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and embarked on a history-making path of pop culture dominance. This week, CNN will air "The Sixties: The British Invasion," a look at how the Fab Four's influence persists. Watch Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CNN. Click through the gallery for more images of the Beatles' first American tour. |
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The band from Liverpool, England, already had the No. 1 U.S. single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand," but its U.S. visit confirmed that "Beatlemania" had made its way across the pond. |
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-- from left, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and John Lennon -- wave from a horse-drawn carriage in New York's Central Park on February 8, 1964. George Harrison was off resting a sore throat. |
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stands with The Beatles on February 9, 1964, during a rehearsal for the band's appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The iconic television appearance remains one of the highest-rated nonsports programs of all time. Nielsen estimated that 45% of the country watched the show -- more than 73 million people then. |
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as they sit on a train taking them from New York to Washington on February 11, 1964. |
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on February 11, 1964. It was their first U.S. concert. Photo by Rowland Scherman |
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while the band was in New York. |
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during the band's concert at Carnegie Hall on February 12, 1964, in New York. |
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share a microphone as they sing a song at Carnegie Hall. |
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where the band was staying in New York during its tour. |
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in Miami Beach, Florida, as fans wait to see The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on February 16, 1964. It was a week after the band's first appearance on the show. |
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the Beatles play for 8,000 fans at their first American concert, at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C., on February 11, 1964. Ticket price: $3. Photo by Rowland Scherman |
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during their brief but historic first visit, John, Paul, George and Ringo relax in a Miami Beach pool in February 1964 before returning to London. |
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the Beatles offer typically wry remarks. John Lennon quips that he's writing a book called "Snore Wife and the Seven Dwarfs." |
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the Los Angeles airport for a press conference in August 1964 |
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where the Beatles are landing for a brief layover and a press conference before the start of their U.S. tour. |
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are noisy affairs where screaming crowds drown out the band. Even with their amplifiers, Lennon marvels after a show, "we still couldn't beat 'em." |
Bill
& Sue-On Hillman Musical Odyssey
www.hillmanweb.com/book/roots