Today, February 9, marks the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ historic performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. In honor of the milestone, the Fab Four have posted a video on their social media pages featuring a montage of photos and a film clip from the band’s appearance, along with a note offering some background information about the landmark event.
Videos by American Songwriter
“60 years ago today – The Beatles’ first live Ed Sullivan performance is aired,” the message reads. “73 million people were reported to have watched – a record at the time.”
The post also includes a quote from the late George Harrison reflecting on The Beatles’ Ed Sullivan Show appearance.
“We were aware that Ed Sullivan was the big one because we got a telegram from Elvis [Presley] and [his manager] the Colonel [Tom Parker],” Harrison said. “And I’ve heard that while the show was on there were no reported crimes, or very few. When The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, even the criminals had a rest for ten minutes.”
The video segment features The Beatles performing “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” as young audience members clapped and screamed wildly.
About The Beatles’ Ed Sullivan Show Appearance
The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show is widely regarded as ground zero of the Beatlemania craze in the U.S. Countless musicians have revealed that they were inspired to play rock ‘n’ roll after watching the show. The Fab Four’s performances of five songs were broadcast live on the show—“All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Earlier that day, The Beatles had recorded performances of “Twist and Shout,” “Please Please Me,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which aired on the February 23 episode of the show.
Paul McCartney’s Photo Exhibit
Meanwhile, Paul McCartney’s social media sites are marking the 60th anniversary milestone to remind fans that an exhibit of photos McCartney took in 1963 and ’64 currently is on display at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia.
The exhibit, titled “Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm,” runs through April 7. It features images from the Beatles legend’s 2023 book 1964: Eyes of the Storm, which includes pics McCartney snapped during the band’s visit to The Ed Sullivan Show.
The next stop for the “Eyes of the Storm” exhibition will be the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York, where it will be on display from May 3 through August 18.
SiriusXM’s The Beatles Channel Also Celebrating 60th Anniversary
In other news, SiriusXM’s The Beatles Channel will be featuring a variety of programming celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s historic visit to the U.S. all weekend long. Check out SiriusXM.com for more details.
