Happy birthday Heather!

 September 17, 2003 

*Any rude comments will not be approved.  It is sad that I even have to state that. 

Look who is now 18!

October 28, 2003 -- B. McCartney was born today!  18 years have gone by so far and B has grown to be a creative, artistic, and unique person.   Best wishes to B for a great year!  

Yankees Game search

A fan named Don Pupke post the following photograph and story on Facebook.   Do you know the lady in the photograph with Paul?    I am sure we can find her!   

Written by Don Pupke

In July 2003 I went to a Yankees game with one of my buddies and we had the good fortune of sitting directly in back of Paul McCartney and his (then) wife Heather Mills. I think they were sitting with U.S. Senator Chris Dodd.

The seats were close and throughout the game, we had small talk but I tried to treat him just like I’d treat anyone else who sat near me at any game.

I was impressed that he was a real fan and stayed for the entire game. At the end of the game we had to wait for the crowd to clear a bit before leaving and I found myself standing and talking to him about baseball. At that point, I figured it would be okay if I asked to take a picture with him. He said “sure”.

One thing you need to understand is that in 2003 there were no camera phones so you had to have a camera and film to take a shot. I happened to have a camera.

Just as we were about to take the picture, a very nice woman came running toward Paul calling his name. He looked at me and said, “let me take a picture with her and then we’ll get our shot.” The only problem is that she didn’t have a camera. I told her that I’d take the picture. As soon as I took the picture I heard the whirring sound of the film rewinding. My heart sank. No more film. No more pictures. I settled for a handshake, a pat on the back and a memory of meeting Sir Paul McCartney. Oh, and I also have a picture of Paul with a woman I don’t know.

This is the picture.

Afterward, I asked her if she had an email address so I could send her the picture. She didn’t. She gave me her home address - somewhere in Kansas- as I recall but, unfortunately, I lost the slip of paper.

So now I have this picture of Paul McCartney with a woman from Kansas ( might’ve been Nebraska, Iowa or Oklahoma) and no way of getting this to her.

I’d love for anyone and everyone to help me find her so I can get this photo to her.

Can anyone help? I’d appreciate it if you could share this until we find her. Thanks.

Nervously waiting

That young man looks so nervous as he waits to Paul to get done with this photo during the 2003 Pride of Britain awards.   I sure hope he got the courage to get that autograph!

Tim meet Ringo Starr

A fan named Tim Wargo sent me this lovely story and photo of when he met the one and only Mr. Richard Starkey in person in February of 2003.   I love his story and he really wrote it so that you feel as if you are a part of it.   Thank you Tim for sharing your "Meet the Beatles for real" story with us all!   Congrats on meeting Ringo!!  

It was Feb. of  2003 and I decided to go to L.A. for my vacation from work.My sister had a place in Santa Monica where I stayed for part of the week.My friend Ken was scheduled to interview Ringo Starr later that week and I spent the last part of my trip at his apartment.I flew to L.A. with my brother Dan.          It was the day of the interview me and my brother were staying at our sister's apartment.Dan went out on a bike ride and before he left,he said to me"I have a good feeling about this."My friend Ken then went to pick me up.                   Until I was actually with Ringo in the same room,I was nervous about being allowed to sit in.We were waiting in the lobby of the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills.One of Ringo's people,a lady named Elizabeth,met us and we introduced ourselves.Ken stated that I was the engineer for the recording.Elizabeth said "Oh,that's fine" very cheerfully.Ken and I looked at each other grinning from ear to ear.As we were going up to the suite in the elevator she remarked "Ringo's in a good mood today."     Even having made it this far,I was nervous that I would have to leave and not meet Ringo.I heard that distinctive voice of his in the kitchen.Elizabeth said "OK guys come on in.Ken turned to me and said "Brace yourself,you're gonna meet one of The Beatles!"It's funny, but I often fantasized about meeting one of The Beatles.I always imagined I'd hear one of them first talking in another room before actually meeting him.We walked in and I introduced myself to Ringo and shook his hand saying "Hi Ringo, I'm Tim.I'm the engineer and I'm here to check the levels of the recording."He shook his finger at me and said "No,you just wanted to get out!"In a joking,friendly way.       It was astounding meeting one of these four legendary guys.You think about how they actually look in the flesh.John Lennon described himself as being just a hair under six feet tall,so John and I are pretty much the same height.I always knew Ringo was kind of short.Height wise, he came up to my eyes.So his height was no surprise.He looked to have no body fat whatsoever.I wouldn't be surprised if somebody told me he weighed one hundred and twenty pounds.During the interview I sat maybe three feet away from him and I was thinking "His nose doesn't look that big."Halfway through the interview, Mark Hudson walked in and joined the discussion.Meeting Mark was the icing on the cake that day.       I always said" Regular guys don't meet The Beatles" unless it was John Lennon before 1981.I was Starr-struck,as it were.I mean I thought I would pose with Ringo giving the peace sign and I'd be gushing non stop about Sgt. Pepper, etc.Ringo agreed to pose with us in a picture.In the first photo I'm bent over and I have a stupid "Lerch" from The Addams Family look on my face,which I now attribute to nerves.Another shot was taken of me,Ken and Ringo. Ken was like "Tim,stand up straight".Ringo said "Yeah Tim,stand up straight.Otherwise you'll hate it.There you go,that's better."In the photo we are arm in arm.I then shook Ringo's hand again and said "Thanks,Ringo,you're the greatest."    This was a dream come true.Ringo shook my hand twice and called me Tim.I couldn't help being star-struck,despite the fact that he was friendly,bubbly and down to earth, a really great guy.He gave a great interview and he couldn't been nicer to this nervous fan.

Yellow Submarine

Former Friends

I have met one of the people in this photo and sadly it isn't Ringo. I met Mark Hudson and he autographed my Ringo "Storytellers" Cd cover for me. Ringo and Mark had a falling out
in 2006 after Mark backed out of the 2006 All-Starr Band tour at the last minute to do a reality talent TV show instead. Mark claims that has nothing to do with why he is no longer working with Ringo. *shrug* All I know is that now Mark Hudson is a mainstay at the Fest for Beatle fans. I think he has been a guest for the past 10 years in a row! (at least close to it). I used to hear him speak at the Fest, but anymore I skip his talks. He can't have any more stories to share.

In 2003, however, Ringo and Mark were BFF's and they seemed to go everywhere together! Here they are in New York (I believe) at a record store autograph session.

Paul's birthday surprise

Can you even begin to imagine having Paul McCartney perform at your birthday party? I guess for the right price given to the right charity, Paul might do it! In 2003, Wendy Walker's then husband paid Paul 1 million dollars, which he agreed to donate to the Adopt-a-Minefield charity, to perform at Wendy's 50th birthday party. Wendy has written a book and in it is the story of Paul singing at her party. This article makes it sound like we never knew the identity of the woman who the party was for, but I always had in my files that it was someone named Wendy that worked on the CNN Larry King Show.

Remember back in 2003 when there were reports of Paul McCartney performing at a private party? Well, all details are revealed in the new book, “Producer: Lessons Shared from 30 Years in Television“, by Wendy Walker. Turns out, the woman who Paul McCartney was singing “Birthday” to for her 50th birthday is Wendy Walker, the senior executive producer of CNN’s Larry King Live.

At the time, Walker was married to financier, Ralph Whitworth, who paid $1 million to have Paul McCartney perform at a private birthday party for her in Rancho Santa Fe, California, near San Diego. McCartney agreed to make this rare appearance if the money was donated to the landmines charity he was supporting with then-wife Heather Mills.

Wendy and Ralph first met Paul when he appeared with Heather on the Larry King Live show in 2002. The Whitworths then chaired the Adopt-A-Minefield benefit in 2002 (which McCartney performed at) and donated $50,000 to the charity.
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Being huge Beatles fans, Ralph Whitworth got the idea the following year to approach McCartney to play at a private birthday party for his wife. McCartney agreed to this rare private performance since the $1 million sum would go to Adopt-A-Minefield.
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The party was held at the Whitworths’ favorite restaurant, Delicias, in Rancho Santa Fe. Wendy describes her shock and surprise to see her childhood idol, Paul McCartney, performing in the intimate setting– and all for her! Walker was surrounded by approximately 150 friends and family including the emcees of the party, Larry King and Katie Couric. As any true fan would, Walker documents in her book the 19 song set-list that McCartney played that night.
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Walker crossed paths with Macca again in 2007 when Larry King did a special interview in Las Vegas for the one-year anniversary of The Beatles’ Cirque du Soliel show, LOVE. Ironically, both Wendy and Paul were now divorced. While talking to Paul, Ringo entered the room, and Paul introduced them: “Ringo, this is my friend, Wendy.”
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After 17 years as a producer for CNN’s Larry King Live, Whitworth has met her share of famous politicians and celebrities. But to this day, she is still amazed that Paul McCartney played at her private birthday party — a once-in-a-lifetime event that she will never forget.

Paul in Russia

I recently scanned this photo from a book. I haven't read the fan's story yet on how she met Paul. All I know is that she got the amazing opportunity when Paul came to Russia in 2003.