Everything Fab Four

English-American music icon Billy Idol joins Everything Fab Four to discuss the exhilaration of being a Beatle fan “in real time” and how his voice was mistaken for Paul McCartney’s.

Billy Idol began his rock n roll career as the guitarist for Chelsea, subsequently achieving renown on the London punk rock scene in the 1970s, when he performed as the lead singer for Generation X. His career truly exploded in the 1980s when he moved to New York City to pursue a solo career working in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His eponymous debut LP yielded monster hits in “White Wedding” and “Dancing with Myself,” while his 1983 sophomore album Rebel Yellachieved double-platinum success on the heels of “Eyes without a Face” and the sizzling title track “Rebel Yell.” 

Over the years, he has continued to burnish his star on the shoulders of such albums as Whiplash Smile, Charmed Life, Cyberpunk, Devil’s Playground,and, most recently, Kings and Queens of the Underground.

In 2024, Rebel Yellwas remastered in a deluxe new edition to celebrate Billy’s incredible 40-year run as one of music’s most beloved, and most notorious, artists.

To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Beatles’ first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, our guests revisit the evening that the Beatles graced their living rooms for the first time, on this special episode of Everything Fab Four. These Beatles lovers include Steven van Zandt from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, R&B singer Darlene Love, actor Billy Bob Thornton, and even one lucky audience member from that first Ed Sullivan performance.

It's almost impossible to imagine what it was like to be at ground zero of American Beatlemania on February 7, 1964, when the group landed at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, which had been renamed some fifty days earlier in honor of the fallen leader. The band’s Pan Am flight was met with the screams and fanfare of some 5,000 people, whom the Beatles claimed to have heard—incredible as it may seem—even as the plane was taxiing along the runway. 

As writer Stephen Glynn presciently remarked, “The spirit of Camelot, shot down in Dallas, Texas, had flown over from Liverpool, England, and the unprecedented euphoria that greeted the group seemed part of an expiation, a nation shaking itself out of its grief and mourning.” There is little question that the Beatles’ timing in the history of the United States was uncanny, as well as a welcome respite from the national malaise, but one cannot overlook the power of marketing in a new media era unlike any that the postwar world had ever seen. 

Capitol Records had saturated the city with posters announcing, “The Beatles Are Coming,” while New York’s WMCA and WINS radio stations had given away T-shirts—and, rumor has it, $1 each—to thousands of teenagers who greeted the Beatles that Friday afternoon on the JFK tarmac. Released in December 1963 by Capitol, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” had sold more than one million copies by mid-January, an astounding feat for a group that had been largely unheard of on American shores scarcely a month before. 

On Sunday, February 9, the Beatles launched into a spirited rendition of “All My Loving” to begin their set on the Ed Sullivan Show before some 73 million television viewers, a figure that accounted for nearly 40 percent of the population of the United States at that time. It was popular music’s big bang, and like that incredible instance in the birth of the universe some 13 billion years ago, it is still resonating.

Brian Ritchie, bassist for the folk punk band the Violent Femmes, joins host Kenneth Womack on this episode to chat about his first Beatles records and the 40th anniversary of the Femmes’ debut album.

Ritchie co-founded the Violent Femmes with percussionist Victor DeLorenzo in 1981, and the duo were later joined by singer-songwriter Gordon Gano. Ritchie came up with band’s distinctive name on a whim, employing it during their early days playing in Milwaukee’s coffee houses. In August 1981, the Violent Femmes were discovered performing on a street corner in front of the Oriental Theatre by James Honeyman-Scott, the guitarist for the Pretenders, and Chrissie Hynde invited the Femmes to play an acoustic set prior to the Pretenders’ show that night.

In 1983, the Violent Femmes released their self-titled debut album, which emerged as a key soundtrack for the burgeoning alternative and college-oriented rock movements. The inaugural LP featured many of the band’s best-known songs, including “Blister in the Sun,” “Kiss Off,” “Add It Up,” and “Gone Daddy Gone.” The album became the Femmes’ most successful LP, eventually earning platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America. 

Over the years, the Femmes have recorded 10 studio albums, including Hallowed Ground(1984), The Blind Leading the Naked(1986), and Why Do Birds Sing?(1991). The group is widely considered to be a key influence on the 1980s and 1990s alternative rock scene. 

On this episode, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and activist Joan Baez joins host Ken Womack to share her memories of meeting the Beatles for the first time and witnessing their final live concert.

Baez's time-eclipsing folk music often champions songs of protest and social justice. Over the years, she has recorded 30 albums in genres ranging from folk rock, pop and country to gospel music. As a performer, Baez has specialized in interpreting the work of other composers, recording songs by such luminaries as the Beatles, Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, and many others.

Baez began her recording career in 1960, producing a trio of successful LPs in Joan Baez, Joan Baez, Vol. 2 and Joan Baez in Concert. During her early years, Baez was one of Bob Dylan’s first major collaborators, steadfastly working to popularize his impact upon folk music. She was also a featured performer at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, singing fourteen songs on that vaunted stage.

In addition to her musical career, Baez has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to political and social activism in the areas of nonviolence, civil rights, human rights, and the environment. In 2017, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2023, Baez was the subject of the acclaimed documentary "I Am A Noise."

Sophie B. Hawkins, the Grammy-nominated American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter, joins host Kenneth Womack on the season five finale episode of “Everything Fab Four.” Hawkins started her Beatles journey as a kid with “Revolver,” and remembers playing along with tennis racket guitars and couch cushion drums. “Even as a non-musician, you can sing basically every part.” In this conversation, she digs deep into the unique ways Beatles fans come together through the music, and how being a Beatles fan pushed her toward excellence in her own songwriting. 

Born and raised in New York City, Hawkins pursued her studies as a percussionist at the Manhattan School of Music before embarking on a music career. She exploded into the international consciousness in 1992 with her debut album “Tongues and Tales.” A massive critical and commercial success, the LP spawned the hit single “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover.” Her second album, “Whaler,” featured additional hit singles in “Right Beside You” and “As I Lay Me Down.” As an actress, she has portrayed Janis Joplin in the play “Room 105,” while also performing as herself on the NBC TV series “Community,” for which she sang renditions of “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” and “As I Lay Me Down.” Her latest album “Free Myself,” on the independent label she founded, Trumpet Swan Productions, features such standout tracks as “Love Yourself” and “Better Off Without You.” 

This week's guests are Margo Precht Speciale and Andrew Solt, who join host Kenneth Womack for a special episode devoted to celebrating the 75th anniversary of The Ed Sullivan Show and its lasting impact on American culture, including Beatles fandom.

The granddaughter of Ed Sullivan, Precht is a documentary filmmaker, as well as a UCLA graduate with a degree in Sociology. Her latest project traces her grandfather’s life and work as a television pioneer who reigned as the medium’s longtime tastemaker. In particular, Precht’s documentary explores a little-known aspect of Sullivan’s legacy, which involves his radical dedication to diversity that would act as an inflection point for igniting conversations about race in America.

Andrew Solt is an Emmy- and Grammy-winning, producer, director, writer and documentary filmmaker. Over the years, Solt has released a number of documentaries on the history of rock and roll. His collaboration with television documentarian and producer David Wolper included their work together on “Imagine: John Lennon” in 1988. In 1990, Solt purchased the rights to The Ed Sullivan Show library, which consists of 1,087 hours of kinescopes and videotapes that CBS broadcast between 1948 and 1971 on Sunday nights. Included in the archive are over 10,000 live performances by virtually every popular entertainer of the post-war era, highlighted by appearances from Elvis Presley and the Beatles. 

On this episode, the Boxmasters — an American rock band comprised of Grammy Award-winning recording engineer J.D. Andrew and Academy Award-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton — join host Ken Womack for a spirited discussion of songwriting, recording, and what Thornton says is "the most difficult thing about being a Beatles fan."

Formed in 2007, the Boxmasters have recorded a diverse catalog of music that touches on their shared love of the rock and roll of the 1960s. Listening to The Boxmasters, one can hear obvious odes to the Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys, but also The Mothers of Invention, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and Big Star.

Since the formation of The Boxmasters, several long-time friends have contributed to the sound of the band, but the core of The Boxmasters has always been Andrew and Thornton. As primary songwriters, the sound of the Boxmasters has been an evolution as the duo constantly strive to find new inspiration, new sounds and new means of expression.

As a touring band, The Boxmasters have cultivated a rabid fanbase across the United States and Canada. Opening for the likes of ZZ Top, Steve Miller, George Thorogood and Kid Rock, their touring highlights include appearances at Levon Helm’s “Midnight Ramble” in Woodstock, New York, a performance at “Ramble at The Ryman” in 2008, and “The Grand Ole Opry” in 2015. Their 14th and latest album is entitled ’69, with an ensuing tour that includes a stop at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre in June 2023.

Ken Womack's guest this week is Grammy-nominated American jazz guitarist Dan Wilson. Hailing from Akron, Ohio, Wilson made his recording debut with pianist Joe McBride and performed to worldwide acclaim with Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride’s Tip City, eventually recording his debut as a band leader with "To Whom It May Concern" in 2012. Over the years, Wilson has shared the stage with a host of jazz greats including Eric Marienthal, Russell Malone, Les McCann, René Marie, Jeff Hamilton, David Sanborn and Dave Stryker. In 2017, Wilson earned a Grammy nomination for his work on DeFrancesco’s "Project Freedom" album. He also served as a guitarist on Van Morrison’s recent albums "You’re Driving Me Crazy" and "The Prophet Speaks."

In 2021, Wilson released "Vessels of Wood and Earth," which includes the standout cut “Who Shot John.” The album was produced by McBride for his Brother Mister Productions label. In 2022, Wilson was named a Letter Rising Stars Jazz Winner. His latest LP, "Things Eternal," features his innovate take on the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby.”

In this episode, Ken Womack talks with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham. She made her recording debut in 2014 with the self-released gospel album “Authenticities,” which reflected her exploration of faith. In 2017, Cunningham joined the cast of American Public Media’s “Live from Here.” In 2019, she released her breakthrough LP "Who Are You Now," nominated for the Best Americana Album Grammy. Her 2020 EP, “Wednesday,” featured cover versions of songs by Tom Waits, Radiohead and the Beatles, while also earning a Grammy nod for Best Folk Album. In 2022, she released her follow-up LP “Revealer,” which enjoyed extensive critical acclaim. “Revealer” was nominated for two Grammy Awards and won Best Folk Album. 

Legendary singer-songwriter, author, and rock ‘n’ roll star Ian Hunter's illustrious career is now in its seventh decade. His rock ‘n’ roll life has long been marked by collaboration, from the golden age of Mott the Hoople to his fabled partnership with Mick Ronson and 21st-century renaissance with his crack backing combo, the Rant Band. Over the years, Hunter has enjoyed numerous chart successes, especially Mott the Hoople’s international hit “All the Young Dudes,” the David Bowie composition that emerged as a countercultural anthem in the 1970s. Hunter would later recount the trials and tribulations of his life with Mott the Hoople in his autobiography "Diary of a Rock 'n' Roll Star."

During his solo career, Hunter’s best known work includes the song "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", later covered by Great White, and "Cleveland Rocks,” (originally “England Rocks”) the popular theme song for "The Drew Carey Show."

With his latest album DEFIANCE PART 1, Hunter takes creative solidarity to an unprecedented new level with accompaniment from a truly awe-inspiring roster of special guests, famous fans, and lifelong friends. DEFIANCE PART 1 sees backing from luminaries such as Ringo Starr, Jeff Beck, Todd Rundgren, Joe Elliott (of Def Leppard), Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Jeff Tweedy and – in one of his final recordings – the Foo Fighters’ late, great drummer Taylor Hawkins.

This episode’s guest is Barbara Feldon, a model, author and actress best known for portraying “Agent 99” on the classic ‘60s sitcom “Get Smart.”

Feldon was born Barbara Anne Hall in a suburb of Pittsburgh and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University. Soon after, she departed for New York City to pursue a career in acting, where a stint as a showgirl led to her appearance on the game show, “The $64,000 Question,” where she took home the top prize for her knowledge of Shakespeare. The next year, Barbara married Lucien Feldon-Verdeaux, a handsome European she’d been dating, and took “Feldon” as her last name personally and professionally. Working as a fashion model led to a few TV ad spots before landing the one that would make her a household face, lolling about on an animal rug and daring all the male “tigers” out there to try Revlon’s Top Brass hair tonic. That led to securing the plum role of Agent 99 in the spy spoof “Get Smart” opposite comedian Don Adams. The role became Feldon’s biggest break, leading to an Emmy nomination and several film roles to boot. In more recent years, Feldon has written two books: 2003’s “Living Alone and Loving It: A Guide to Relishing the Solo Life” and, in 2022, “Getting Smarter: A Memoir,” which recounts for the first time the true story of her marriage and the many lessons she’s learned since.

On this episode, host Kenneth Womack welcomes Grammy winner Kenny Loggins, whose songs have left a musical imprint on “the soundtrack of our lives.”  Over the last four decades, his chart-topping songs have included “This Is It,” “I’m Alright,” “Footloose," “Danger Zone,” and so many more. “Danger Zone” was featured once again in Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” the biggest theatrical release of 2022, earning over $1.5B in box offices globally. “Danger Zone” earned over 1 million streams per day across streaming services at its peak. On June 14, 2022, Hachette Books published “Still Alright,” Loggins’ long-awaited memoir. In “Still Alright,” Loggins gives fans a candid and entertaining perspective on his life and career as one of the most noteworthy musicians of the 1970s and ’80s. In addition to his string of successful recordings, both solo and as a member of the famed duo Loggins & Messina, Kenny became the first major rock star to dedicate himself to recording music for children and families. His album “Return to Pooh Corner” remains the best-selling children’s album of the last 20 years. His gift for crafting deeply emotional music is unparalleled, and it's been a part of his life as long as he can remember. His generous support of countless local organizations has made a lasting impact on the causes that are close to his heart. And in 2016, he was a recipient of the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award at the annual Chapin Awards hosted by WhyHunger.

Pattie Boyd is an English model, photographer, and an eyewitness to key moments in rock ‘n’ roll history, particularly in terms of the lives and times of the former members of the Beatles, especially George Harrison. In 1962, Boyd began her modeling career, later appearing on the covers of Vogue and other leading magazines. In 1964, she met Harrison while working as an extra on the set of "A Hard Day’s Night." After moving in together at Harrison’s Kinfauns home in Esher, Boyd and Harrison married in January 1966.

Boyd was a regular fixture in the Beatles’ lives, attending the June 1967 Our World live simulcast and joining them in Rishikesh, India, for the group’s February 1968 visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram. In 1970, Boyd and Harrison relocated to Friar Park, the former Beatle’s enormous Victorian mansion in Henley-on-Thames. By 1973, the Harrisons’ relationship was disintegrating. In 1974, the couple separated, with Boyd later marrying Harrison’s longtime friend and collaborator Eric Clapton, who had nurtured a long-running passion for the model.

Over the years, Harrison had written numerous songs for Boyd, including the top-charting Beatles hit “Something.” In 1970, Boyd was the subject of the legendary Derek and the Dominos’ album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs." The album’s title track describes Clapton’s unrequited love for Boyd. Clapton later composed the Top 20 U.S. hit “Wonderful Tonight” with Boyd as his inspiration.

In 2007, Boyd published her best-selling autobiography entitled "Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me." In 2022, she published her latest book, "Pattie Boyd: My Life in Pictures."

Today’s guest is Hayley Orrantia, an American singer and actress known for her role in the hit TV show "The Goldbergs." The show follows the hilarious and awkward lives of a colorful, suburban family in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania in the 1980s. Orrantia is a scene stealer as Erica, the eldest Goldberg sibling, who fans have watched transform from a socially awkward, nerdy high schooler to popular, college-aged beauty who drops out of school to form a band with her girlfriends. In film, Orrantia most recently starred in Amazon/Lionsgate’s holiday comedy “Christmas is Cancelled” alongside Dermot Mulroney and Janel Parrish. 

Born and raised in Texas, Orrantia discovered her love of performing at nine years old, performing impromptu concerts in her bedroom. Now Orrantia is widely recognized as a successful independent music artist, who draws on inspiration from all genres to create soulful country-pop.  In 2018, Orrantia conducted her first headlining tour, the Strong, Sweet and Southern Tour, hitting 22 cities across the United States. 

On this episode of "Everything Fab Four," host Kenneth Womack and Orrantia discuss covering iconic songs like “Maybe I’m Amazed,” her search for authenticity as an artist, working with the late George Segal, and how Lindsay Lohan’s “The Parent Trap” introduced her to the Beatles.

In this episode, bassist Dougie Payne of Travis joins host Kenneth Womack to talk about his Beatles influence, the 20th anniversary of "The Invisible Band" and why "everyone needs their own Mal Evans." The Scottish band, originally named Glass Onion after the famous “White Album” song, was formed in 1990 and later took its name from a character in the movie “Paris, Texas.” Payne learned to play bass and joined the band, also providing background vocals. Growing up, he says the Beatles were “always there,” having had three older sisters who loved music and one who was a “Beatles obsessive.” As he says, the Beatles’ music “has a way of becoming part of your DNA.” 

Ken Womack's guest this week is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Darlene Love (born Darlene Wright). Best known for her holiday hit “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” in addition to her vocals on records by “girl group” The Crystals and her acting roles such as in the “Lethal Weapon” film series, Love's beginnings were modest, having started out singing in the Los Angeles church choir where her father was the pastor. She began working in 1962 with notorious producer Phil Spector (who’d given her the “Love” surname for recording, and who also worked on several Beatles-related projects). In light of his later troubles, Love explains to Womack, “I will say this: He was not the same guy to me back then that he later came to be.” In this conversation she dives deep into her storied career, opens up about working with Phil Spector, and answers a complex question: Were the Beatles influenced by Black musicians, or did they steal from them?

May Pang is a former music executive and an eyewitness to key moments in rock ‘n’ roll history, particularly in terms of the lives and times of the former members of the Beatles, especially John Lennon.

After growing up in Spanish Harlem and Manhattan, Pang's early jobs included working as an old-school record-plugger and at Allen Klein’s management office, which represented Apple Records and three former Beatles: Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. In December 1970, Pang was invited to assist Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono with their film projects, “Up Your Legs Forever” and “Fly.” Pang was then asked to be Lennon and Ono's secretary in New York and Great Britain, which led to a permanent position as their personal assistant when the Lennons moved from London to New York in 1971. That October, Pang famously coordinated an art exhibition for Ono's This Is Not Here art show at the Everson Museum in Syracuse.

When Lennon and Ono separated in 1973, Pang and Lennon began a relationship that lasted more than 18 months. Lennon later referred to this time as his "Lost Weekend". In addition to acting as Lennon’s muse, she served as production coordinator for him on such hit LPs as “Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Walls and Bridges,” which included “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” John’s only number-one solo hit during his lifetime.

After Lennon returned to Ono in 1975, Pang began working as PR manager for record companies. Pang subsequently authored two books about her relationship with Lennon—a memoir entitled “Loving John” (in 1983) and a book of photographs, “Instamatic Karma” (in 2008). She was recently the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary, “The Lost Weekend: A Love Story,” which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival this past June.

German artist, musician and record producer Klaus Voormann, former bassist for Manfred Mann, has played on a number of iconic recordings, from Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" to Lou Reed's "Transformer" album, and with many projects of the former members of the Beatles, whom Voorman has known since their Hamburg days. The one-time London roommate of George Harrison and Ringo Starr won a Grammy for designing the cover of their 1966 album "Revolver," which has just been reissued in a deluxe remastered box set. In 2009, Voormann released his debut solo album "A Sideman's Journey," which featured the two surviving Beatles, McCartney and Starr, performing as "Voormann and Friends." His latest work involves the composition of the graphic novel "Birth of an Icon, which details his efforts behind the creation of the "Revolver" cover art. In this bonus episode of "Everything Fab Four," Voorman — on the phone all the way from Germany — and host Ken Womack discuss the evolution of the Beatles' songwriting, everyone's favorite Mal Evans, and of course, how he created the "Revolver" cover.

A note to our listeners: Technical difficulties resulted in audio that's less clear for this episode, but we hope you'll stick around for Klaus' fascinating eyewitness accounts of working with the Beatles. 

This week's guest is celebrated English guitarist, singer, and songwriter Peter Frampton. A musical prodigy, Frampton taught himself to play the guitar at age 7. Within the next few years, he mastered complex jazz, blues and rock riffs. He spent his pre-teen years performing with bands including George & The Dragons, a group that included fellow up-and-coming musician David Bowie. Eventually, Frampton caught the attention of the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, and in 1967, under his mentorship, Frampton became the lead guitarist and singer for the pop group The Herd. In 1969, after achieving the adoration of teenaged fans with hit singles like "From the Underworld" and "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die," and after a stint with the blues-based rock band Humble Pie, Frampton decided to strike out on his own.

The popularity of his first three solo albums coupled with Frampton's captivating live performances culminated in the 1976 live double recording Frampton Comes Alive!, which sold more than 10 million copies. The LP held the notable distinction of being the best-selling live rock album in history, while the singles "Baby I Love Your Way," "Do You Feel Like I Do?" and "Show Me the Way" dominated the American charts. Considered the crowning achievement of Frampton's career, the album influenced both Billboard and Rolling Stone magazines to name him Artist of the Year.

On this episode of Everything Fab Four, host Kenneth Womack and Frampton talk about his watershed live album, John Lennon's legendary Rickenbacker and “Son of Dracula,” hearing an early “Sgt. Pepper’s” copy that had “fallen off the back of a truck,” and how Frampton came to play lead guitar to George Harrison’s rhythm on “Doris Troy."

This episode’s guests are the duo ensemble The Bacon Brothers — younger brother and veteran actor Kevin and his older sibling Michael, an award-winning composer. Since his breakout roles in the early 1980s, including a starring turn in “Footloose,” Kevin has been a star on the big and small screens. And Michael, a music professor at Lehman College, has enjoyed a long and celebrated career as an accomplished guitarist, keyboardist and cellist. Over the years, Michael has composed hundreds of film and TV soundtracks and scores. And since the late 1990s, they’ve performed together as The Bacon Brothers. In this conversation with host Ken Womack, the brothers talk about how the Beatles brought the electric guitar into their lives, keys to great songwriting, what they thought about the “Get Back” docuseries, George Martin’s influence on the Beatles, and the finer points of “Revolver.”

This episode's guest is Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and musician Shawn Colvin. A participant in Greenwich Villages' Fast Folk Collective in the early 1980s, Colvin cut her teeth in the Buddy Miller Band and toured with Suzanne Vega after singing back-up on Vega's 1987 hit "Luka." Her 1989 debut, "Steady On," won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Her 1996 album "A Few Small Repairs" and its hit single "Sunny Came Home" rocketed her to mainstream commercial success, landing in the number one spot on the Adult Contemporary chart for four weeks, and earning Grammy Awards for Song and Record of the Year. She's the author of a memoir, "Diamond in the Rough," and a sought-after collaborator, recording songs with Sting, Béla Fleck, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and more. 

American filmmaker Ken Burns is renowned for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture, such as "The Civil War," "Baseball," "Jazz," and "Country Music." Burns's documentaries have earned two Academy Award nominations and have won several Emmy Awards, among other honors. His latest documentary is "The U.S. and the Holocaust," which premieres this month and was produced with longtime collaborators Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. But before that, he worked at a record store where the best-selling album of his tenure was “Abbey Road.” He still thinks about the Beatles every day. In this conversation with our host Kenneth Womack, Burns discusses what his creative process shares with the Beatles’ and reveals the secret ingredient that he believes has made the band’s catalog so timeless. And he makes the case for a significant portion of the top 10 “quintessential” Beatles’ songs aren’t written by Paul or John.

In this episode, host Ken Womack and powerhouse rocker Ann Wilson go deep into Beatles songs and their influence on her own work, the high school politics of fandom, and what the Beatles taught her about gender as a young rocker. Wilson rose to fame alongside her younger sister, guitarist Nancy Wilson, as lead vocalist in the rock band Heart, the first hard rock group fronted by women. In their heyday, Heart released numerous albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Dreamboat Annie" and "Little Queen," and "Dog and Butterfly," which generated hit singles such as "Magic Man," "Crazy on You," "Barracuda," “Straight On” and “Dog and Butterfly.” The band later enjoyed commercial success with a trio of albums, including the self-titled "Heart," "Bad Animals" and "Brigade," along with a raft of hits such as “What about Love,” “Never,” “These Dreams,” “Nothin’ At All,” “Who Will You Run To,” “Alone,” and “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You.” To date, Heart has sold over 35 million records. Over the years, Wilson has earned her place as one of rock’s most vaunted singers. Known for her operatic abilities and banshee screams, she was ranked no. 78 in Hit Parader's 2006 list of Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time. And in 2013, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Heart.

Today’s special episode features our good friends from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, here to discuss their new exhibition, The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be.

Designed to serve as an immersive complement to Peter Jackson’s Get Backdocuseries, the groundbreaking exhibition allows fans to experience The Beatles’ creative journey through original instruments, clothing, and handwritten lyrics used by The Beatles and seen in the film.

Artifacts include items loaned directly by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the estates of George Harrison and John Lennon. The exhibit features high-definition film clips, audio, and custom projections, transporting fans into The Beatles’ vibrant world of January 1969.

Fans will also enjoy audio engineer, producer, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Glyn Johns' record acetate from the sessions and iconic photography by Linda McCartney and by Ethan Russell, who documented the band’s January 1969 rehearsals, sessions, and rooftop performance, and whose photos are featured in the Let It Be album art.

As with Jackson's Get Back docuseries, the exhibit shows how The Beatles composed and recorded many of their iconic songs from scratch. The exhibit's three screening rooms feature a selection of footage from each location from the docuseries: Twickenham, Apple Studios, and the Apple Corps rooftop.

Ken's first guest is Greg Harris, President & CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Prior to serving in his current role, Greg worked as a senior executive at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for 14 years.

Ken is also joined by Nwaka Onwusa, the Rock Hall’s Chief Curator & Vice President of Curatorial Affairs. Prior to joining the Rock Hall in 2019, Nwaka spent a decade researching, developing and curating more than 20 full-scale exhibits for The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE.

Scottish-born musician, singer, songwriter, and actor Colin Hay first came to prominence as the lead vocalist of the Australian rock band Men at Work, which won the Best New Artist Grammy in 1983. Their big break came in August 1982, when Men at Work toured Canada and the US to promote their first LP Business as Usual, supporting Fleetwood Mac. That October, their song, "Who Can It Be Now?" reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In January 1983, they became the first Australian artists to have a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the United States Billboard charts with Business as Usual and the song "Down Under" (1981), respectively. As a solo artist, Hay’s music has been used frequently by actor and director Zach Braff in his work, which helped establish a career rebirth for the musician in the mid-2000s. Hay has also been a recurring member of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. In this conversation with host Ken Womack, Hay talks about his musical childhood and the work behind the band's seemingly "overnight success," his Beatles influences, playing with Ringo, and what the Beatles documentary "Get Back" reveals about the realities of being in a band.

Kenneth Womack's guest on this episode of “Everything Fab Four” is English singer/songwriter Dave Mason, who first found fame and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the rock band Traffic. He wrote and sang lead on Traffic’s 1968 single “Feelin Alright?” which also went on to become a hit for Joe Cocker and throughout the years has been covered by a wide range of artists, from the Jackson 5 to Widespread Panic. Over the course of his legendary career, Mason has played and recorded with many notable musicians, including Paul McCartney and George Harrison, and on Jimi Hendrix's version of “All Along the Watchtower.” In this conversation, Mason talks about being a young musician in London when the Beatles hit, listening to “Sgt. Pepper” at George Harrison's house, what it was like playing with Jimi, and more.

Singer/songwriter Janis Ian started her music career as a folk prodigy, writing and recording “Society’s Child,” her groundbreaking 1966 song about an interracial couple, at age 14. She won a Grammy Award for her 1975 hit “At Seventeen” and the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Her new EP, “The Light at the End of the Line,” her first album of new material in 15 years, will be followed by her farewell North American tour this year. In this conversation, she and host Ken Womack talk about the impact of technology on creativity, her Beatles fan origin story, the violent reactions her groundbreaking song “Society’s Child” faced, the origins of “At Seventeen,” and the enduring appeal of “Baby Shark."

On this episode of "Everything Fab Four," host Kenneth Womack interviews the Duchess of Coolsville herself, two-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Rickie Lee Jones. In their conversation, she breaks down the differences in how John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote women in their songs, how to keep a creative body of work innovative, how the Beatles' map of songwriting influenced hers, and her 2021 memoir, "Last Chance Texaco."

"Weird Al" Yankovic has come a long way since his days making music in his bedroom with an accordion and a "cheesy little cassette tape recorder" and submitting to the Dr. Demento Show. On this episode, he and Ken talk about how Al's songwriting process has become more elaborate over the years, the story behind why Paul McCartney vetoed his "Live and Let Die" parody, getting a cease and desist from George Harrison's lawyer, and his upcoming tour, which he hopes will be a "a super-spreader of joy."

English actress Hayley Mills was a child screen prodigy. During her initial six-year run at Disney, she appeared in six films, including a career-making turn as twins in “The Parent Trap.” Her memoir “Forever Young” is out now. In this conversation with host Ken Womack, Mills recounts being a Beatles fan from the early days — including the time she went on a date with George Harrison — and now one of three generations of Beatles fans in her family. She also talks about what Walt Disney was like at work, and how adults in her life reacted to her sudden child-star status. 

Margaret Cho is a Grammy and Emmy Award nominated stand-up comedian, actress, and singer-songwriter. In this episode, she and host Ken Womack talk about her journey to becoming a comic, her gateway album into Beatles fandom, and why her favorite Beatle — of, she suggests, up to ten Beatles in total — would have been Brian Epstein. 

Season 3 launches with actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. (“Better Call Saul,” “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call,” “A Mighty Wind”). Our host Kenneth Womack sits down with Begley to talk about a night out with Harry Nilsson that led to dinner at the Dakota with John Lennon and Yoko Ono and how that led to Begley playing a role in the “Saturday Night Live” on-air campaign to try to reunite the Beatles; how he successfully helped bring the late George Harrison's legendary Rosewood Telecaster back to George's family, and how Greta Thunberg is inspiring him to do even more for the environment. 

Richard Marx's self-titled first album went triple platinum in 1987. Between then and 1994, he racked up 14 top 20 hits, including radio classics like "Endless Summer Nights" and "Right Here Waiting." The prolific songwriter and musical collaborator is also now an author — Stories to Tell, his candid and entertaining memoir about the art and business of music, is out now. In this episode of "Everything Fab Four," he and host Ken Womack talk about how Paul McCartney’s melodies influenced his songwriting, singing “Help!” in Berlin when the wall came down, why "Ringo's everything you want Ringo to be," and the day when the “incredibly kind” Lionel Richie called him, a 17-year-old aspiring songwriter, and changed his life. 

Genre-defying singer/songwriter K. Flay was raised by parents who were “Beatles over Stones, one hundred percent,” and as a kid she was drawn to “acid trip Beatles-ness” songs. In this wide-ranging conversation with host Ken Womack about creativity and creation, K. Flay discusses why genre doesn’t matter, Baby Boomers, her approach to songwriting, collaborating with Tom Morello, and how the Beatles prepared us for playlist culture. 

Ethan Russell is one of rock’s most influential photographers — and the only one to shoot album covers for the Beatles, The Who and The Rolling Stones, whose work he also chronicled as the band’s primary photographer from 1968-72, including their ill-fated Altamont show. Pete Townshend once called him “the civilized eye of an uncivilized art form — rock and roll.” Through his camera, Russell has had a front-row seat to many of rock’s great historical moments, including shooting the Beatles’ “Let It Be” cover and the band’s final photo session. But his life could have gone in an entirely different direction. “If Cambridge had accepted me, I never would have done the cover for ‘Let It Be,’” Russell tells our host, Ken Womack during their wide-ranging conversation about his career and experiences in documenting so many iconic moments in rock.

When Sananda Maitreya first heard the Beatles, he felt a spiritual awakening. The son of gospel singer Frances Howard wasn’t allowed to listen to music that wasn’t gospel until he was 15 years old, but the Beatles were so ubiquitous, he says, that they couldn’t be contained. When he first heard “She Loves You,” the American singer/songwriter (formerly known under the stage name Terence Trent D’Arby) who catapulted to fame with the number 1 hit “Wishing Well,” says the sound and look of the Beatles were “so alien and yet so familiar at the same time that it was utterly captivating. Growing up in predominately Black culture at that particular time, the way the music seemed to fit so perfectly into the culture … It just felt like something ordained by God.”

As a young man, Maitreya trained as a boxer, served in the U.S. Army where he was stationed in West Germany and worked as a band leader. Then in 1987 he released his debut solo record, “Introducing the Hardline,” which netted him a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance. His twelfth studio album, “Pandora’s Playhouse,” is out now.

On this episode of Everything Fab Four, Maitreya and host Ken Womack talk about all things Beatles, from Ringo’s drumming to the birth of a white blues with “Hard’s Day Night.” Maitreya also takes a deep dive into his spiritual connections to John Lennon and Prince, and tells Ken the story of the time he and George Harrison had a mystical experience together.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nancy Wilson rose to fame as the guitarist of Heart, the first hard rock band fronted by women. With hits like “Magic Man” and “Crazy On You” to “These Dreams” and “What About Love?” Wilson and her sister Ann, Heart’s lead singer, sold more than 35 million records and along the way, changed perceptions of who can lead a hard rock band. In this episode, Nancy and host Ken Womack talk about the early days of Heart, the songwriting craft behind some of their most iconic tracks, her recent tribute to Eddie Van Halen, and how the Beatles inspired her to pick up a guitar — “We weren’t looking to marry them or date them, we wanted to be them” — sparking the passion for rock and roll that would carry her through her storied career.

Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. made their names as members of the Grammy Award-winning group The Fifth Dimension. Together they’ve logged nearly six decades as pop music stalwarts, while also celebrating their golden wedding anniversary in 2019. And now the iconic duo is back with their first studio album in 30 years, "Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons.” In their conversation with "Everything Fab Four" host Ken Womack, they talk about the British Invasion; covering songs by the Beatles, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney;  working with the Wrecking Crew; and their own storied history in pop music. 

 John Roberts is best known as the voice of Linda Belcher, doting matriarch of the beloved Fox animated sitcom "Bob’s Burgers," but he’s also a musician — you may have heard his new collaboration with Blondie’s Debbie Harry, "Lights Out." On this episode, he and host Ken Womack talk about the TV pilots Roberts has made that you haven’t seen yet, his upcoming musical releases, and which Beatle Linda Belcher would like the best. 

Kathy Valentine made history as the bassist for the Go-Go’s, the first multiplatinum all-female band who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to have a #1 album in the U.S. And her first relationship with music? Was with the Beatles.

In this episode, Valentine and host Ken Womack talk about her Beatles and British influences, what she and fellow bass player Paul McCartney have in common, and her memoir, “All I Ever Wanted,” a deeply personal reflection on a life in rock. 

In this episode, "Little Steven" Van Zandt and our host Ken Womack go deep into the guitarist/singer/songwriter/actor's legendary musical career and his own Beatles influences, from the Ed Sullivan Show to how dues-paying in New Jersey and Hamburg shaped these bands to the night they pulled the plug on Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen in Hyde Park. 

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Everything Fab Four's theme song is "Seize the Day," courtesy of Blac Rabbit: Follow them on Instagram @blacrabbit
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Everything Fab Four is a WonderWall Communications production, distributed by Salon

This week’s guest is drummer John Densmore, one of the founding members of the groundbreaking classic rock band The Doors. In a wide-ranging conversation with host Ken Womack, Densmore talks about the parallel tracks the Beatles and the Doors were on for the time they overlapped as bands, musical innovations the Beatles inspired the Doors to take, and how George Harrison talking about losing John Lennon helped him mourn Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek.
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Everything Fab Four's theme song is "Seize the Day," courtesy of Blac Rabbit: Follow them on Instagram @blacrabbit
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A WonderWall Communications production, distributed by Salon

"I think Paul McCartney’s calling you": This week’s guest is singer/songwriter Patty Smyth, who rocketed to fame with her band band Scandal ("Goodbye to You," "The Warrior"), followed by her acclaimed solo career ("Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough"). This week, Smyth and host Ken Womack talk about the pivotal Beatles moments that shaped her life, how pregnancy and motherhood shaped her career, and how she almost joined Van Halen.
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Everything Fab Four's theme song is "Seize the Day," courtesy of Blac Rabbit: Follow them on Instagram @blacrabbit
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A WonderWall Communications production, distributed by Salon

From an early age, singer/songwriter Dessa, the daughter of a classical guitar-playing father, seemed destined for music. In the final episode of season 1 of "Everything Fab Four," the Doomtree Collective member tells our host Kenneth Womack how the Beatles shaped her understanding of poetic license and creative possibility from childhood on. In this wide-ranging interview, they also dive deep into the ups and downs of creative collaboration, an exclusive clip of her "Come Together"-influenced song "Warsaw" and much more.

Jon Anderson, co-founder and former lead singer of the legendary prog rock group Yes, has enjoyed a prolific career spanning over six decades, most recently with his 2019 album "1000 Hands." Though he had a band with his brother as a teen in 1962, they were largely focused on being the Everly Brothers or Elvis Presley — that is, until they heard "Love Me Do." The brothers traveled to see the Beatles play live in April, 1963, "and it was a revelation on many levels," Anderson tells Everything Fab Four host Kenneth Womack. On this episode, go deep with Anderson and Womack into how the Beatles shaped pop music throughout the '60s, and discover the very specific musical reason why Anderson believes the band is beloved all around the world.

Author and musician Stephanie Phillips, who plays in the Black feminist punk band Big Joanie and whose writing has been featured in major outlets all over the world, grew up a music fan but for years had "a general disinterest" in the Beatles, due largely to the "sad dad army" of fans that she couldn't relate to as a young woman of color. “There wasn’t really much in the Beatles for me to latch onto,” Phillips tells host Ken Womack on "Everything Fab Four." “That was, I learned later, because of how their story and their myth and their music had been commandeered by a very specific white middle class elite.” On this episode Phillips talks about her influential essay "On Loving the Beatles as a Black woman," finding her own way into Beatles fandom, why we shouldn't call them "geniuses," and what she doesn't hear on their albums. 

John Oates, best known as half of the iconic pop duo Hall & Oates, has played guitar alongside Darryl Hall for decades, co-writing hits like “Sara Smile,” “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” and “Maneater.”  He grew up in Philadelphia, and tells our host Ken Womack that when the Beatles first hit the U.S., his local  radio stations wouldn't play their songs. “Being a teenager in Philadelphia I was right along with them. . . . To me the Beatles didn’t mean that much initially.” Eventually, though, his relationship to the Fab Four's music changed, starting with “Abbey Road.” In this wide-ranging conversation, Oates tells the story of a fateful eviction, the impact producer Arif Mardin had on Hall & Oates, his recent solo work, what kind of neighbor Hunter S. Thompson was, and which Beatles song he'd want with him on a desert island. 

Broadway star Adam Pascal is a serious Beatles fan — he even named his son Lennon. On this episode of "Everything Fab Four," host Kenneth Womack talks to the artist who originated the role of Roger in Broadway's "Rent"  about what early Beatles music had in common with show tunes, how John Lennon brought an element of danger into the innocence, and even the brilliance of Barry Manilow.

Judy Collins is a Grammy Award-winning American singer and songwriter with an eclectic recording career spanning over 60 years that includes folk, rock, pop and show tunes. Primarily known as a folk singer until 1966, she began branching out to include other sounds with her album In My Life, in which she "took a flying leap" and recorded a cover of the eponymous Beatles song, which pushed her career to new directions and heights. In this episode, Judy and Ken talk about her long working relationship with Elektra Records, how she first fell in love with the Beatles' music, and some personal stories, like the time her friend Linda called her for advice on dating a rock star, a guy named Paul McCartney. 

"England needed heroes ... these four kids came out of the rubble of World War 2 and changed the world": On this episode of "Everything Fab Four" Ken and his guest Michael Des Barres go deep into the Beatles' cultural roots, plus his personal story of discovering the Beatles at 16 — at a concert filmed by the BBC. Michael Des Barres is a true polymath — a hit songwriter ("Obsession"), a dynamic frontman (supergroup Power Station, notably their 1985 Live Aid performance), and a versatile character actor with dozens of big- and small-screen credits to his name, including recurring roles on "Melrose Place" and "MacGuyver." He currently hosts "The Michael Des Barres Program" on Little Steven's Underground Garage, SiriusXM channel 21. NOTE: This episode contains some colorful language; listener discretion is advised. 

Steve Lukather is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and the sole continuous founding member of the rock group Toto. He also plays with Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band. In this first episode of "Everything Fab Four," host Kenneth Womack talks to Steve about how he discovered the Beatles, how their music influenced his, his personal and professional relationship with Ringo Starr, and what it was like playing with George Harrison and Paul McCartney. NOTE: This episode contains some colorful language; listener discretion is advised. 

Everything Fab Four is a podcast focused on fun and intelligent stories about the enduring cultural influence of the Beatles.

No other band, or popular entity for that matter, has had the world-wide impact the Beatles have. They are part of our human fabric, they created music that still brings people together, and just about everyone has their own “Beatles story” to tell. In each episode, renowned music historian, Beatles scholar, and author Kenneth Womack will host a special guest to share theirs. 

In Season 1, we'll hear from an eclectic slate of guests ranging from Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, who plays with Ringo's All-Star Band, and Hall & Oates co-founder John Oates to Broadway star Adam Pascal ("Rent") and genre-defying vocalist Dessa, member of the indie hip hop collective Doomtree. 

These conversations will be guided by our host Kenneth Womack, who literally wrote the encyclopedia on the Beatles (The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four), as well as a two-volume study on producer George Martin, and the bestselling book Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles. Ken is also a regular music culture columnist for Salon. 

Everything Fab Four is produced by Wonderwall Communicationsand distributed by Salon.

Follow @ef4podcast on Twitter and Facebook. 

You can also follow Ken on Twitter at @KennethAWomack and visit his website: everythingfabfour.com. 

Like the theme music? Learn more about Blac Rabbit on Instagram at @blacrabbitband.