tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3407624264627208128.post6320552187285473119..comments2024-01-26T21:38:25.924-08:00Comments on Duane's PoeTree: Timothy Spearman writesDuanesPoeTreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053093400086634552noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3407624264627208128.post-65660379200742613702018-08-24T12:34:24.221-07:002018-08-24T12:34:24.221-07:00On 17 September 1969 Tim Harper published "Is...On 17 September 1969 Tim Harper published "Is Beatle Paul McCartney Dead?" in the student newspaper for Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The article cited clues from recent albums, including backwards recordings. The rumor was propagated by "Uncle' Russ Gibb on the Detroit radio station WKNR-FM on 12 October and again on "The Beatle Plot," a 2-hour special aired on 19 October. Two days later Roby Yonge devoted more than an hour on his WABV radio station in New York, leading to his being fired on air. Before the end of the month the Mystery Tour released "The Ballad of Paul," Billy Shears & the All Americans released "Brother Paul," and José Feliciano (as Werbley Finster) recorded "So Long Paul." Much of the material provided as evidence was compiled or concocted by University of Michigan student Fred LaBour, who (as "Too Slim") founded the Western swing group Riders in the sky in 1977. Beatles spokemen vigorously denied the rumors from early on, but John Lennon sarcastically referred to "Those freaks was right when they said you was dead" in "How Do You Sleep?,' his 1971 diatribe against his former bandmate. In 1993 the cover of the Paul McCartney album "Paul Is Live" parodied the clues allegedly contained on the 1969 "Abbey Road" album that helped fuel the story.DuanesPoeTreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17053093400086634552noreply@blogger.com