It is possible one of the saddest things I have had to write on this site.

It's been a long time since all three Best brothers sobbed together, but last night was one of them. We had a call to tell us our dear friend Ken Brown had been found dead. His brother had been trying to contact Ken since last week, worried he called the Police who kicked the door in at Ken's home. He was found dead on the floor in his living room. There was no foul play. It was just his time.

Let's not forget it was ken Brown who brought John, Paul and George together to play at the Casbah on Saturday the 29th of August 1959. Without Ken they may have never played alongside each other again as they were all doing their own thing. Ken Brown "Some Other Guy."

We love you Ken and you will be sadly missed.

Pete, Rory, Roag and the family Best.

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Pete Best Official Forum Admininistrator

Sad, sad , news. It was such a pleasure to meet him at the Cashah's 50th.. He seemed liked a great guy. His contribution to music history shall not be forgotten. R. I. P. Ken.

I am so sorry to hear about Ken Brown passing. I never met him but was hoping to some day. I am really sad about this news. My condolence to his family and friends and especially to those so close to him. Another legend has left us.

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MARS MARSDEN

I am sorry to hear this. Ken was Pete's good friend, my heart and prayers go out to the Brown Family and to his good mate's the Beat Family. RIP, Ken

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Shaun Weiss Esq

I am so sorry to hear this.
Meeting him last year, and chatting with him, was a real highlight of the 50th anniversary.

My condolences to the Best family, and all who knew him.

Luna and Aidan

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Luna

oh my god. i wasn't expecting to see this news about ken. a bit speechless and choked up at the moment...just caught completely off guard.

i had the honor of meeting ken and chatting at best fest 1 last year. one of my favorite memories of the day was sharing a chair with ken and having our pic taken in Casbah's aztec room.

i know luna recalls it well..when i first saw ken ..i turned to my left in the spider room and my eyes bugged "isn't that ken brown..standing next to me? !".

THAT man..that great man ..made an impact in the world far beyond Liverpool. Someday, the world will catch up to that legacy.

see below for ken's story....

Rest in Peace Ken...Say hi to John and George for us all. 3 of the August '59 Quarrymen gone.

Long live the Quarrymen.

Ya did good ken. Real good.

Frembers: ken had posted on the forum here also. search "ken brown".

if there's a rock n roll heaven....you know they've got a helluva a skiffle band...

His book: "Some Other Guy", by Ken Brown.

http://www.btinternet.com/~ken.brown/synopsis.html



3

condolences and sincere sympathy to Pete, Roag and the entire Best and Brown family for this very sad news I just popped and became aware of. Truly a loss of an icon in the early Beatle's (Quarrymen).

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\"Life is like a mirror, smile in it and it smiles right back\".



Marie

We've learned from Mersey Beat founder Bill Harry that Ken Brown, a Liverpool guitarist who played with the Quarrymen and in the Les Stewart Quartet with George Harrison in 1958 when the Quarrymen were dormant, has died. Harry says Brown suffered from emphysema.

There's a lengthy entry on Brown in Bill Harry's "Beatles Encyclopedia." Here's a portion that tells how the Quarrymen got their residency at the Casbah Club:

They were practising at a venue called Lowlands when George's girlfriend Ruth Morrison, mentioned that a new coffee club was opening nearby and they might be seeking a resident group. Brown went along to see Mona Best and secured the band a residency, due to begin when the club opened on Saturday 29 August 1959.

Early that Saturday Brown went to Stewart's house and sat in the lounge with Stewart and George. There seemed to be a bad atmosphere in the room and Brown asked Stewart what was up. Stewart accused him of missing practice and continued to argue after Brown explained that he'd been helping out at the Casbah in order to secure a place for them to play. Stewart accused him of receiving money for helping out, which Brown denied. Stewart told him, "I'm not playing there."

Brown asked George not to back out on him too, so George followed him out of the house, with Brown suggesting that they get a group together for that evening. George mentioned that he had two friends and would contact them.

Brown waited patiently at the Casbah for two hours, then George returned with John, Paul and Cynthia.

They decided to use the name of John's group, the Quarry Men, and began their residency that evening. Among the numbers played were "Three Cool Cats" sung by John and "Long Tall Sally," sung by Paul. Brown played Hofner guitar and the group used his 10-watt amplifier.

Harry says Brown left the group after an argument over money. Harry recounts this story as Brown later told it to a reporter:

"One night, just as we were due to start a Saturday session, I felt a crippling pain in my leg. I could barely stand, but insisted on doing something, so Mrs Best asked me to take the money and the door and, for the first time, John, Paul and George played without me.

"Just as everyone was going home I was in the club when Paul came back down the steps. `Hey, Ken, what's all this?' he said. `What?' I asked him. `Mrs Best says she's paying you, even though you didn't play with us tonight.' `That's up to her,' I replied, as Paul bounded back up the stairs, still arguing with Mrs Best. They all came downstairs to me. `We think your fifteen bob should be divided between us, as you didn't play tonight,' said Paul. So of course I didn't agree. `All right, that's it then!' shouted McCartney, and they stormed off down the drive towards west Derby village, shouting that they would never play the Casbah again.

"This left the club without a resident group, so Brown approached Pete Best and suggested they form a group on their own. The result was the Blackjacks, who began playing regularly at the club until Pete was approached by the Beatles to join them for their Hamburg trip. "


The last time he saw the group was on March 16, 1963, when they asked him to lend them £20. He did and they repaid him six weeks later. Brown later reunited with Pete Best and Chas Newby at the Casbah in August, 1999, to celebrate the club's 40th anniversary.

(Our thanks to Bill Harry for the alert and the information on Ken Brown.)

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Luna

Horrible news; he was a lovely fellow and it was such a kick to see him last August rocking out 50 years hence. My heart goes out to all his family and friends.

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"Work Hard, Rock Hard, Eat Hard, Sleep Hard, Grow Big, Wear Glasses If You Need 'em" - Webb Wilder

We got to meet Ken like some of our other frembers at the CCC 50th. At first getting pictures with him and a quick chat. Then, later in the evening, as the CCC "steams up" folks naturally go outside to cool down. On one occassion I saw a man sitting by himself and when I got closer, I saw it was ken. We talked for about half an hour. You could tell his breathing was a challenge, but he had plenty of life and plenty of stories. He adored Pete and the whole Best Family and Pete adored him, they spoke very highly of each other.

Let's all do our part not to let his story be forgotten, on what a great man he is, what a musical pioneer he was and his critical part in Beatle's formation.

Our condolences to Ken's family and to Pete, Roag and Rory, we are sorry for your loss, we are sad for our loss

Ken, Rest in Rock-n-Roll Peace ( you know there is no such thing, it always loud and fun)

Peace, Mike and Brenda

A friend of mine at the Echo from Liverpool sent this to us:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-26658936/

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Mike & Brenda from Rochester New York loves Pete Best