The popular Nashville Beatles tribute band The WannaBeatles is joining forces with George Harrison's sister for “Fab Fan Memories”, an audio book featuring songs, stories, recollections and fond thoughts about The Beatles from celebrities and everyday fans.
“Fab Fan Memories” will retail for $12, with proceeds supporting Louise Harrison’s newly formed organization, Keeping Music Alive. Harrison’s fundraising arm helps high school and college performing arts organizations raise money for their music departments.
The CD, which will be released on Sept. 1, will be narrated by Louise Harrison and include heartfelt and/or amusing introspections by well-known artists such as Phil Keaggy, Janis Ian, Wesley Orbison, Rod Davis (an original member of The Quarrymen) and Ken Mansfield. The project also will feature stories from hardcore Beatles fans and original songs performed by The WannaBeatles.
Beatles fans young and old can record their fondest Beatles memories via You Tube or by setting up a free recording session with a WannaBeatles band member. All interviews must be completed by June 30, 2011. To learn more, watch the band’s You Tube video here or send an e-mail inquiry to Dennis Scott of Dennis Scott Productions at dsmusic@comcast.net.
“Louise Harrison is the perfect fit for this project,” said Scott, a two-time Grammy winner. “She was instrumental in paving the way for The Beatles’ early success in America. Having lived and interacted with The Beatles themselves, who is better qualified to both observe and comment on their incredible journey? With her soothing, yet dignified British accent, she will help the voices of so many different fans from all walks of life to ‘Come Together’.”
Scott noted that each segment on the CD will feature a fan answering questions about his or her most important Beatles’ memory or experience. Songs will serve as introductions to the segments and/or act as transitional pieces. Original music underscoring will be provided by The WannaBeatles.
“There are hundreds of books written about The Beatles, but this is an opportunity for fans everywhere to express and share their thoughts and stories about them,” Scott added. “Our motto for this venture has been, ‘If you’ve got a memory, we’ve got a microphone.’ We wanted to provide an outlet for the tremendous affection folks have for The Fab Four.”
The WannaBeatles will introduce “Fab Fan Memories” to fans on Aug. 26 during a 6 p.m. performance at the “Music City Festival and BBQ Championship” at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville.
“Most people think that The Beatles were an overnight success when they came to the States,” said Harrison, who lives in Branson, Mo. “But I was already living here and had spent more than a year before their arrival sending discs to radio stations and magazines to get them played on the air.”
Members of The WannaBeatles are vocalist/guitarist Dennis Scott, vocalist/keyboardist Nathan Burbank, vocalist/guitarist/saxophonist Bryan Cumming, and vocalist/drummer/percussionist David Toledo.
To learn more about The WannaBeatles and the band’s “Fab Fan Memories” audio book, visit TheWannaBeatles.com or send an e-mail message to DSMusic@comcast.net. To learn more about the organization Keeping Music Alive, click here.
