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THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TOOK PLACE ON APRIL 11


Ellis Island1890--Ellis Island is designated as an immigration station for the United States.

1961--The Beatles perform at the Top Ten Club, Reeperbahn, Hamburg, West Germany.

1961--Bob Dylan makes his New York City stage debut at Gerde's Folk City, a small Greenwich Village club, opening for bluesman John Lee Hooker.

John Lennon poses for Astrid Kirchherr in the attic where his best friend, Stu Sutcliffe, had recently died of a brain hemmorage.1962--The Beatles arrive in Hamburg to begin a seven-week residency at the Star-Club. (George Harrison was ill and didn't arrive until the following day with Brian Epstein.) Upon their arrival, they learn the tragic news of Stu Sutcliffe's death the day before. Astrid Kirchherr, Sutcliffe's fiancée, met The Beatles at the airport, and they were all devastated to hear of the unexpected death of their friend. John Lennon, however, did his best to hold back the depth of his feeling, just as he had when his mother had died a few years earlier. Said Astrid: “He never cried. Not once. He went into this hysterical laughter Astrid Kirchherr and Stuart Sutcliffeand couldn’t stop. It was his way of not facing the truth. But he saved me. In his rough way, he was so beautiful, and he imposed his own method of recovery on me without me knowing it. ‘Make up your mind, live or die,’ he would say. ‘You’re coming to the Star Club with us tonight. Stop sitting at home--it won’t bring Stu back.’”

1963--The Beatles perform at Co-operative Hall, Middleton, Lancashire.

1963--Parlophone releases From Me to You backed with Thank You Girl. The Beatles third single, it will be their first to hit #1 in the UK. Neither side will be released in the US until a year later. VeeJay will pair From Me to You (#41) with Please Please Me (#3), and Thank You Girl (#35) with Do You Want to Know a Secret (#2).

1964--Can't Buy Me Love is the #1 single in the US for the second week in a row.

The Beatles accepting their award at the NME 1964-1965 Annual Poll Winners' All-Star Concert.1965--The Beatles perform at the New Musical Express 1964-65 Annual Poll Winners' All-Star Concert, at the Empire Pool in Wembley. Before an audience of 10,000, The Beatles perform I Feel Fine, She's a Woman, Baby's In Black, Ticket to Ride, and Long Tall Sally. The concert is filmed by ABC Television and broadcast on April 18. Included in the television transmission is footage of The Beatles receiving their poll awards from American crooner, Tony Bennett. Also performing are Freddie and the Dreamers, The Animals, The Kinks, The Searchers, The Seekers, Herman's Hermits, The Moody Blues, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, Donovan, Them, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, and Tom Jones.

1965--The Beatles appear live on the ABC Television program "The Eamonn Andrews Show." They lip-sync to Ticket to Ride and Yes It Is.

1966--The Beatles in the recording studio (Studio Two, EMI Studios, London). Work continues on Got to Get You Into My Life (guitar overdubs) and the beginning of recording for George Harrison's song Love You To (which initially was untitled, later given the working title of "Granny Smith," and only near the release date for Revolver is the final title decided upon). Six takes of the basic track for Love You To are recorded, the sixth deemed "best," and sitar and tabla parts are overdubbed. Anil Bhagwat is credited as tabla player, but no credit exists for the sitar part. It is possible that George Harrison himself contributed this part, but no documentation for this exists.

Hullabaloo utilized a mix of popular actors and mainstream hosts with the hottest pop-rock groups of the day.1966--NBC-TV broadcasts the last episode of "Hullabaloo," which features Paul Anka, Lesley Gore, Peter and Gordon, and The Cyrkle. The series started in January 1965, a year after ABC-TV came up with their music show, "Shindig!"

1967--On the way back from visiting The Beach Boys' Smile sessions in the US, Paul McCartney dreams up the idea for the film “Magical Mystery Tour.”

1969--UK release of The Beatles' single Get Back / Don't Let Me Down (Apple). 9 weeks on the charts; highest position #1.

1969--The Beatles formally announce their plan to make a counter-offer against ATV's bid for Northern Songs.

The Apollo 13 astronauts1970--Apollo 13 is launched to the Moon, but is unable to land. It returns safely to the Earth in six days.

1970--The Beatles' single Let It Be reaches #1 in the US charts and will stay there for two weeks.

1970--Paul McCartney announces he will not record with John Lennon again.

1970--While the Lennons remain in London, they are still able to take part in a conceptual (and quite possibly imaginary) Fluxus Group arts festival in New York, called “Fluxfest.” The festival is set at the Canal Street, Greenwich Village store of Fluxus member Joe Jones. The first week of the festival is called “Do-It-Yourself by John and Yoko,” and is set to open with a Lennon-Ono Impersonators gathering. Also on display: “Two Eggs by John Lennon.”

1980--UK release of the Paul McCartney single, Coming Up / Coming Up (live w/ Wings) / Lunch Box-Odd Sox (Parlophone).

Paul McCartney's album, Flaming Pie, was one his highest regarded recordings in decades.1983--UK re-release of The Beatles' single From Me To You / Thank You Girl (Parlophone). 20th anniversary reissue. Issued as a regular single and also as a picture disc.

1992--Euro-Disney opens near Paris, France.

1992--The Irish Republican Army bombs the London financial district, killing three.

1997--Paul McCartney plays two songs from his Flaming Pie CD on the roof of MPL in London: Young Boy and The World Tonight.

For more day-by-day history go to HistoryUnlimited.net

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