Greetings from the United States,
I write this letter because I am trying to find people who have
lifetime Beatlefan histories like me-both young & old. Please tell
everyone...sometimes I feel like the only one. I have been attempting
to find others who have the same lifelong passion & lifelong stories
about the Beatles similar to mine. I also write this letter because
of my letter below to Oprah Winfrey, the United States most popular
talk show host. We need an international response to Oprah Winfrey.
You are probably as passionate personally about the Beatles as me.
Can you send your individual detailed Beatlefan history to Oprah
Winfrey here in the USA? Let me know--I will love to read it, send me
a copy. We are asking her to dedicate one show to Beatlefans. How did
the Beatles affect you personally growing up? What humorous & serious
thought & incidents could you share? Your story as a Beatlefan may
be just what she needs to read. I think Oprah can ride the current
Paul McCartney Tour wave (I am sure she will be at one concert-she
loves him) We have had a couple hundred fans write to Oprah. My Paul
concert is 10/22/05....Rick Linville
for Oprah
click
http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml
then click on Inside Oprah.com, upper left hand corner, on drop down
list
click on E-MAIL US then next window click again on E-MAIL US
under YOUR STORY. Then click WE WANT YOUR SHOW IDEAS under Regular
Features.
I write this letter as the excited 8 year old boy watching Ed
Sullivan in 1964, as a father of two little girls getting to know
Paul McCartney & a person who has sung Paul's songs for 40 yrs (in
spite of being off key) I have been attempting to find others who
have the same lifelong passion & lifelong stories about Paul
McCartney similar to mine. . The significance of this passion
instilled in my then 8 yr old heart in 1964- it is very unlikely
person or band will likewise take the world by storm.
My history as a fan for 41 years follows. I am Rick
Linville, a 49 year old fan from Columbus Ohio. I have been a Paul
McCartney/Beatles fan since 1963 , when I first started hearing about
the Beatles in the news. My first contact with them was on the Ed
Sullivan Show. I sat one Sunday night in 1964 with my mom,dad,
sisters Kay & Jane & deep down knew my life had just totally changed.
I gave up toys at that point & all desires became Beatle albums. I
would organize Beatle shows with 3 friends at 8 & 9 years old. I
always impersonated Paul McCartney because he was my favorite. We
made wooden guitars, used overturned wastebaskets for drums & pie
tins for cymbals. We would setup on top of my parents big chest
freezer in the basement. Neighborhood girls would pay us 10 cents
each to watch our show. We would play a Beatles record on a small 16
inch by 16 inch "phonograph (AKA record) player & lip sync. At the
end of the show we would run out of the house with the girls
screaming behind us in play. I have always loved singing Beatle songs
(even though family, friends ,even total strangers would ask me to
stop singing) When I was in the third grade 1964 I wore my moms black
crushed velvet boots to school because they looked like the boots on
Meet the Beatles. My parents, sisters & girlfriends , for the next 40
years or so, knew what I would want for birthdays or Christmas.
Initially, the Beatles were so cool looking & had a cool different
sound. Their songs were meaninful & romantic. I have always loved
singing Beatle songs(even though family, friends ,even total
strangers would ask me to stop singing)
As with many Beatlefans, the third most outstanding date
in our lives, behind the discovery & the breakup of the Beatles, was
the violent death of John Lennon. I had loved & respected his music.
My older sister called me from California that evening at 11PM to
break the news to me. I cried that night, as well as weeped with
hundreds of fans at the Ohio Statehouse lawn in downtown Columbus,
Ohio.
I have seen Paul McCartney 7 times in concert, Ringo 3
times, George almost once (1971 canceled) & John never. I saw Paul
once around 1976 with his group Wings. Then I saw him 3 times in
1989. Before the 1989 tour I found out if you joined his official fan
club you can get preferred seating. So I joined & sent a money order
to England. After 3 weeks I got concerned so I sent another money
order. A lady from England called me at work & said the fan club had
received my first money order. She said the only question-do you want
the 2nd money order returned or an extra pair of tickets for a
different show? I thought I must be dreaming. I said send the extra
tickets. I had 2 Cincinnati tickets 18th row. The two extra tickets
were for Detroit 8th row dead center. I was thrilled. A buddy & I
went to Detroit to see him. He was alone on stage singing "Put It
There". The song about his father putting out his hand to shake hands
when Paul was an upset little boy. Everyone was seated while Paul was
on stage singing. When he went into the main chorus, I stood up & put
out my hand. He winked, smiled & nodded at me. I fell back in my seat
dumbfounded. It was the one personal moment I always wanted with
Paul. After that show I also saw him in Cleveland & Cincinnati on
that tour. He came back on tour about 1993 & I saw him in Cincinnati
with my soon-to-be wife. In about 2001 he came back on his Driving
Rain tour. Another friend & I saw him in Cleveland & in 2002, on the
2nd leg "Back in the US" tour, saw him in Columbus Ohio. The
interesting thing about the Back In The US tour-my dying mother knew
the greatest gift she could give her then 45 year old son was a main
floor seat for the show. Another bonus-my twin sister Kay, who was ho-
hum about the Beatles since we were kids, wanted to go see him.
So Kay, myself & two other friends went to the Columbus
show. Before the concert, we went to the venue early to see some
Beatles impersonators band. While we were waiting for the doors to
open, we decided to go over by the limousine entrance. I thought what
a waste of time, but I agreed. While we stood there for 15 minutes
with 20 other people, an English guy said Mr McCartney will be
arriving in 5 minutes. Please do not rush the limo or he will not
slow down for a wave & photos. Pauls entourage (4 limos & police
escort motorcycles) arrived & I handed the camera to my sister,
thinking I might be the one to get too excited to get the picture.
Paul pulls up, pops his head out the window & begins waving. My 45
year old sister begins screaming & jumpimg up & down. She messed up
the most important photo & got a photo of the front door of the limo.
That broke my heart. So we went on in to the concert.
Well. I finally stepped up to a microphone & sang Live &
Let Die (without musical backing) on 3/18/05. It was "The Step Up To
The Mike Columbus" American idol type contest for local singers. I
saw it advertised on a news show at PM. So I drove down to see how
many people were lined up downtown at the Promowest Pavilion. Pretty
long line but I decided why not. My sisters Kay & Jane probably got
the biggest kick out of me, of all people, being in a singing
contest. But it was fun. I told everyone as we waited that people
often ask me to stop singing. I also joked my wife makes me lip sync
in church.
I have invited Paul to tea, both before he appeared
for his 2002 Columbus show & his upcoming Oct 2005 show. His
representative e-mailed me back, politely thanking me for the offer &
indicating "for various reasons Paul could not accept".
My nine year old Emily & six year old Ashley love the
Beatles, especially Hey Jude & Yellow Submarine.
In conclusion, my lifelong dream, of course, is to
personally thank Paul McCartney . Again, I write this letter as the 8
year old boy watching Ed Sullivan with an adrenalin rush & now a 49
year old man with that same
adrenalin, hoping to see Paul McCartney again in October this
year . I am
RICK LINVILLE-Columbus, Ohio/USA
RedRoseSpdwy@...