Please help us get this program idea through. We write this letter because you are dedicated to the Beatles.... Letter below has been sent to Ellen Degeneres Show website to suggest a show theme. Please e-mail your fan stories as well to Ellen & request this type of show. Whether you have a short or long Beatle history, everyones story is special. It will be a charming show. And she is probably the only one who could pull it off in a refreshing manner. She is a wonderful host. My story probably pales next to other Beatlefan stories. If no story comes to mind please tell her you are into the Beatlefan show idea! If you would like to share your Beatle history with us, as well e-mail us also. But, most important, e-mail Ellen with your story and/or if you like the idea, at the following link- _http://ellen.warnerbros.com/contact.html_ (http://ellen.warnerbros.com/contact.html)
Dear Ellen Degeneres, I have an idea that will be very refreshing, as well as nostalgic, to many people. Beatle fans often have unique, charming stories to tell about their devotion & life long passion. I hope this idea can be considered as a show theme or segment to honor Paul McCartney and/or the Beatles. The theme would be"FANS OF THE BEATLES" (OR PERHAPS PAUL MCCARTNEY) You have always seemed so kind. I hope you will consider this idea. All the Beatlefan sites for fans & merchandise are visited by millions of people. My history as a fan for 41 years follows. I am Rick Linville, a 48 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 was eight years old, mesmerized & deep down knew my life had just totally changed. I gave up toys at that point & all desires became Beatle albums. 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 (sometimes playfully romantic) All their songs seemed different from each other.They wrote most of their own songs from the beginning. I would organize Beatle shows with 3 friends at 8 & 9 years old. 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. I have seen Paul McCartney 7 times in concert, Ringo 3 times, George almost once (1971 cancelled) & 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 & on the 2nd leg "Back in the US" 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 impersonaters 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 6pm. So I drove down to see how many people were lined up downtown at the Promowest Pavillion. 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. The only phonecall I would get would be a request not to return next year. But it was fun. I told everyone as we waited that people often ask me to stop singing. I also said my wife makes me lip sync in church. The newer fans of the Beatles will carry on their legacy. I am proud to have them join those of us around since the beginning. In conclusion, I am honored that you allow your own fans to give feedback about your show. I AM RICK LINVILLE-USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rKxVKC/SOnJAA/n1hLAA/fnJolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> BritInvasion archived at <http://www.escribe.com/music/britinvasion>, <http://www.mail-archive.com/britinvasion%40onelist.com>, and <http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=britinvasion>. Home page: <http://home.hiwaay.net/~emilyj/britinvasion/>. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BritInvasion/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
