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October 19, 2020
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A letter written by The Beatles’ manager following the sacking of the band’s original drummer is going under the hammer.
Brian Epstein signed up Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Pete Best – the band’s first drummer – on January 24 1962, after hearing them play.
But only months later he fired Best and replaced him with Ringo Starr.
The letter which is up for sale was part of a tranche of communications Epstein sent to “secret Beatle” Joe Flannery, a key figure in the Fab Four’s rise to fame.
Flannery, who died last year aged 87, was the band’s booking manager from 1962-63, during the early history of the Fab Four.
On September 8 1962, Epstein wrote to tell him he had released Best from his contract.
He had told the Liverpool drummer three weeks earlier that he had to leave the band.
The letter has been kept by Flannery’s family and is now being sold by his nephew.
Epstein wrote: “I read from the Mersey Beat (Liverpool music publication) Pete Best has now joined The All Stars.
“I have sent, today, to him a certificate of release from his obligations under contract to myself.”
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Tags: Beatles, Joe Flannery, Pete Best
