In the history of The Beatles, a number of people have been dubbed the "fifth Beatle." But only one of them has gone down in music history books as the unluckiest musician of all time. Pete Best played drums for the ensemble in its early days, but was kicked out just before they had their big break.
The band members met in Liverpool and met in Pete Best's mother's house. In her cellar, they opened the legendary Casbah music club, where John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison hung out.
Pete Best played with The Beatles during their time in Hamburg in the early 1960s. The group spent about a year and a half performing in small clubs in the northern German city.
They returned to Liverpool as a well-established band and, in the summer of 1962, experienced their big breakthrough. They had a record contract in the bag, were scheduled for a television appearance, and their first single was in the works.
Out with Pete Best, in with Ringo Starr
But on August 16, 1962, Pete Best's time with The Beatles came to an end. Two years after it had begun, manager Brian Epstein fired him, saying the band didn't want him around anymore. Soon after, their first megahit, "Love Me Do," was released with Ringo Starr at the drum set.
Pete Best still doesn't know exactly why he was kicked out. Some said he was too quiet and too moody. Another rumor was that the others were jealous of his good looks. But the official reason was that Pete Best wasn't the best drummer for the job.
Best led a quiet post-Beatles life
After he was fired, Pete Best didn't have contact with anyone from the band. He observed his ex-friends' skyrocketing success from a distance. In 1965 - the year in which The Beatles played the biggest live show of their career in New York and met their idol Elvis Presley - Best tried to take his own life. However, his mother and brother managed to hinder his suicide attempt.
Best gave up music and became a public servant at Liverpool's employment bureau. For many years, he didn't even tell his own daughters that he'd once been a Beatle.
It wasn't until 1988 that Best started making music again with a small band of his own. When "The Beatles Anthology" album was released in 1995, which included the band's early recordings, Best got lots of attention and praise for his role - 35 years after his break with the group.
Click through the gallery above for a look at five individuals, including Pete Best, who have been dubbed the "fifth Beatle" at some point over the course of pop music history.
FAQs
Billy Preston
Preston first met the Beatles in 1962, but his "Fifth Beatle" claim originated in January 1969 when Harrison invited him to join them for recording sessions in order to defuse tensions in the band.
Who has been called the fifth beatle? ›
Billy Preston
Preston first met the Beatles in 1962, but his "Fifth Beatle" claim originated in January 1969 when Harrison invited him to join them for recording sessions in order to defuse tensions in the band.
Who was the fifth Beatle DJ? ›
Murray Kaufman (February 14, 1922 – February 21, 1982), professionally known as Murray the K, was an influential New York City rock and roll impresario and disc jockey of the 1950s, '60s and '70s. During the early days of Beatlemania, he frequently referred to himself as the fifth Beatle.
Was there a 6th Beatle? ›
Technically, there were six Beatles as defined by actually being members of the band: John, Paul, George, Stu, Pete, and Ringo. These are the only ones to ever be full band members. Stu left after their Hamburg period (and died soon after).
Why was George Best called the fifth Beatle? ›
With his handsomeness, dark Beatle mop-top hair and playboy lifestyle, Best became one of the first media celebrity footballers, earning the nickname "o Quinto Beatle" by Portuguese press reporters after a stand-out performance for Manchester United in Lisbon in March 1966.
Who are all 5 Beatles? ›
The original drummer of The Beatles, Pete Best performed with the group during their early days when it was a five-man lineup: Best, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe. He went with the band to Hamburg, Germany, but was let go in 1962 and replaced with Ringo Starr.
Was Yoko Ono the Fifth Beatle? ›
No, there were only four Beatles. Yoko was, however, the only non-Beatle to have a vocal solo on a Beatle song.
Who is the forgotten Beatle? ›
The forgotten Beatle was Clarence. Many people consider Brian Epstein the Fifth Beatle, as the band's manager from 1962 until his death in August 1967 who was instrumental in making them famous.
Who was the fifth Beatle Pete? ›
Randolph Peter Best (né Scanland; born 24 November 1941) is an English musician who was the drummer for the Beatles from 1960 to 1962. He was dismissed immediately before the band achieved worldwide fame and is one of several people who have been referred to as a fifth Beatle.
Which Beatle abandoned his son? ›
Julian, 35, is the Sixties child of John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia; he was abandoned by his father when he was five and only recently received a share of the vast Lennon estate. Sean, 22, is the favoured son, for whom John Lennon became a househusband.
Which Beatle died last? ›
Lennon was murdered in 1980, and Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001. McCartney and Starr remain musically active. The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time, with estimated sales of 600 million units worldwide.
Who was the most intelligent Beatle? ›
John Lennon could be impulsive, brash and eccentric but there's no doubt that he was extremely intelligent. He was brilliant enough to have Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr join his band and become, in my opinion, the best ever act in the world.
Who is the true 5th Beatle? ›
There was an actual fifth Beatle, Pete Best, the drummer replaced by Ringo Starr. But George Martin, The Beatles' producer, was instrumental in developing The Beatles sound. For this reason he gets credit as the fifth Beatle. George Martin was classically trained and had a keen ear for music.
Who was the unofficial fifth Beatle? ›
"If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George." That's what Paul McCartney said in his memorial post when George Martin died in 2016. Sure, Lennon talked down Martin's contribution in the early '70s, but he was raging against damn near everyone around then so we can take that with a pinch of salt.
Who is the most beloved Beatle? ›
Paul McCartney is Americans' most beloved Beatle
People who said they loved at least one Beatle were asked which of those they love is their favorite. McCartney tops this list as well, by a bigger margin: 45% say he is their favorite.
Why was George Martin called the 5th Beatle? ›
He was commonly referred to as the "fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the Beatles' original albums. Martin's formal musical expertise and interest in novel recording practices facilitated the group's rudimentary musical education and desire for new musical sounds to record.
Which icon has been called the Fifth Beatle? ›
Epstein, Martin or another member of the band's entourage was sometimes informally referred to as a "fifth Beatle".
Who was the missing Beatle? ›
Storyline. The Beatles - John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr? But Lennon's artist roommate Stuart Sutcliffe was there at the start, playing bass. And his style forever shaped the band.
