THE BEATLES: Community Stories

December 21, 2002  – March 2, 2003

In conjunction with GE Power Systems Presents THE BEATLES: Now and Then, Photographs by HARRY BENSON, THE BEATLES: Community Stories features more than 100 objects lent by 30 Capital District residents. This exhibition includes a broad range of Beatles memorabilia dating from about 1963 to 1973 owned by collectors young and old. 

The objects in this exhibition tell wonderful community stories. One collector remembers winning a ticket to see The Beatles at Shea Stadium.  Another shares a photograph of a television set showing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.  Another recalls using steam to remove the cover photograph on the American album The Beatles: Yesterday and Today to reveal the English version of the album cover. (Recalled from the American market, the English cover depicted The Beatles dressed in butcher smocks with cuts of raw meat and doll parts.)

The Capital District’s early connection to The Beatles occurred before the Fab Four even landed in North America.  In 1963 while at WABY (1,000-watt radio station out of Albany), Program Director Lee Gray heard something special in The Beatles early works and selected them out of the weekly new music inventory for airplay.   John, Paul, George and Ringo appreciated Gray’s efforts since radio airplay was intrinsic to generating record sales. After a station format change in 1964, Gray moved to WTRY (5,000-watt radio station out of Albany). The appreciation and loyalty that Gray had established with The Beatles at WABY was carried over to WTRY.  By the time The Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, Beatlemania had swept across America.  Beatle manager Brian Epstein remembered the early promotion by three US radio stations (WABY/WTRY in the Capital District, WABY in New York City and KRLA in Los Angeles) and as a result, WTRY received early access to the latest Beatle records and concert tickets for promotions and contests.

IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST