm to be in my shoes."

"I've always been a fans of the Beatles, but I never thought I'd be touring America with them."

"It's a dream. Every morning - whether it is Las Vegas, Vancouver or Hollywood - I pinch myself to make sure I'm not still asleep."

Since the start of the tour she has had hardly any sleep. But she looks as fresh as if she had just stepped out of a beauty salon.

"It's the job that makes me glow," she said, "even though it's crazy. We're rushing form one city to another at breakneck speed, and I'm taking dictation in planes, cars and even hotel lifts."

Diana checks all arrangements for accommodations and attends to the Beatles' fan mail.

"The boys like to answer as many letters as they can and on the plane I sit next to them in turn, getting replies down as quickly as possible."

Like all good secretaries she is ready to keep her bosses clam and fight off intruders.

"Often I have to persuade the fans to let the boys get a little rest. Then they all ask me how I got my job." she said.

"I suppose that,like all secretaries, I boss my bosses a little. And mother them."

"When Paul gets a headache on the plane, I'm the one with the aspirins and the glass of water."

"He's always grateful."

"But I never get to hold his hand."

More from Sue Baker

While searching the Internet in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep, I discovered that the news reports on Sue Baker's Beatles photos use different photographs! Sue is quoted as saying, "I just hope someone gets enjoyment out of them. They bring back great memories for me." If only Sue knew the amount of enjoyment I personally have been getting out of these photos. This has honestly been the highlight of the week for me. Her photos have made me smile and I am so thankful that she decided to share ALL of them with the news organizations before she sells them. Honestly, she doesn't need to sell them. I think it would make more sense to put them in a book (such as one that Lizzie is planning) of fan photos. Anyhow..... I want to thank Susan Baker for sharing her wonderful photos with the Beatles community after all of these years.