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The special exhibition on display during my visit to the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, was titled Ladies and Gentleman…The Beatles!.
Ladies and Gentleman…The Beatles! focused on the Beatles impact on America from 1964 to 1966. Those were the years when Beatlemania was most intense, influencing media, politics, art, religion, fashion, and more.
The Beatles
A profile of the four band members kicked off the Beatles exhibition. A stage featuring their instruments was set up in the corner of the room. A map with authentic ticket stubs from concerts on their American tour was also on display.
Impact on American Musicians
Next were stories, photos, and album covers related to the Beatles and their impact on American musicians, such as Elvis Presley (1935-1977), Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, Ray Charles (1930-2004), and more.
Impact on American Youth
A replica of a teenager’s bedroom decorated with Beatles memorabilia showed the impact on the American youth. It was followed by a wall filled with more Beatles items, such as ticket stubs, magazines, album covers, newspaper clippings, and photos documenting their first two concerts in the country. Their first ever American concert took place at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, DC. They then traveled to New York City for two sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall.
Documents
Continuing through the Beatles exhibition were documents related to the band’s early years. A set list from a 1960 show at the Grosvenor Ballroom included hits from artists who had an impact on the Beatles, while another set list from an April 17, 1963, show at the Majestic Ballroom in Luton, England, included original hits by the band themselves.
Several documents from the Beatles’ early days, such as a business card printed by their first agent, Allan Williams (1930-2016), and a letter from the band’s first bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe (1940-1962), written to his girlfriend in September 1960 from Hamburg, Germany, are on display.
A handbill from the Aintree Institute as well as membership cards from the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles became famous, are also included.
A performance contract from their show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on August 23, 1964, was another interesting document.
Beatles Memorabilia
The Beatles exhibition rounds out with more Beatles memorabilia. The jacket worn by Paul McCartney at Shea Stadium in 1965, Ringo Starr’s jacket from the iconic Abbey Road album cover, and a pair of glasses worn by John Lennon (1940-1980) in 1967 are some of the interesting pieces.
Drumming with Ringo
An interactive drum set where visitors could take a “drumming lesson” from Ringo Starr stood in one corner of the exhibition hall. They could sit down at the drum stool in front of a TV screen to get started.
