http://www.meetthebeatlesforreal.com/search/label/Tony%20Saks
Well, I obtained some of achieves of Tony's and while it is copies of stuff and not in the best condition, it is still neat to see. Today there is speculation of the guitar was actually signed by the Beatles and I think the actual guitar's whereabouts are unknown. But these documents make you believe that the signatures are genuine, but honestly we will never know.
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| Paul and Mrs. Saks taken by Tony |
Several months ago, Mike Suley sent in this photo that was taken with the guitar in 1986. He said that Tony was energetic and happy to talk about getting the guitar signed. I wish I could have met the man myself.
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| Photo from Mike Suley |
Still no sold on the story that Tony had his guitar signed by The Beatles. Most likely it was Mal or Neil-I would love to see the signatures up close....
ReplyDeleteThis is one story that really WANT to be true. But yes---I am very skeptical. I think that Derek Taylor is the one that signed them because he was the one that always talked about it---how Paul's signature slipped and everything. But it is true that he met the Beatles in Feb. 1964 and was there in Baltimore in 1964 with a guitar that he was told would be signed by the Beatles. And from the looks of the photos, he and his wife met the Beatles in Baltimore. So at least that part of the story is true, even if the signatures are fake. Although I think the man went to his grave believing them to be real.
DeleteWow. I haven’t thought about the guy for the longest time. I remember Tony Saks hanging around the 12/8 Lennon vigils around the Dakota in the early-‘80s. A creepy character who seemed broke. I was never entirely sure what exactly he was peddling -- a guitar??? Being the “world’s oldest” Beatles fan??? His angle was ambiguous.
ReplyDeleteI remember him wearing a rubber band with a pick on his forehead and was never convinced of his sanity. Another nut making the rounds there.
He sounds like quite an eccentric character. From what I understand he was a very talented guitar player and a good music teacher in Virgina. But as he got older he got a little senile and got really strange--which is when you encountered him, Howie. I think he was harmless and wanted to spread the joy of the Beatles in his own strange little way.
DeleteI've never heard anyone play like Tony Saks,he was quite good.I took lessons from him in the late 60's in Norfolk on Lafayette Blvd.I didn't have any great talent but took lessons for 2 years,he worked with me a lot,and I learned a lot from he and his family.He and my dad used to talk for quite a while after the lessons ended for the night.He grew up in a large family of musicians in Pennsylvania.It turned out my wife had taken lessons from him too,long before we met.terry albertson
ReplyDeleteTook lessons from Tony for six months until my pregnancy made playing too difficult and the. There was baby of course. Interesting guy. I wrote a poem about him a decade Ago under another name. RIP Tony!
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