The Beatles’ ‘teacher’ Tony Sheridan dies

 

Monday 18 February 2013 18:20 GMT
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Tony Sheridan:  Singer and guitarist who was a catalyst in the early career of The Beatles
Tony Sheridan: Singer and guitarist who was a catalyst in the early career of The Beatles

Tony Sheridan, the guitarist and singer-songwriter who had The Beatles as his back-up band before they hit the big time, died at the weekend in Hamburg, Germany.

The 72-year-old’s death was confirmed by his daughter Wendy Clare Sheridan-McGinnity.

Sheridan starred on The Beatles’ first commercial recording after they met in 1960. At that point the band was comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison on guitar with Stuart Sutcliffe on bass and Pete Best on drums.

They performed together under the name Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers on recordings of “When The Saints Go Marching In,” “My Bonnie” and “Ain’t She Sweet”.

Sheridan was born Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity in Norwich in 1940.

As a successful session musician he toured with Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis and other American musicians in the Sixties. He moved to Germany in the 1970s and performed with Elvis Presley’s backing group in 1978.

McCartney, who reportedly referred to Sheridan as “the teacher”, was a big fan and the pair wrote “Tell Me If You Can” together in 1962.

He leaves two daughters and three sons.

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