**1959**

Tony Sheridan teams up with Vince Taylor and the Playboys

In early 1959, Tony Sheridan joins Vince Taylor and the Playboys where they would play a residency in Hamburg , Germany . The band would eventually morph into the Beat Brothers with a line-up consisting of Tony Sheridan (vocals/guitar), Ken Packwood (drums), Rick Richards (guitar), Colin Melander (bass), Ian Hines (keyboards) and Jimmy Doyle (drums). Over the years the band's line-up would continue to see many personnel changes. Some of the most notable inclusions were: Ringo Starr, Roy Young, Rikky Barnes, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best.

" Sheridan often backed many other singers and musicians," writes author Joe Sunseri in his 269-page manuscript entitled Nobody's Child: The Tony Sheridan Story. "One such singer was an American by the name of Vince Taylor. Taylor was a combination of Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent. Visually, he emulated Vincent with his leather and chains, while vocally and aerobically he was a junior Elvis. Sheridan got his first pair of American blue jeans and a silver imitation leather belt from Taylor by bothering him until he gave Sheridan the clothes just so he would be left alone. Tony went on many tours with Taylor and performed on some of his records."

During this year Vince Taylor and the Playboys would appear on the BBC's Saturday Club program on April 11 and May 16 with host Brian Matthew.

August 29
The Casbah opens and the Quarry Men (John, Paul, George & Ken Brown) perform on opening night. Casbah would quickly have over 2,000 club members join up. The Casbah, owned by Pete Best's mother Mo Best, had this to say on the transition of her basement in her home: "Never once during that exciting six months did I ever regret the immense task - as it turned out to be - that I had taken on in deciding to make part of my home a rendezvous for young people. The enthusiasm and the happy atmosphere were wonderful." Also in August of '59, Ringo Starr begins drumming for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. (Ringo would be Rory's drummer right up until August 18, 1962).

October
Ken Brown and Pete Best form a band called "The Blackjacks."

The group becomes the Casbah's house band when the Quarry Men weren't performing. According to author Pete Frame, who wrote "The Beatles & Some Other Guys", The Blackjacks "knocked out the rock 'n' roll classics which became the foundation of the Mersey Beat. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, Sweet Little Sixteen, Honey Don't, Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally..." The Blackjacks would continue to play together until August of 1960.

October 31
Quarry Men audition for Carrol Levis show in Liverpool . During this audition period, the band would change its name from "Quarry Men" to "Johnny and the Moondogs" by November 15. On that day, they lose out for the Carrol Levis finals.