The Silver Beatles Audition for Larry Parnes

On 10th May 1960, Allan Williams became The Silver Beatles’ manager and his first task was to get them an audition for the London-based promoter Larry Parnes, who was looking for a backing group for his Liverpool artist, Billy Fury.

Allan had also managed to get them a drummer, Tommy Moore, who turned up late, so Johnny Hutchinson from Cass and the Cassanovas stood in until Moore got there. This was their debut as a rock ‘n’ roll group and they weren’t fantastic, though Parnes liked them enough to offer them the job of backing another of Parnes’ Liverpool-based artists, Johnny Gentle. It was their first-ever tour.