Died On This Date (August 21, 2013) Sid Bernstein / Legendary Concert Promoter; Brought The British Invasion To America
themusicsover Sid Bernstein
August 12, 1918 – August 21, 2013
Sid Bernstein was a concert promoter who was largely responsible for the onset of the British Invasion by setting up the first US concerts by England’s biggest rock bands at the time. In 1964, Bernstein felt the excitement building for the Beatles so he contacted their manager Brian Epstein, and convinced him to let him promote two shows at Carnegie Hall after their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The demand for tickets was so huge, that he arranged their legendary Shea Stadium concert the following year. By doing so, he became the first promoter to ever set up a rock concert in a sports stadium. Bernstein went on to organize the first five Rolling Stones shows in America. He also brought fellow British Invasion groups, Herman’s Hermits, the Moody Blues, and the Kinks over for their first US shows. The list of others Bernstein organized early major early concerts for include Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and James Brown who once credited Bernstein for being the only significant promoter to work with Black acts during the ’60s. Sid Bernstein was 95 when he passed away on August 21, 2013.
Mal Evans worked as the Beatles’ road manager for many years and also appeared in minor roles on several of their records. He also discovered and produced Badfinger. Evans was working as a bouncer at the Cavern Club in Liverpool when, in 1963, Beatles’ manager, 
Robert Whitaker was a celebrated British photographer whose shots of the Beatles are some of the most iconic images in pop music history. Whitaker’s career in photography can be traced back to the late ’50s when he was attending college in Melbourne, Australia. It was while freelancing in 1964 that he had a chance meeting with Beatles manager, 
Although he also managed among others, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas and Gerry & the Pacemakers, Brian Epstein is best remembered as manager of the Beatles. Many give him credit for the early success of the band. Epstein first met the Beatles after the Cavern Club show on November 9, 1961. By late January of 1962, Epstein was officially the band’s manager. He helped facilitate many of the band’s earliest successes, but by January of 1966, the Beatles decided not to renew their contract which was due to expire the following year. Epstein was notoriously addicted to drugs, and on August 27, 1967, he died of what was ruled and accidental overdose. He was 32 years old. In later years, Paul McCartney claimed that “if anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian.” And 
