Show Topic: The Monkees – Celebrating 60 Years & the M60 Convention

This Monday, August 31st, 2026, we’re celebrating The Monkees as we get ready for a very special weekend marking the group’s 60th anniversary. We’ll be featuring the music of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones while looking back at the songs, television series, personalities, and lasting legacy that turned The Monkees into one of the most beloved pop-rock groups of the 1960s.

We’ll also preview the upcoming M60 Convention, taking place September 4th–6th, 2026, at the Clarion Inn in North Haven, Connecticut. The convention brings Monkees fans and special guests together to celebrate six decades since The Monkees television series and the music that became an essential part of 1960s pop culture. It promises to be a memorable weekend for longtime fans as well as those who continue to discover the group today.

Joining us are four guests with their own connections to the Monkees story. We’ll hear from drummer Rich Dart about performing with the Monkees and continuing to play with Micky Dolenz; archivist and author Joe Russo about his remarkable collection of rare Monkees material and his book The Monkees: Smoke-Filled Dreams; and Connecticut musician Mick Lawless, who will share his memories of the group and his musical tribute to Michael Nesmith with Loose Salute to Nez.

New Jersey musician Scott Ringle will also join us to share his perspective on the Monkees and their place in the classic pop and rock music of the era.

From “Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m a Believer” to the group’s deeper catalogue and the distinctive songwriting and musical vision of Michael Nesmith, there’s much more to the Monkees story than television and Beatlemania-era pop.

Mark your calendars for Monday, August 31st, as we celebrate 60 years of Monkees music, memories, and fandom—and get ready for the M60 Convention in Connecticut.

Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Monday, August 31st, 2026

🥁 Rich Dart

Rich Dart is a drummer who has provided the backbeat for numerous bands throughout his career and has a special connection to the Monkees story. He toured with The Monkees and continues to perform with Micky Dolenz.

Rich will share some of his experiences performing the music live, working with Micky, and being part of the continuing Monkees legacy as fans prepare to celebrate the group’s 60th anniversary.

📚 Joe Russo

Joe Russo is a longtime Monkees fan, archivist, and pop-culture historian who has assembled an extensive private collection of rare and previously unpublished materials documenting the history of The Monkees.

We’ll discuss his hardcover photo book, The Monkees: Smoke-Filled Dreams: The Unseen Archive of Joe Russo, which opens his remarkable archive to fans. Joe is also the host of The Monkees Pad, a YouTube show and podcast devoted to exploring the group’s music, television history, and cultural legacy through conversations with musicians, authors, historians, and other special guests.

The Monkees Pad on YouTube

🎸 Mick Lawless

Mick Lawless is a Connecticut-based singer-songwriter and musician with a longstanding appreciation for The Monkees and their music.

Mick will share some of his Monkees memories and discuss his particular appreciation for Michael Nesmith, including his work with Loose Salute to Nez, a musical tribute celebrating Nesmith’s songs and distinctive contribution to The Monkees and beyond.

🎤 Scott Ringle

Scott Ringle is a New Jersey singer and musician whose repertoire spans pop and rock favorites from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. A former member of the Blue Meanies, Scott continues to perform at local venues, libraries, community events, and private gatherings throughout New Jersey and surrounding areas.

Scott joins us to talk about The Monkees, their music, and the enduring appeal of the songs that helped make them one of the most recognizable groups to emerge from the 1960s.

Scott Ringle on Facebook

Show Topic: Rock Music Spotlight – From 50s Rock & Roll to the Beatles, Garage Rock & The Monkees

This Thursday, August 27th, 2026, we’re back with another Rock Music Spotlight, featuring great music and stories from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. We’ll travel through the golden decades of rock and roll, with a mix of classic rock, pop, folk rock, garage rock, psychedelic sounds, and some of the artists and movements that helped shape popular music.

This week’s four guests give us plenty to talk about. We’ll revisit the excitement surrounding The Beatles and the Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago, explore the Pacific Northwest rock scene and the remarkable career of former Paul Revere & the Raiders member Jim Valley, and head back into the psychedelic garage-rock era with Peppy Castro, founding member of the Blues Magoos.

We’ll also turn our attention to The Monkees as their 60th anniversary approaches. Peppy Castro will share memories of the 1960s, the Blues Magoos, garage rock, and his appearances at Monkees conventions, while Charles Rosenay will preview the upcoming M60 Convention, celebrating 60 years of The Monkees over Labor Day weekend in North Haven, Connecticut.

From the British Invasion and American garage bands to folk rock, Beatles fandom, Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Blues Magoos, and The Monkees, we have a lot of rock and roll history to cover. Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 27th, and join us for the music, memories, and stories behind some of rock’s most colorful decades. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Thursday, August 27th, 2026

🎥 TVRabbi Doug

Chicago-based TVRabbi Doug is an interviewer and television personality whose work with Chicago and Suburban TV can also be found on YouTube. His interviews cover entertainment, personalities, events, and live music performances throughout the Chicago area.

We’ll talk about his experiences covering rock music and especially the Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago, where generations of Beatles fans, musicians, authors, collectors, and special guests come together to celebrate the enduring legacy of the Fab Four.

TVRabbi Doug on YouTube

🎸 Jim Valley

Jim Valley is a folk-rock singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and important figure in the history of Pacific Northwest rock and roll. His early career included the Viceroys and Don and the Goodtimes, and he wrote and recorded the Northwest garage-rock favorite “Little Sally Tease.”

In 1966, Jim joined Paul Revere & the Raiders during one of the group’s most successful periods, associated with classics including “Kicks,” “Hungry,” “Good Thing,” “The Great Airplane Strike,” “Ups and Downs,” and “Him or Me – What’s It Gonna Be?” After leaving the Raiders, Jim continued as a solo singer-songwriter before eventually establishing a remarkable second career creating and performing children’s music through his Rainbow Planet project.

We’ll discuss his experiences during the golden age of Northwest rock, his time with Paul Revere & the Raiders, his evolution as a songwriter and performer, and music from his own catalogue, including albums such as Hidden Gems and Toward the Sacred.

jimvalley.com

🎤 Peppy Castro

Peppy Castro is a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and one of the early pioneers of the psychedelic garage-rock era. At just 17 years old, he became a founding member of the legendary Blues Magoos, whose success placed the band at the forefront of the emerging psychedelic rock movement of the 1960s.

Peppy’s career later took him to Broadway in the original production of Hair, while his songwriting has reached far beyond his own recordings, with songs recorded by artists including Diana Ross, KISS, and Cher.

We’ll talk about his memories of the 1960s, the rise of garage and psychedelic rock, his years with the Blues Magoos, and his appearances at Monkees fan conventions, including the M60 celebrations.

peppycastro.com

🎙️ Charles Rosenay

Connecticut-based Charles Rosenay of Liverpool Productions is an entertainer, DJ, producer, author, and tour organizer with decades of experience producing fan events and celebrations centered around classic music and entertainment.

Charles will preview the upcoming M60 Convention, celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Monkees. The event takes place September 4th–6th, 2026, at the Clarion Inn in North Haven, Connecticut, bringing together fans and special guests for a weekend celebrating the music, television history, and enduring cultural legacy of The Monkees.

Show Topic: Classic Rock Bands – The Legendary Sounds of the 60s & 70s

This Monday, August 24th, 2026, we’re turning up the volume for a Classic Rock Bands edition of Rock Music Spotlight, celebrating the groups that helped define the sound of the 1960s and 70s.

From the British Invasion and psychedelic experimentation to blues rock, soft rock, Southern rock, and hard rock, we’ll travel through two extraordinary decades when bands transformed popular music and created some of rock and roll’s most enduring recordings.

We’ll feature legendary British groups including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Queen, alongside American favorites such as The Byrds, The Raspberries, ZZ Top, Chicago, The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many more.

We’ll also hear the revolutionary guitar-driven sound of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and revisit the powerful 1970s rock of Bad Company.

These bands didn’t all sound alike—and that’s what made the era so remarkable. Some built their music around vocal harmonies and unforgettable melodies, while others pushed amplification, guitar playing, songwriting, and studio production in entirely new directions.

From psychedelic sounds and extended blues improvisations to radio-friendly soft rock and the heavier riffs that helped shape hard rock, the 60s and 70s gave us an extraordinary range of styles that remain at the heart of classic rock radio today.

Whether your favorites came from Liverpool, London, Chicago, California, Texas, or the American South, this show is about the bands, songs, and musicians who made classic rock what it is. Mark your calendars for Monday, August 24th, and join us for two decades of unforgettable rock and roll. Don’t miss it!

No guest featured for this episode. This special broadcast is dedicated to the Classic Rock Bands of the 1960s and 1970s and the many styles of rock music they helped create, develop, and bring to audiences around the world.

Show Topic: The Beatles Spotlight – Celebrating International Beatleweek in Liverpool

This Thursday, August 20th, 2026, we’re heading back into the extraordinary world of The Beatles with an entire show devoted to the music of the Fab Four.

We’ll celebrate the songs of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr while also turning our attention to International Beatleweek in Liverpool, when Beatles fans and performers from around the world come together in the city where it all began.

Our guests reflect just how international the Beatles phenomenon remains more than six decades after Beatlemania swept the world. We’ll meet Beatles performers from Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria, and Scotland, each bringing a different approach to celebrating this remarkable catalogue.

From intimate acoustic interpretations and authentic recreations of the early hits to an ambitious live presentation of the Beatles’ groundbreaking studio years from 1966 through 1970, we’ll explore how musicians continue to bring this music to new generations of fans.

We’ll also return to one of John Lennon’s greatest compositions, “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Spanish Beatles author and researcher J. Adolfo Iglesias will take us back to 1966, when Lennon was in Almería, Spain, filming How I Won the War and began developing the song that would become one of the Beatles’ defining psychedelic masterpieces. It’s another fascinating example of how places and experiences far beyond the recording studio became part of Beatles history.

From Liverpool and the Cavern Club to the experimental studio years and the continuing worldwide community of Beatles musicians and fans, this episode celebrates both the history and the enduring life of the Fab Four’s music.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 20th, as we get ready for International Beatleweek with Beatles music, stories, performances, and history. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Thursday, August 20th, 2026

🎸 Guy Noel

Known as GuyNoelBeatles, Guy Noel is a singer-songwriter from Luxembourg and a passionate Beatles tribute artist who brings the music of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to audiences through intimate acoustic performances.

His interpretations celebrate the songwriting and melodies at the heart of the Beatles catalogue, demonstrating how these timeless songs continue to connect with audiences around the world. We’ll talk with Guy about his passion for the Fab Four, performing their music, and the international community that gathers in Liverpool to celebrate their legacy.

GuyNoelBeatles on Facebook

🎶 Auguszt Bario Band

Representing Hungary and Austria, Auguszt Bario Band celebrates the Beatles with an emphasis on authentic sound, close attention to musical detail, and, above all, the sheer enjoyment of performing the Fab Four’s music.

The group was invited to perform during International Beatleweek in Liverpool in 2023, including appearances at the legendary Cavern Club.

Their live repertoire travels through the Beatles years with favorites including “From Me to You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Nowhere Man,” “Yesterday,” “Get Back,” and “Hey Jude,” alongside selections for dedicated Beatles fans who know the catalogue inside and out.

beatlescover.eu

🎻 Across the Universe

Scotland’s Across the Universe takes on one of the most ambitious challenges in Beatles performance: recreating the extraordinary music of the band’s 1966–1970 studio years with a live band and orchestra.

This period produced some of the most innovative recordings in popular music history, as the Beatles transformed the studio itself into a creative instrument and experimented with new recording techniques, instrumentation, arrangements, and musical genres. Many of these recordings were never designed to be performed onstage, making Across the Universe’s live interpretation of this era an especially fascinating celebration of the Beatles’ musical innovation.

acrosstheuniverse6670.com

📚 J. Adolfo Iglesias

Spanish Beatles author and researcher J. Adolfo Iglesias joins us to explore the remarkable Spanish origins of one of John Lennon’s most celebrated compositions, “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

We’ll travel back to Almería, Spain, in 1966, where Lennon was working on Richard Lester’s film How I Won the War. During his time there, Lennon began developing the song inspired by his childhood memories of Strawberry Field in Liverpool.

J. Adolfo Iglesias will discuss his research into this important period and how Lennon’s experiences in Spain became intertwined with the creation of a recording that would help define the Beatles’ psychedelic era.

Show Topic: Beatles Solo Years – John, Paul, George & Ringo Beyond the Fab Four

This Monday, August 17th, 2026, we’re continuing our Beatles journey by exploring what happened after the Fab Four went their separate ways.

Beatles Solo Years celebrates the remarkable individual careers of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with music from the 1970s and beyond that proved the end of The Beatles was also the beginning of four very different musical stories.

We’ll follow John Lennon from the raw and deeply personal Plastic Ono Band period through his years in New York, with memorable recordings including “Instant Karma!,” “Imagine,” “Jealous Guy,” “(Just Like) Starting Over,” and “Woman.”

We’ll revisit Paul McCartney as he established himself as a solo artist and then formed Wings, producing classics such as “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Live and Let Die,” “Band on the Run,” “Silly Love Songs,” and “Coming Up.”

We’ll also celebrate George Harrison, whose landmark 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass and worldwide hit “My Sweet Lord” established him immediately as a major solo artist.

His extraordinary post-Beatles story would include The Concert for Bangladesh, a prolific recording career, and eventually the Traveling Wilburys alongside Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne.

And we won’t forget Ringo Starr, whose solo career brought us favorites including “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Photograph,” along with decades of recording and live performances.

Joining me once again is multi-instrumentalist Tommy Montalbano, who performs vocals, guitar, and keyboards in the new Beatles tribute production Beyond the Beatles: The Solo Years.

We’ll talk about how the show brings the four individual musical journeys together through iconic hits, deeper album cuts, cinematic visuals, audience interaction, and a full live production.

Mark your calendars as we go beyond The Beatles and rediscover the extraordinary music John, Paul, George, and Ringo created on their own. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Monday, August 17th, 2026

🎹 Tommy Montalbano

Returning to the show is Tommy Montalbano, a multi-instrumentalist performing vocals, guitar, and keyboards in the new Beatles tribute production Beyond the Beatles: The Solo Years.

Rather than recreating a single period in Beatles history, Beyond the Beatles: The Solo Years explores the extraordinary individual careers of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr after the breakup of The Beatles.

The theatrical music experience brings their four musical journeys together through famous solo hits, deep cuts, cinematic visuals, audience interaction, and the excitement of a full live production.

Tommy will discuss the concept behind the show, the challenge of bringing such a diverse collection of post-Beatles music to the stage, and how the production celebrates the distinctive musical personalities of all four former Beatles while reconnecting their individual stories.

beyondthebeatles.com

Watch Beyond the Beatles: The Solo Years

Show Topic: Rock Music Spotlight – McCabe’s, Jim Marshall, The Beatles & Bob Dylan

This Thursday, August 13th, 2026, we’re back with another Rock Music Spotlight, featuring great music from the 1960s and 70s and the stories behind the artists, venues, writers, and photographers who helped define those unforgettable decades.

This week, we’ll explore the history of California’s legendary McCabe’s Guitar Shop, remember iconic rock photographer Jim Marshall, and examine the fascinating creative relationship between two of the most influential forces in popular music: Bob Dylan and The Beatles.

We’ll take a closer look at McCabe’s Guitar Shop, founded in 1958 and known not only as a destination for acoustic and folk instruments but also for its intimate back-room concerts. Over the decades, its stage has welcomed an extraordinary range of performers, including Arlo Guthrie, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Roger McGuinn, Peter Asher, Laurence Juber, Billy J. Kramer, and many others. Guest Peter Alan Lesser will take us inside that history and discuss his work documenting the celebrated Live at McCabe’s concert series.

We’ll also remember legendary photographer Jim Marshall, whose camera captured some of the defining images of 1960s and 70s rock culture. From San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury scene and the Monterey Pop Festival to The Beatles’ final ticketed concert at Candlestick Park in August 1966, Marshall was there for moments that became part of rock and roll history.

Music journalist Joel Selvin and Amelia Davis, who preserves and manages Marshall’s photographic archive, will share stories about the man, his photographs, and his enduring legacy.

Adding another fascinating chapter to the program, New York Times editor and author Jim Windolf joins us to discuss his new book, Where the Music Had to Go: How Bob Dylan and the Beatles Changed Each Other—and the World. We’ll explore the creative relationship and friendly rivalry between Dylan and the Fab Four, and how their mutual influence helped push songwriting and popular music in bold new directions during the 1960s.

Along with these conversations, we’ll feature classic music from the 60s and 70s connected to the artists and stories we’re exploring.

Mark your calendars for a show filled with music, history, photography, and remarkable stories from rock’s golden era. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Thursday, August 13th, 2026

🎶 Peter Alan Lesser

Peter Alan Lesser is a lifelong music enthusiast, concert presenter, and author whose career has been devoted to bringing audiences and musicians together. In the 1980s, Peter and his wife Therese founded the Java Jive Coffee House in Saranac Lake, New York, which led to producing concerts and acoustic music festivals throughout the Adirondacks. He later worked at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and, beginning in 2000, at the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center, better known as “The Egg,” presenting a wide variety of music, dance, and family performances.

After moving to Santa Monica, California, in 2022, Peter turned from presenting music to writing about it. We’ll focus on his work documenting the Live at McCabe’s Guitar Shop concert series and the remarkable history of McCabe’s as an instrument store, repair shop, music school, and intimate concert venue that has hosted generations of celebrated folk, rock, bluegrass, and roots musicians.

peteralanlesser.com

📰 Joel Selvin

Veteran music journalist and author Joel Selvin had both a close personal friendship and an important creative partnership with legendary rock photographer Jim Marshall. Through that relationship, Joel gained a unique perspective on the man behind some of the most recognizable photographs in rock and roll history.

Joel will help us remember Marshall’s extraordinary career and the music culture he documented, including the San Francisco scene of the 1960s, Haight-Ashbury, the Monterey Pop Festival, and many of the legendary musicians who passed before his camera.

joelselvin.com

📸 Amelia Davis

Amelia Davis worked closely with Jim Marshall and today oversees his extraordinary photographic legacy through Jim Marshall Photography LLC. She manages Marshall’s extensive archive and helps preserve and introduce his work to new generations through exhibitions, books, documentaries, and other projects.

Amelia will join Joel Selvin in remembering Jim Marshall and exploring the stories behind his photographs, including his documentation of San Francisco’s music culture, the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, and The Beatles’ historic final ticketed concert at Candlestick Park on August 29th, 1966.

jimmarshallphotographyllc.com

📚 Jim Windolf

Jim Windolf is an editor at The New York Times and author of Where the Music Had to Go: How Bob Dylan and the Beatles Changed Each Other—and the World, a new book exploring the remarkable relationship between two of the most important musical forces of the 1960s.

Jim will discuss the creative relationship, friendly rivalry, and mutual artistic evolution of Bob Dylan and The Beatles, tracing how they influenced and challenged one another as songwriters and recording artists. Their intersecting musical journeys helped transform the possibilities of popular songwriting and played an important role in the rapidly changing sound and culture of the 1960s.

Show Topic: Rock Music History – The Biggest Moments That Happened in August

This Thursday, August 6th, 2026, we’re taking a journey through Rock Music History in the month of August, celebrating the unforgettable moments that helped shape the soundtrack of generations. From the birth of rock and roll in the 1950s through the musical revolutions of the 1960s and 1970s, we’ll revisit the songs, albums, chart-toppers, and landmark events that made August one of the most memorable months on the rock and roll calendar.

Throughout the program, we’ll feature classic recordings that were released during August, songs that climbed the charts, groundbreaking albums that changed popular music, and historic events that still resonate with fans today. Along the way we’ll hear music from many of rock’s biggest names, including The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, The Doors, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Kinks, Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Three Dog Night, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, and many more whose music helped define the golden age of rock.

We’ll also revisit some of the month’s most significant milestones—from legendary concerts and music festivals to important anniversaries, historic recordings, and memorable chart achievements. August has witnessed countless defining moments in rock history, and this special edition brings many of those stories together while celebrating the artists whose music continues to inspire listeners around the world.

Whether you lived through these unforgettable years or you’re discovering the music for the first time, this episode is packed with timeless songs, fascinating stories, and historic moments that helped shape rock and roll. Mark your calendars and join us for this special trip through the history of music. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Thursday, August 6th, 2026

No guest featured for this episode. This special broadcast is dedicated to celebrating the biggest moments in Rock Music History that took place during the month of August.

Show Topic: The Beatles Spotlight – Liverpool, Legendary Collections & Inside the Recording Studio

This Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, we’re dedicating another special edition of The Beatles Spotlight to the music and remarkable legacy of the Fab Four. Throughout the program, you’ll hear nothing but Beatles classics as we continue exploring the people, places, and stories that made John, Paul, George, and Ringo the most influential band in music history.

This week’s guests offer unique perspectives on every stage of the Beatles’ incredible journey. We’ll travel back to Liverpool to discover the city’s rich Beatles heritage, visit one of the world’s finest Beatles museums, learn about a tribute band dedicated to preserving every corner of the Beatles’ catalogue, and step inside Abbey Road Studios to uncover the recording techniques and musical innovations that forever changed popular music.

We’ll also take an in-depth look at Recording the Beatles, the definitive study of the group’s studio sessions, and explore George Martin: The Scores, the landmark publication that reproduces Sir George Martin’s original handwritten orchestral scores and reveals the creative brilliance behind many of the Beatles’ greatest recordings. It’s a fascinating look at how innovation, musicianship, and collaboration combined to create timeless music.

Whether you’re fascinated by Liverpool history, rare Beatles memorabilia, the band’s recording sessions, or simply love the music of the Fab Four, this promises to be another unforgettable Beatles celebration. Mark your calendars and join us for this special edition of The Beatles Spotlight. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Thursday, July 23rd, 2026

🎤 Mike & Bernadette Byrne

Mike and Bernadette Byrne are the founders of The Beatles Story, the world-famous Beatles attraction located at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock. Since opening in May 1990, the museum has welcomed millions of Beatles fans from around the globe and has become one of Liverpool’s premier destinations.

Mike was a Merseybeat musician and knew members of the Beatles during their early years, while Bernadette was a regular at the Cavern Club and developed a close friendship with the band, including dating George Harrison in the early 1960s.

They’ll share personal memories of Liverpool, Beatlemania, and the creation of one of the world’s greatest Beatles attractions.

🏛️ Harlen Brown

Harlen Brown is the curator of the Penny Lane Beatles Museum, home to more than 1,600 Beatles artifacts collected over four decades. His remarkable collection preserves the history and legacy of the Fab Four through rare memorabilia and unique historical pieces.

We’ll discuss the museum’s exciting reopening in St. Petersburg, Florida, this August and hear some of the fascinating stories behind the collection.

https://pennylanebeatlesmuseum.com/

🎸 Apple Jam

Formed in Seattle in 2005, Apple Jam has earned a reputation as one of America’s premier Beatles tribute bands. Rather than relying on costumes or impersonations, the group focuses on faithfully recreating the Beatles’ music with exceptional musicianship.

The band is especially celebrated for performing deep album cuts, solo recordings, rare material, and songs written by the Beatles but never officially released, giving audiences a fresh appreciation of the Fab Four’s remarkable catalogue.

https://applejamband.com/home

🎼 Brian Kehew

Musician, producer, historian, and author Brian Kehew returns to the program to continue our conversation about the Beatles’ revolutionary recording techniques.

As co-author of the acclaimed Recording the Beatles, Brian has spent years researching every aspect of the band’s work at Abbey Road Studios.

We’ll explore the recording equipment used during the Beatles’ sessions—including microphones, mixing consoles, tape machines, speakers, and outboard gear—and discuss George Martin: The Scores, the extraordinary collection of Sir George Martin’s handwritten musical scores and archives that offers an unprecedented insight into the work of the Beatles’ legendary producer.

Show Topic: The Beatles Spotlight – From Liverpool to the Recording Studio

This Monday, July 20th, 2026, we’re devoting the entire show to the music and remarkable legacy of The Beatles. Throughout the program, we’ll feature classics from every era of the Fab Four’s extraordinary career while exploring the stories, people, and places that helped shape the world’s most influential band.

From their beginnings in Liverpool to their groundbreaking studio recordings, this episode offers a fascinating look at the history behind the music.

Joining me is an outstanding panel of Beatles historians, authors, researchers, and recording experts. We’ll visit the historic streets of Liverpool where the Beatles began, examine Beatlemania’s lasting impact in Canada, explore fascinating “what if” moments that could have changed music history, and take an in-depth look at George Martin: The Scores—the extraordinary three-volume collection that opens the door to George Martin’s original handwritten arrangements and offers an unprecedented glimpse into the musical genius behind the Beatles’ recordings.

We’ll also discuss the Quarrymen, the Beatles’ impact on Canada during the height of Beatlemania, the group’s timeless recordings, and the meticulous musical arrangements that helped redefine popular music.

Whether you’re interested in Beatles history, songwriting, recording techniques, or the cultural impact of the Fab Four, this episode offers something for every Beatles fan.

From Penny Lane to Abbey Road, and from Liverpool to the recording studio, this program celebrates the music, innovation, and enduring legacy of the greatest band in rock history.

Mark your calendars for this special Beatles edition. Don’t miss it!

Guest(s) for our show:

Date: Monday, July 20th, 2026

📚 David Bedford

Liverpool historian, Beatles author, and respected tour guide David Bedford returns to share his remarkable knowledge of the city where the Beatles’ story began.

Through his guided tours, David introduces fans to iconic landmarks including Penny Lane, St. Peter’s Church, and the Casbah Coffee Club, bringing Beatles history vividly to life.

We’ll discuss his acclaimed book What If: What Could Have Happened, which explores more than 300 fascinating “what if” scenarios that could have dramatically changed Beatles history. We’ll also talk about his work with the Quarrymen and his continuing efforts to preserve Liverpool’s rich Beatles heritage.

davidabedford.com
beatlestours.co.uk

🍁 Piers Hemmingsen

Canadian Beatles author Piers Hemmingsen joins us to discuss his latest book, The Beatles in Canada: The Evolution 1964–1970, the second volume in his acclaimed series documenting the Beatles’ enormous influence on Canadian music, culture, media, and society.

We’ll also explore the Beatles’ visits to Canada, their impact on Canadian fans, and John Lennon’s memorable performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival, one of the defining moments of his post-Beatles career.

thebeatlesincanada.com

🎙️ Brooke Halpin

Los Angeles-based Beatles author and broadcaster Brooke Halpin has spent decades researching and celebrating the music of the Fab Four.

He is the author of several Beatles books, including Experiencing the Beatles: A Listener’s Companion, Do You Really Know The Beatles?, and A Magical Mystery Time.

Brooke also hosts the radio program Come Together with The Beatles, where he continues to share his passion and extensive knowledge of the band’s music and legacy with listeners around the world.

🎼 Brian Kehew & Kevin Ryan

Music historians, producers, and audio engineers Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan are internationally respected as the co-authors of Recording the Beatles, widely regarded as the definitive reference on the recording techniques, equipment, and studio innovations behind the Beatles’ groundbreaking music.

We’ll focus on their remarkable three-volume publication George Martin: The Scores, which reproduces Sir George Martin’s original handwritten orchestral and musical scores.

The collection offers an unprecedented look into Martin’s genius as arranger and producer, revealing how he helped shape many of the Beatles’ most celebrated recordings.

Show Topic: 60s Music Spotlight – The Raw Energy of Garage Rock

This Thursday, July 16th, 2026, we’re turning up the volume with a special edition of 60s Music Spotlight celebrating the exciting world of Garage Rock. Emerging in the mid-1960s, garage rock became one of the most energetic and influential movements in rock and roll, fueled by the excitement of the British Invasion and the driving rhythms of surf rock. Young musicians across America picked up guitars, formed neighborhood bands, and created a raw, powerful sound that would inspire future generations of rock musicians.

Throughout the show, we’ll revisit the artists whose straightforward, high-energy recordings captured the rebellious spirit of the era. Their music was loud, passionate, and often recorded with minimal production, giving garage rock its unmistakable character. Although many of these bands enjoyed only brief chart success, their influence can still be heard in punk rock, alternative rock, and modern garage bands today.

We’ll feature music from legendary groups including The Kingsmen, The Standells, Count Five, Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Beau Brummels, The 13th Floor Elevators, The Bobby Fuller Four, The Kinks, Tommy James & the Shondells, The Troggs, The Yardbirds, The Music Explosion, The McCoys, Love, and many more. Together, these artists helped define one of the most exciting chapters in 1960s rock music.

Join me as we celebrate the raw sound, unforgettable guitar riffs, and youthful spirit that made garage rock one of the foundations of modern rock and roll.

Mark your calendars for this high-energy trip back to the 1960s.

Don’t miss it!