The legendary Pete Best, who played drums for The Beatles during their formative years in Liverpool and Hamburg, has made a significant announcement about his musical journey.
According to PEOPLE, Pete Best, the original drummer of The Beatles before Ringo Starr, has officially announced his retirement from live performances and personal appearances at age 83.
The news was first shared by Best's brother Roag Best on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, April 5, through a heartfelt post featuring a photo of the siblings together. The announcement cited personal circumstances as the reason behind Best's decision to step away from performing with his group.
Best joined the Beatles in 1960 when they were still known as the Quarrymen, marking the beginning of a significant chapter in rock music history. His connection to the band started through his mother's ownership of the Casbah Coffee Club, a venue that hosted some of the Beatles' earliest performances.
During his two-year tenure with the band from 1960 to 1962, Best performed alongside John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, making his debut with the group in Hamburg, Germany.
The partnership came to an abrupt end when Parlophone Records executive George Martin's decision to sign the band didn't include Best.
Best reflected on this pivotal moment in his career during a 2020 interview with The Irish Times, sharing:
We were rockers, we were little hardies, we could handle ourselves. But when I got back home and I told my mother what happened, behind the sanctuary of the front door, I cried like a baby.
Following his departure from the band, Best's life took several interesting turns. He married his wife Kathy, whom he met at a Beatles concert, in 1963. His professional journey led him through various careers, including working at a bakery and an employment agency.
Best later returned to music, forming the Pete Best Band with his brother. The group released their album "Haymans Green" in 2008, demonstrating Best's continued passion for music despite his earlier setback.
As of March 2020, Best maintained that he had not spoken to any surviving Beatles since his departure. When discussing Paul McCartney, Best expressed a remarkably mature perspective:
I've no regrets. I think I'm a lucky guy. I'm very proud of what I've achieved as a person, of the examples I've set to people to get on with your life, to pick yourself up. I've been an inspiration. And I'm proud of that.
Pete Best, often referred to as the "fifth Beatle," has concluded his remarkable journey in the music industry after decades of performances and personal appearances.
The announcement came through his brother Roag Best's social media post, with Pete himself confirming the news with a simple yet poignant message: "I had a blast. Thank you."
Best's retirement marks the end of an era for Beatles enthusiasts and music historians alike. While his time with the legendary band was brief, his contributions to their early sound can still be heard on their 1990s compilation album "Anthology 1," serving as a lasting testament to his role in shaping the early days of what would become the world's most influential rock band.
