The Beatles Bible - Topic: Who gave John his first harmonica?

mithveaen on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 04:36:06 +0100

Thanks so much for your answer!! I already posted the info to my 2 young Beatlefriends

goodbyehello on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:09:42 +0100

I saw that too- I was googling to find my source. I want to say I read it in a "twist of Lennon"- but I have read so many books I really am not sure which one it was. It stood out to me though because I thought it was an awesome gesture.

Joe on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 21:01:36 +0100

I didn't know the fans had paid the owner, but they've done all right out of the connection. Some links:

The Beatles at Bergmann

Buy a harmonica with an Imagine written on it (for some reason) and get a "stolen one" certificate

And from the comments on this page:

Today, on a Dutch talkshow an old lady who still runs a music instrument shop in Arnhem told that in the 80's she heard the story of John stealing a mouth organ in Arnhem and realised that this had happened in her shop. She remembered some very strange looking English boys coming ...

Zig on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 20:39:17 +0100

goodbyehello said
I read somewhere that years ago some fans had managed to track the place down that John Lennon had stolen the harmonica from and paid the shop owner for it.

If that is true, it is an epic gesture. Can you recall your source?

goodbyehello on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 17:25:13 +0100

I read somewhere that years ago some fans had managed to track the place down that John Lennon had stolen the harmonica from and paid the shop owner for it.

mr. Sun king coming together on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 13:43:23 +0100

The first harmonica was given to John from George Smith (Mimi's husband). He later nicked one in Germany because he had had the first one for a very long time (at least ten years).

meanmistermustard on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 09:31:38 +0100

Wiki.answers comes up with this (it was the first site i came across in a search to give an answer)

John Lennon was given a harmonica by his uncle George when he was a child, and after his uncle's death began to teach himself. Having played harmonica through early Beatles gigs, John developed his technique in 1962 when the Beatles were on tour with Bruce Channel, and Bruce's harmonica player Delbert McClinton's gave John some tips which influenced John's playing on the Beatles' debut single 'Love Me Do".

John stole the harmonica he used on Love Me Do from a shop in Arnhem in ...

mithveaen on Who gave John his first harmonica?

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 05:14:56 +0100

HI guys

Two of my students have a question about how John got his first harmonica. Was it a present from his uncle (Mimi's husband) or did he steal it??

Thanks!!