#tonybooth

16th January 1957 - ∞

Happy Birthday to the Cavern Club, who celebrate their 60th anniversary today! 

From The Cavern Club today: 

Legendary Liverpool artist, and very good friend of the Cavern, Tony Booth, has unfortunately passed away. Tony created many of the early Cavern posters and was recently commissioned to create our latest 60th Anniversary poster. He was a truly lovely man and will be missed greatly. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this terribly sad time. 

“I must have produced many hundreds of hand painted posters for Beatle gigs and shows by other popular groups. I was only paid five bob for each one, but it was non-stop work.

“I got to know Brian Epstein and the Beatles very well.

“It was great to be part of what was happening in Liverpool when Merseybeat was born, though we never knew how big it would become.”  

[Tony Booth, 2016]

Some of the many Cavern Club and early Beatles concert posters made by artist, Tony Booth, and captured in the backgrounds of many contemporary photos of Liverpool and the Cavern. 

Tony, from Moreton, Wirral, was hired by Brian Epstein to do "a few posters and show cards for his shops" before moving on to hand-painted concert posters.

In August last year, Tony staged his first exhibition at View Two Gallery on Mathew Street during International Beatleweek. For the exhibition he reproduced 40 of his favourite posters with the same materials he used more than 50 years ago. (Featured previously here)

One of Tony's last commissions was a poster for The Cavern Club's 60th anniversary celebrations (The 60th anniversary of the Cavern opening is today, 16th January).

Sadly, Tony passed away after a battle with cancer, last week, on the 11th January 2017. 

"He started his career with The Cavern Club and finished his career with The Cavern Club.

"I've had posters around me all my life, they're part of Liverpool's history".

[Lee Booth, Tony’s son, BBC News, 12th January 2017].

Posters: Tony Booth. http://thebeatlesposters.com/