Died On This Date (June 9*, 2010) Ken Brown / The Quarrymen; Credited For Formation Of The Beatles
Ken Brown
DOB Unknown – June 9, 2010 (Presumed)

Ken Brown is perhaps best remembered as the guitarist in the Quarrymen who was to some, the main reason the Beatles ever formed. While Paul McCartney and John Lennon were writing songs together, Brown was playing in the Les Stewart Quartet with George Harrison. In the summer of 1959, Pete Best’s mother opened the Casbah Coffee Club where Brown got the group booked as the house band. But due to a dispute over rehearsals, Stewart lost interest so Brown asked Lennon and McCartney to join the band and they quickly renamed themselves the Quarrymen. That following October, the band found themselves in a disagreement over money, so McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Stu Sutcluffe (who had recently joined the band) left the group, soon recruited Best, and the rest is history. In later years, Brown could be found making music in his home studio and playing occasional reunion gigs or Casbah anniversary shows. On June 14, 2010, Brown’s body was found in his home after a family member became concerned having not heard from him for a while. Cause of death was not immediately released, but foul play is not suspected, and it is believed that he had been dead for several days [Ed.: I settled on June 9 as the date until I hear otherwise]. Ken Brown was 70 years old when he passed away.


Billy Fury was an early British rock ‘n roll star who rivaled the Beatles with his 24 UK hit singles throughout the ’60s. During the mid ’50s. Fury fronted a popular skiffle band, playing a popular form of music that would heavily influence the Beatles. After scoring several hits fronting the Blue Flames (which included Georgie Fame), Fury fired the band and began auditioning for a new band. It was the early ’60s. When 
