Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans with Kenneth Womack

Registration Status:
Closed

Event Date:
4/17/2024

Event Time:
6:00 pm

Category:
Club Programs

Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans

Malcolm Evans, the Beatles' long-time roadie, personal assistant, and devoted friend, was an invaluable member of the band's inner circle. A towering figure in horn-rimmed glasses, Evans loomed large in the Beatles' story, contributing at times as a performer and sometime lyricist, while struggling to protect his beloved "boys." He was there for the whole of the group's remarkable story: from the Shea Stadium triumph through the creation of the timeless cover art for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the famous Let It Be rooftop concert. 

In the years after the Beatles' disbandment, Big Mal continued in their employ as each embarked on solo careers. By 1974, he was determined to make his name as a songwriter and record producer, setting off for a new life in Los Angeles, where he penned his memoirs. But in January 1976, on the verge of sharing his book with the world, Evans's story came to a tragic end during a domestic standoff with the LAPD.
For Beatles devotees, Mal's life and untimely death have always been shrouded in mystery, and his diaries, manuscripts, and memorabilia were thought missing for decades. In a presentation based on his full access to Mal's unpublished archives and hundreds of new interviews, Beatles scholar and author Kenneth Womack reveals the unknown story at the heart of the Beatles' legend. Along the way, he shares unseen photos and ephemera that supply the missing puzzle piece in the Fab Four's incredible story. 
Womack's book Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans (Dey Street Books) is available for purchase and signing.

Dr. Kenneth Womack is Professor of English and Popular Music at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. He is the author or editor of more than 40 books, including Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of the Beatles (2007), the Cambridge Companion to the Beatles (2009), The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four (2014), and a multivolume study devoted to the life and work of Beatles producer George Martin. His most recent book, the bestselling Living the Beatles Legend, traces the story of Beatles road manager Mal Evans. People magazine feted the book as "a Holy Grail for fans, offering an extended look into the band," while Rolling Stone extolled it as "a fascinating and essential look at the Fab Four saga, starring the loyal Liverpool mate who went through the highest highs and lowest lows with them, always by their side, until his shocking death." The Music Culture writer for Salon and the host of their "Everything Fab Four" podcast, Womack has also served as a guest author at Slate, Billboard, Variety, The Guardian, The Independent, NBC News, Time and USA Today. Over the years, he has shared his work with public libraries and community organizations across the world, including audiences at Princeton University, Harvard University, the Smithsonian Institution, the Grammy Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the 92nd Street Y. 

6:00 pm reception; 6:30 pm lecture. Advance registrations required. 


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