Tony Sheridan
Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity arrived in Norwich on the 21st of May 1940. He grew up at 2 Hansell Road in Thorpe St Andrew while attending the City of Norwich School. His parents Alphonsus McGinnity and Audrey Mann introduced him to classical music early. By age seven, he had learned to play the violin. In 1951, he played a leading role in the school production of The Mikado. He also performed as part of the orchestra for that same show.
He eventually switched his focus from strings to guitar. In 1956, he formed his first skiffle band. They played gigs at the Red Lion pub in Norwich during the late 1950s. He later joined groups called the Cygnets and the Saints. A six-month stint followed at The 2i's Coffee Bar in London's Soho district. In 1958, only two years after starting his skiffle career, he appeared live on the Oh Boy! television show made by ABC alongside Kenny Packwood.
Sheridan backed singers like Gene Vincent and Conway Twitty while they visited England. Johnny Foster tried to recruit him for Cliff Richard's backing band. Foster could not find Sheridan at the coffee bar and chose Hank Marvin instead. On the 16th of April 1959, Vincent and Cochran rejected Sheridan's request to ride with them. Their car crashed shortly after, killing Cochran.
Bruno Koschmider offered a gig at his Kaiserkeller club in Hamburg, West Germany. Sheridan joined an ad hoc group dubbed the Jets and traveled there. While performing between 1960 and 1963, he employed various backup bands. Most were pickup bands rather than proper groups. The Beatles met Sheridan during their first visit to Hamburg in 1960. They worked together again during their second visit.
In 1961, the four members of the Beatles became closer to Sheridan. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best sometimes backed Sheridan. He often joined their sets to play guitar. They visited Sheridan's home on the 17th of May 1963. Jam sessions took place in the back garden of that house.
Ringo Starr briefly played in Sheridan's backing band during early 1962. He returned to Rory Storm and the Hurricanes soon after. Other musicians complained about Sheridan performing songs they had not rehearsed. Some also noted his penchant for fist-fights. Despite these issues, the connection remained strong enough to produce recordings later.
A colleague of German Polydor producer Bert Kaempfert saw the pairing on stage. He suggested that Sheridan and the Beatles make some recordings together. Kaempfert viewed Sheridan as having star potential. His production company signed the Beatles to play on Sheridan's records. The contract stipulated that the four Beatles were guaranteed to play on a minimum of two songs. Seven songs recorded during Sheridan's two-day-long sessions for Polydor in June 1961 featured various lineups.
At times the band behind Sheridan was down to only two Beatles. Paul McCartney and Pete Best performed together while others sat out. Lennon's rhythm guitar is heard only on the two Beatles tracks. His voice appears in background vocals and handclaps on Sheridan's tracks. Nine songs were produced during these sessions at Polydor. Seven went to Sheridan including My Bonnie and The Saints.
The record made it to number 5 in the German chart. It was released in America on Decca with a black label. A pink label version existed for demo play. The black label mint condition sold for $15,000 in 2007. The pink label sold for $3,000. Polydor released the album My Bonnie across West Germany in 1962.
In the mid-1960s, Sheridan's musical style underwent a drastic transformation. He moved away from rock and roll roots toward blues and jazz sounds. Liner notes from his 1964 album Just a Little Bit of Tony Sheridan listed his preferences as jazz and classical. He wanted to visit the southern US to hear original negro music firsthand. Polydor continued releasing singles recorded with producer Jimmy Bowien through 1967.
By 1967, Sheridan had become disillusioned with his Beatle-brought fame. He agreed to perform for Allied troops due to concerns about the Vietnam War. While in Vietnam, the band he assembled was fired upon. One member was killed during the attack. For entertaining the troops, Sheridan received an honorary Captain rank in the United States Army.
Repeated shellings caused great sensitivity to the sound of explosions later in life. With his Polydor contract gone, he survived by recording a single as a pop duo. He teamed up with Carole Bell and toured Europe together. They achieved fair success during that phase. He returned to playing in West Germany or London afterward.
A record producer heard Sheridan's early Polydor recordings in 1978. He accepted an offer to record a whole studio album in Los Angeles. Elvis Presley's TCB Band played on the album along with bassist Klaus Voormann. The result included rock classics plus country tunes but lacked major label release. It was restricted to direct TV sales instead. The prospect of a Las Vegas career evaporated quickly.
In 2002, Bear Family Records released Vagabond after a long hiatus. This collection consisted mainly of reflective ballads rather than rock. A new cover version of Skinny Minnie appeared on the tracklist. Charly Garcia recorded his album Influencia in 2002 with Sheridan contributing vocals. On the 29th of February 2004, CHANTAL Instrumental Ensemble produced a tribute concert for The Beatles. They performed 15 instrumental songs alongside Sheridan as guest star.
The full set appears on the DVD Chantal meets Tony Sheridan - A Beatles Story. In 2005 they produced the first studio version of Tell Me If You Can at Abbey Road Studios. Three songs from 2007 were issued posthumously in 2018 as Tony Sheridan and Opus 3 Artists.
Sheridan shared painful childhood experiences in a 2010 radio documentary. His mother dumped him in an orphanage without explanation. He remembered standing in a kid's bed holding onto railings while shaking them. He saw his mother disappear down the ward screaming. Those five minutes marked losing his mother forever. She took the love with her according to his account.
Even though she returned months later to pick him up, he felt damage was done. Relationships never worked out one way or another throughout his life. In 1960 he confided that despite mixed Irish-Catholic and Jewish background, he viewed himself as Buddhist. Later he became a devotee of guru Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh. He lived at the guru's Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon during the 1980s.
In his later years, Sheridan resided in Seestermühe north of Hamburg. He designed coats of arms alongside his music career. He died on the 16th of February 2013 in Hamburg after heart surgery. A biography titled The Teacher published by Alan Mann appeared in 2013. Another book called Tony Sheridan - The One The Beatles Called The Teacher came from Colin Crawley in 2015.
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Common questions
When and where was Tony Sheridan born?
Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity arrived in Norwich on the 21st of May 1940. He grew up at 2 Hansell Road in Thorpe St Andrew while attending the City of Norwich School.
How did Tony Sheridan meet The Beatles?
The Beatles met Sheridan during their first visit to Hamburg in 1960. They worked together again during their second visit when they performed at Bruno Koschmider's Kaiserkeller club.
What happened during Tony Sheridan's time in Vietnam?
Sheridan agreed to perform for Allied troops due to concerns about the Vietnam War. While in Vietnam, the band he assembled was fired upon and one member was killed during the attack.
Why is the My Bonnie record by Tony Sheridan valuable today?
A black label mint condition version sold for $15,000 in 2007. A pink label version existed for demo play and sold for $3,000.
Who produced the recordings between Tony Sheridan and The Beatles?
German Polydor producer Bert Kaempfert viewed Sheridan as having star potential. His production company signed the Beatles to play on Sheridan's records.