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It’s FABuary! It’s a magical month when anything can happen.

It’s a month when Beatles songs shine though all music shines, especially when played on ukulele!

This is when I always remember how my mother and I both got hooked on the Beatles Iconic night of February 9, 1964. My brother and sister and dad thought we were absolutely insane as we watch the Ed Sullivan show on a Sunday night just as we did every Sunday night.

Mom was excited before that Ed Sullivan she started. None of us knew until they arrived. I said crosslegged on the white shag rug in the den with my brother and sister already in my pajamas. We watched the big screen black-and-white TV.

I used to like to watch the magic shows, and the guy who balanced dishes on the Ed Sullivan show and some of the music too. But as soon as my mother yelled, it’s them. Oh my gosh. This was different. I also got caught up in the spirit of the music so and beautiful and fun and four guys with what looks like all haircuts, except longer performing the songs, singing, playing guitars, drums, and bass.

They opened with All My Loving, and then Paul McCartney, crooned Till There Was You. That was a song from the musical music man.

After the Beatles performed, the cast from the musical Oliver appeared on stage and a young Davy Jones saying I do anything as the artful dodger. That song because I have listened to the record of the Broadway hit. This was before the Monkees.

The Beatles appeared again on the show that night, and by the time they say and played, she loves you, I wanna hold your hand, and I Saw Her Standing There, my mom and I were hooked, forever in love with the Beatles.

We held each other and sang, she loves you. Yeah yeah yeah over and over again, practically yelling. My brother and sister and dad look like they were in shock but we didn’t care we continue to sing together.

We would scream when we hear a Beatles song on the radio. My mom took me to the record store down on Hayes Street and we bought the first Beatles album in the United States meet the Beatles. In fact, we bought all the Beatles albums as they showed up by the time we got to Sergeant Pepper They had changed so much, but they were still just as good. I felt as if I grew up right along with the Beatles.

It was the first night my mother and I shared something in common. Our love for the Beatles music and the Beatles.

Fast-forward over 50 years. I’m still playing and singing Beatles songs now on my ukulele. Of course I also played them on my guitar for many years now I remember leading so many Beatles songs with my sister friend Diane in the San Francisco Bay area, and hearing so many people sing along and play their or whatever instrument they had with them.

I remember leading so many Beatles jams over the years in various locations because that’s what I did, and I usually lead with help from my friends. I can still hear everyone singing together with me. She loves you. Yeah yeah yeah. I want to hold your hand. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.

The magic of the music never ends. I still remember the Beatles jam we had in 2014 for the 50th anniversary of their arrival in the United States on February 9, 1964. It was the biggest Ukulele jam we ever had because people had found out about it being a special celebration for the Beatles. We ran out of space in our big room and spilled into the pizza parlor in the next room and sing along with the Beatles songs.

I just realized something. 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the Beatles arrival in the United States. How can this be? 60 years?

This is caused for some sort of celebration, a jam even if I have to do it online since I’m recovering from foot surgery right now and I can’t even walk. But I have my Ukulele and I know a lot of Beatles songs. It’s on.