JFK’s Death and The Beatles

Joey Gee and The Bluetones
Battle of the Bands

This is a remembered experience after the death of John F. Kennedy and how his death affected us. 

I had a rock ‘n’ roll band at that time in the Iron Mountain, Michigan area.

We performed at the Armory and other dance places. 

This is my story… (see below)

Joe

JFK’s Death and The Beatles

President Kennedy's Family
Left to Right:  Caroline, John-John, Jacqueline, and President John "Jack" Kennedy

The whole nation, and the world, was shocked.  Those of us, who were teens at that time, felt helpless and depressed.

How could our beloved President -- so young with a beautiful family and so optimistic -- be gunned down by one man? It just could not happen!

That day, November 22, 1963 still brings out sadness in many of us. Our innocence had been taken.
 

I had a local rock ‘n’ roll band at that time. We performed that following weekend. Not many young people showed up and the ones that did seemed so down and only a handful danced.
 

The Beatles, already a sensation in the UK, released "Please, Please Me," in December 1963 and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in America.  The songs and The Beatles became instant hits.

It seemed to get us out of the doldrums.
 

We now had music that related to us and that we could relate to, as well. 

It felt good to see the teens dancing again and talking about The Beatles who, on February 7, 1964, landed at JFK International Airport with thousands of people wanting to see them.
 

The Ed Sullivan show was next.  We were all glued to our TV sets to see them.

The British rock ‘n’ roll invasion continued with other bands coming our way.
 

I can understand what the teens and young people are going through today after the shock of the presidential election outcome.

I noticed the next day after Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump the young kids were blue again wondering and ‘how could this have happened?’

Almost like grieving a death in some ways and many not old enough to vote.

Of course, death is final.

But electing a President happens every four years so they will learn from this.

I hope they can keep their spirits up.  We all have to do this.

This is still the United States of America.