**1962**

January 1
Beatles do a test record with Decca Records in London . After audition, Decca decides not to sign them to a record deal. They were later turned down by just about every record company except Parlophone. George Martin: "But Brian...got them to sign a contract because they hadn't got a manager at all that was any worth while...and so he promised them the earth: 'I'll get you a record contract'. And of course he didn't. He tried everywhere and everyone turned him down. And they were getting fed up and thought they were never going to make it. Brian had this unswerving conviction that they were great and that they were going to make it and I think without that conviction -- without that sincerity, I don't think that I would have brought them down from Liverpool to listen to them. And I think it's a tribute to him."

March 8
FIRST RADIO APPEARANCE ON THE B.B.C. LIGHT PROGRAMME'S "Teenager's Turn"

April 8
Beatles leave once again for Hamburg , Germany . They would shortly return back home after learning of a pending record deal with Parlophone. After receiving the good news from Brian Epstein, the band wrote back to him...

Paul: "Please wire £10,000 advance royalties."

George: "Please order four new guitars."

John: "When are we going to be millionaires?"

April 10
Stu Sutcliffe dies of a brain hemorrhage

April 23
MY BONNIE / THE SAINTS ( USA single) is released (Decca Records)

May 9
Telegram reported in Mersey Beat from Brian Epstein: "HAVE SECURED CONTRACT TO RECORDED (sic) FOR EMI ON PARLOPHONE (sic) LABEL 1ST RECORDING DATE FOR JUNE 6TH - BRIAN EPSTEIN."

May 24
The Beatles Last Recording Sessions for Burt Kaempfert and Polydor Records

Beatles go in and re-record the backing vocals and instrumentals for "Sweet Georgia Brown" and " Swanee River "

June 4
Brian Epstein and Beatles officially sign record deal with Parlophone/E.M.I.

June 6
The Beatles audition their music with music producer George Martin at Abbey Road Studios.

June 9
Beatles Welcome Home Show

At the Cavern, The Beatles perform a belated "Welcome Home Show" from 7:00 p.m. until midnight. For the next 12 days the Beatles under contract would perform at the Cavern. At this "Welcome Home Show," the Cavern broke an attendance record as 900 fans crowded themselves into the cellar to see the group. Featured on the bill this night were The Red River Jazzmen; Ken Dallas and The Silhouettes; and the Four Jays.

June 26
Brian Epstein forms NEMS Enterprises

August 16
Pete Best loses drummer role with Beatles

Brian Epstein informs Pete Best of bad news: Ringo Starr is to become the band's new drummer. Neil Aspinall would later recall how it came about: "...so I drove him (Pete Best) into town to see him. I was in the record store looking at records, and he came down and said he had been fired. He was in a state of shock, really. We went over to the Grapes pub in Matthew Street , had a pint."

August 18
Ringo Starr joins Beatles as their new drummer

August 23
John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell.
The marriage took place at Mount Pleasant Register Office in Liverpool

September 3
The Beatles begin their second recording session at Abbey Road

September 11
The Beatles begin their third Abbey Road session, and record LOVE ME DO

October 5
LOVE ME DO / P.S. I LOVE YOU (single) is released (Parlophone Records).

Featured on this song is John Lennon's harmonica playing which became an integral part of the Beatles early recordings. According to Beatle author Ray Coleman, Lennon's harmonica playing was influenced by the American hit "Hey Baby" by Bruce Channel.

October 17
THE BEATLES FIRST TELEVISION APPEARANCE ON "People and Places" ( Granada Television)

Pre-filmed in the Cavern on August 22, the show's producer, Johnny Hamp had this to say: "I first saw the Beatles in a club in Hamburg . They were very scruffy characters - but they had a beat in their music which I liked...I got into a lot of trouble over it. Everyone said they were too rough, too untidy. But I liked them. I put them on again and again."

October 27
LOVE ME DO (Parlophone single) enters at 48th spot on Melody Maker hit parade

December 17
Beatles leave for their final trip to Hamburg , Germany . The band would play at the Star-Club for fourteen days.