Richard Courtney - Nashville Realtor and Author of Buyers are Liars & Sellers Are Too!

Richard Courtney, a true Beatlemaniac and author of “I Never Saw a Beatle,” founded the Fab Four Festival in Nashville and served as festival chair for two years. Check out the photos of the festivals and relive the magic.

The third Nashville Fab Four Festivalwill be held Thursday, October 23 through Saturday, October 26, 2008 at the Cannery in Nashville. Proceeds will benefit the Community Resource Center.

The 2008 festival will feature two days of concerts, panel discussions, memorabilia, and vendors, with a Patron's Party and auction on Thursday night. The music line-up includes: Liverpool Legends, The Long Players (performing Abbey Road), FAB, The WannaBeatles and more.

The Festival web site includes complete details and online ticketing. www.fabfourfestival.com

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor or volunteer, please email or call me for more information. (615) 300-8189. richard@richardcourtney.com

The second annual Nashville Fab Four Festival was held at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, July 7-9, 2005, having outgrown its inaugural space at The Belcourt Theatre.

The 2005 festival featured three days of concerts, panel discussions, memorabilia, and vendors, with an additional brunch at the historic Hermitage Hotel. The event drew record crowds and rave reviews. Proceeds from the festival supported TPAC?s activities to foster the performing arts and arts education.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the British Invasion, Nashville hosted Fab Four at The Belcourt. Proceeds from the festival supported The Belcourt Theatre, Nashville’s historic non-profit center for film, music and events.

October was a magical month in Nashville as Beatles fans from all over the world made the pilgrimage to the Music City to witness a festival including movies, panel discussions, and four concerts performed by 3 different bands.

A preview party on Thursday night officially opened the festivities.

Gibson Guitar furnished a
violin bass guitar for the
silent auction and
Gerd Muller provided
an autographed
Astrid Kircherr photograph.

The crowd was entertained
by Bob Wilson’s band
Timeline who played every
Beatles song that ever
grooved a chunk of vinyl.

On Friday night, the heralded “1964 the Tribute” took the stage of the venerable Belcourt Theatre.

Rolling Stone refers to 1964 The Tribute as “the number one Beatles tribute band on earth.”

The band performed two sets sandwiched around a “meet and greet” at the Pancake Pantry, a long time fixture in Hillsboro Village and a part of Nashville’s music lore.

Two packed houses enjoyed the entire repertoire of Beatles tunes as the band dressed in their black suits and donned their Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Hofner, and Ludwig instruments and showed the power of a Beatles concert.

The Panel Discussion Convened Saturday Afternoon.

The group was regaled by stories from Joey Molland of Badfinger, Mark Hudson of the Hudson Brothers, who is Ringo’s current record producer, along with Diana Vero, Brian Epstein’s secretary during the Beatles American tours, along with Lloyd Green who played steel guitar for Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo. Joining the group were Tim Hinckley of Humble Pie, Ernie Winfrey who engineered the McCartney sessions in Nashville, and Barry Tashian whose group, The Remains opened for the lads on their last U.S. Tour.

Chris Huston of the Liverpool band the Undertakers (whose lead singer was Apple recording artist Jackie Lomax) also spoke.

Mark Hudson told the assembly of spending the night in Ringo’s house and that Ringo has four bedrooms - the John room, the Paul room, the George room, and his own room. Mark stayed in the John room and noticed a pair of John Lennon’s socks in the room and decided to keep them as a souvenir. He later confessed to Ringo.

Gary Burr confessed to having fashioned an earring from a nail he pulled from the floor at Apple studios.

All of the tales were awesome and wonderful. But Saturday night, the spirits of the Beatles descended upon the Belcourt Theatre as The Longplayers played “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” from start to finish.

The LongPlayers are a group of Nashville musicians who play as a “house” band with special guest vocalists singing leadon the various songs from the album.

They have performed the Stones’ “Let It Bleed”, Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” and the Band’s eponymous album.On Saturday night of the festival, the LongPlayers band consisted of Bill Lloyd and Steve Allen on guitars, Steve Ebe of Human Radio on drums, John Deaderick (The Dixie Chicks) on keyboards and Garry Tallent of the E-Street Band on bass.

It should be mentioned that the LongPlayers played a one and a half hour encore playing every Beatles song anyone could imagine.

Vocalists included:
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mark Hudson)
2. A Little Help From My Friends (Henry Gross of Sha Na Na)
3. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (Al Kooper)
4. Getting Better (Robert Reynolds from The Mavericks)
5. Fixing a Hole (Gary Burr)
6. She's Leaving Home (Kim Richey)
7. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite   (Michael Snow)
8. Within You, Without You (Randy Leago, George Daeger, Kirby Shelstead, Austin Hoke, Peter Hyrka)
9. When I'm Sixty-Four (Barry and Holly Tashian)
10. Lovely Rita     (Hans Rotenbury from The Shazam)
11. Good Morning, Good Morning   (Jamie Hoover from The Spongetones)
12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (Mark Hudson)
13. Day in the Life (Steve Allen / Bill Lloyd)

Were you seen and heard at the Fab Four festival?

Richard G. Courtney is a licensed Tennessee Real Estate Broker, license #00205406.

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