1964 the Tribute

Infobox musical artist
Name = 1964 the Tribute

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Img_capt = 1964 the Tribute is a Beatles' tribute band that was formed in 1982 and have performed over 2,900 shows over the past 24 years. 1964 the Tribute appear at the Poncan Theatre in Ponca City, Oklahoma on June 6, 2008. Photo Credit: Hugh Pickens
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Background = cover_band
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Origin = United States
Genre = Rock
Years_active = 1982 – present
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URL = [http://www.1964thetribute.com/ 1964thetribute.com]
Current_members = Gary Grimes
Mark Benson
Tom Work
Terry Manfredi
Past_members =

1964 the Tribute is a Beatles' tribute band that was formed in 1982. They have performed over 2900 shows, released albums and released videos. Rolling Stone magazine has called 1964, "The best Beatles tribute ever." [http://www.1964thetribute.com] They were also featured in a PBS special of the same name; the soundtrack to which is listed in the discography. 1964 the Tribute have been featured on Entertainment Tonight, PM Magazine, CNN, The USA Network, and The Nashville Network. [http://www.grouph.com/1964/about.html#1964contact]

While touring worldwide at such venues as: concert halls, fairs, festivals, colleges, corporate events, and conventions. They were voted "Best Major Concert Act" and "Best Contemporary Act" by the readers of Campus Activities Today Magazine. They were also voted "Contemporary Music Artists of the Year" by the National Association for Campus Activities, and "Campus Entertainers of the Year" by the Canadian Association for Campus Activities. They have appeared on scores of local television and radio programs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and South America. [http://www.grouph.com/1964/about.html#1964contact]

The group plans to continue performing in the future. When asked about their future Tom Work said The answer to that is the answer Gary gave his dad. His dad asked, him, 'How long are you going to do this?' And Gary said, 'Until they stop coming.' We are not anywhere close to the age the Beatles were. I'm sure many people comment, 'They're starting to look a little old to be doing this,' but people are still coming. Just being a musician keeps you young at heart."

Updating the Original Beatles

1964 the Tribute strive for authenticity in their portrayal of the Beatles but not everything they do is the same. Two areas that differ are sound quality and set length. Mark Benson, who portrays John Lennon in the band, says that in the original Beatles live performances in the 1960s the fans were lucky to hear the band. "You have to credit the Beatles with revolutionizing the sound-reinforcement industry," says Benson. "Back then they had these little speakers that you couldn't hear anything out of. The way concerts were amplified had to be changed." Benson says that fans who saw the original shows notice the difference. "People will come up to us and say, 'I saw the Beatles in '64 and the only difference is I can hear you,'" says Benson. [http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/ENT03/805090321/1025/LIFE Cincinnati Enquirer. "Can you hear them now, Beatles fans?" by Chris Varias. May 9, 2008.] ]

Another difference is the set length. The Beatles did two 30 minute sets in their early shows and never did encores while 1964 the Tribute performs two 45-minute sets. "We tried the half-hour show initially, but it didn't go over well," says Benson.

Members

The members of the group decided which member would portray which Beatle based on the instrument played. "I was a guitarist, so the natural thing was the John or the George character," says Tom Work who portrays George Harrison. "The way I got into it was, the fellow playing John Lennon (Benson) joined a band that was a local Beatles tribute act. This was around 1981. After about a year, he got his buddy to join and play Paul (Grimes), and I was friends with him. About a year later, he got me to join and play George." [http://www.tulsaworld.com/entertainment/spot/article.aspx?articleID=20080713_270_D4_hTheTr375875 Tulsa World. "Fab Four on the floor" by Karen Shade. July 13, 2008.] ] The complete lineup includes:

*Mark Benson as John Lennon
*Gary Grimes as Paul McCartney
*Tom Work as George Harrison
*Terry Manfredi as Ringo Starr

Mission

The band's mission is to actually recreate the 1964 Beatle invasion of America. They play a set of all early Beatle music. The "concept is performing a show that gives you an idea of what it was like to see the Beatles when they were touring," says Benson. "It's definitely a music gig, but there's an acting element to it," says Tom Work. "None of us is really an actor per se. I probably come closest because I've done some plays, just in community theater. But there's some acting. You need to adopt the body language, the speaking voice. Those two things, I guess, for this kind of a role are two aspects that resemble acting. Everything else is more musicianship and vocal impersonation — singing, I mean." The group separates its life onstage from offstage. "We didn't want to be them, just wanted to portray them," says Work. "No one really considered wearing those boots around all the time or the tight pants or having hair that looked like that. We were musicians before, professional, full-time musicians. We didn't start doing Beatles until we were 30."

Reviews

From the magazine About Nashville

"...The house lights were brought up and just a look around the stage you could see that it was going to be interesting. A guitar sitting just to the back looked much like one used by the Beatles in their day. "1964 The Tribute" recreates an early sixties Beatles experience with period instruments, clothing, hairstyles and on stage banter including "John's" comment on the shoes improving the "look of their bums."

"At one point, he even tried getting "George" to turn around to provide the audience a look, which caused the women in the crowd to shriek as if it really was George Harrison on the stage. In reality, they are Mark Benson (John), Gary Grimes (Paul), James Pou (George), and Greg George (Ringo) and all are Americans but you wouldn't know it to hear them speak. They've mastered the dialog of the real Fab 4 and cause you to believe that you really have gone back in time."

"In researching for this, I did find that there are several "tribute" bands out there. Ones that do the Sgt. Pepper era complete with the colorful outfits and some that don't dress as the quartet but merely as themselves but perform the Beatles music."

"This is the main one that I found seemed to have the "blessing" of the family and friends of the Beatles. George Harrison's sister even threw a party in their honor after seeing a performance. A friend, and Liverpool native, has written a letter that can be found on the 1964 website with her thoughts and is worth the read." [http://nashville.about.com/od/musicguidesandreviews/a/1964tribute.htm]

"The performance, professionalism, and musicianship make the illusion complete. "1964"...THE TRIBUTE creates MAGIC!" ...Dick Clark [http://www.grouph.com/1964/about.html#1964contact]

Alistair Taylor, former President of Apple Records for The Beatles, astounded by a "1964" performance stated... "the resemblance was uncanny, it sent shivers down my spine. It was just like the boys. Never have I seen another group go to such detail, ...BORN AGAIN BEATLES!" [http://www.grouph.com/1964/about.html#1964contact]

Louise Harrison, George Harrison's sister, was so moved after seeing a "1964" performance, she held a party at her home in their honor. [http://www.grouph.com/1964/about.html#1964contact]

"1964"...THE TRIBUTE has a written agreement with Apple Corps Limited allowing them to perform their incredible show anywhere in the world, as well as allowing them to say they are "THE #1 BEATLES SHOW IN THE WORLD!" [http://www.grouph.com/1964/about.html#1964contact]

Discography

PBS Soundtrack CD

*1.) I Saw Her Standing There
*2.) I Want To Hold Your Hand
*3.) From Me To You
*4.) Love Me Do
*5.) Please Please Me
*6.) Do You Want To Know A Secret?
*7.) All My Loving
*8.) This Boy
*9.) And I Love Her
*10.) Act Naturally
*11.) Eight Days A Week
*12.) A Hard Days Night
*13.) I Should Have Known Better
*14.) If I Fell
*15.) Can't Buy Me Love
*16.) Nowhere Man
*17.) Twist And Shout
*18.) Roll Over Beethoven
*19.) I Feel Fine
*20.) Paperback Writer
*21.) In My Life
*22.) If I Needed Someone
*23.) We Can Work It Out
*24.) Yellow Submarine
*25.) Yesterday
*26.) Help!
*27.) Day Tripper
*28.) She Loves You

"All You Need is Love"

Disc 1
*1.) I Saw Her Standing There
*2.) I Want To Hold Your Hand
*3.) Love Me Do
*4.) Please Please Me
*5.) Do You Want To Know A Secret?
*6.) All My Loving
*7.) This Boy
*8.) Till There Was You
*9.) Eight Days A Week
*10.) A Hard Days Night
*11.) I Should Have Known Better
*12.) Nowhere Man
*13.) Can't Buy Me Love

Disc 2
*1.) Twist And Shout
*2.) Roll Over Beethoven
*3.) I Feel Fine
*4.) Michelle
*5.) And Your Bird Can Sing
*6.) Taxman
*7.) I'm A Loser
*8.) I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
*9.) Yellow Submarine
*10.) Yesterday
*11.) Help!
*12.) Day Tripper
*13.) She Loves You
*14.) Dizzy Miss Lizzy
*15.) Long Tall Sally

Nine Hours in November

*1.) It Won't Be Long
*2.) There's A Place
*3.) I'll Follow the Sun
*4.) If I Fell
*5.) Boys
*6.) Slow Down
*7.) Kansas City
*8.) Bad Boy
*9.) Don't Bother Me
*10.) And I Love Her
*11.) Any TIme At All
*12.) You Can't Do That
*13.) I'm Down
*14.) Rock and Roll Music

tarhand Visions

Original material, not the Beatles...
*1.) They're Here...
*2.) The Arrival Theme
*3.) The Illusion
*4.) From the Light of Change
*5.) Hold on
*6.) Hold on to Love
*7.) Daydream Lover
*8.) Marla Star
*9.) Take Good Care of Her Heart
*10.) Would you say no?
*11.) Tell Her I'm Home
*12.) You are my Heart
*13.) Because of You
*14.) I Can't Live Without Your Love
*15.) Feel The Fire

Citations

External links

* [http://www.1964thetribute.com Official site]