Imagine They turned down the Beatles! (1966)

Little Richard with the Beatles and the Chants

 

In 2024, I had the good fortune to hear Joe Ankrah of the Chants speak at a symposium in Liverpool 

Imagine, They Turned Down the Beatles!

No writer listed

Manchester Daily News'

July 2, 1966

    Said Alan Harding, age 21 one of the Liverpool Coloured Vocal Group, The Chants, "It seems fantastic now, but we brushed their offer politely aside. We thought the material we had was all right."

     The offer Alan referred to was a tape of new songs, and the offer was being made by the Beatles. That, as time in the pop world is measured, was relatively long ago, of course, back in 1962. The Beatles were big on Merseyside, being nationally beat was only just beginning to get into its stride, so the Chants' Alan, Edmond and Joseph Ankrah, Nat Smeda and Eddie Amoo could not really be blamed for their lack of interest.

     It happened at Liverpool's Cavern Club, where Paul McCartney had invited them after a chance meeting without hearing them sing. "When they gave a demonstration," Alan recalls, "The Beatles threw the chips they were eating into the air and came rushing over."

     The Chants got their first professional booking that night, and because they had no backing group, the Beatles offered to fill in. It was after that performance that the offer of the taped songs came.

     Since then, the Chants, who are appearing this week at Manchester's Piccadilly Club, have become a successful cabaret act. They have sung all over the country and have appeared in Germany, Belgium, and Spain. 

    There's only one dark cloud on the otherwise happy career of the group, who are five of Bessie Braddock's favorite people. ("They're terrific!" she says.) The Chants have never made the charts. Said Alan, "We still have the ambition, but material is always a difficult thing for vocal groups to come by."

     And that tape the Beatles offered? "We never even listened to it, for all we know, the songs may have been some of the biggest hits they ever had." 

One of the kings of rock n roll

 

October 12, 1962 

Remembering Little Richard

This site is to share photos and stories of people, both famous and not, that met one or more of the Beatles in person.   Today I am sharing when The Beatles met someone in person instead.   Little Richard was one of the biggest influences on the Fab 4 and their music.   It isn't a stretch to say that without Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Buddy Holly, and select others, there wouldn't have been The Beatles as we know and love them. 

Paul has been on record saying many times how he directly copies Little Richard's style of singing when he performed songs such as Lucille, Long Tall Sally, and other Rock n Roll numbers.  That is what made the girls back in the Cavern days swoon over Paul --- how he was able to hit those high notes and sound like Little Richard. 

The first time The Beatles met Little Richard was when they were one of the opening acts for him at the Tower Ball Room in New Brighton in 1962.    This was obviously a dream come true for the guys.  Who wouldn't want to be the opening act for one of their favorite singers?    Brian Epstein talked Richard into taking a picture with the group and he told Richard that one day the guys were going to be famous.   Little Richard didn't really think too much of them as a musical act at the time. 

The Beatles once again opened for Richard at the Star Club in Hamburg.  I can't locate any photographs of them together during this time period.  It is known that Paul and Richard sat down at the piano and Little Richard himself helped Paul perfect the "whoooo" in "Long Tall Sally."  Wow!

John went on to record Little Richard's songs on his "Rock n Roll" album and wanted to get him to be on the Mike Douglas Show when he and Yoko hosted in 1972.    They ended up with just Chuck Berry, but John's original idea was to have one of his Rock n Roll heroes each day that week.  It is too bad that Little Richard's schedule didn't work out.  That would have been great to see John and Richard together.


When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1986, Little Richard was one of the first inductees.  Two years later when The Beatles were inducted, Little Richard was on hand for the ceremony and performance (see photo of him with George). 

Sadly Little Richard passed away yesterday after cancer had gotten in his bones.   He will always be remembered as a pioneer of Rock n Roll that was the first to have mixed black and white fans together at his concerts in the late 1950s.    For Beatle fans, we will remember him for his influence on the band and thank him for his music. 

Rest in Peace Little Richard.   Say hi to John and George for us.

The Star Club

I love photos like this!   Here is a guy standing by a poster advertising Little Richard at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany on October 29.     You can also spot an Elvis poster and a Beatles poster on the wall as well!    The Beatles began playing the Star Club on November 1, 1962. 

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