The Beatles

Fifty years ago tonight I sat at my buddy’s house down the block in front of a small black and white TV, waiting for the Ed Sullivan show to come on. We suffered through cliched, boring, ancient acts such as Martin and Rossi (who?), jugglers, obscure operatic Broadway stars and other cheesy performances. We waited, and waited, and waited.

Finally, Ed Sullivan announced, “Now yesterday and today, our theater’s been jammed with newspapermen and hundreds of photographers from all over the nation, and these veterans agreed with me that this city never has witnessed the excitement stirred by these youngsters from Liverpool who call themselves The Beatles. Now tonight, you’re gonna twice be entertained by them. Right now, and again in the second half of our show. Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles! Let’s bring them on.”
It was like falling through a trap door. It changed our world- forever. Everyone I knew begged their parents for guitar the next day (including me), and those that got them started taking lessons and forming rock and roll bands. There was no one like the Beatles before that appearance, and no one since. I feel fortunate having witnessed a profound, life changing cultural earthquake.