Fan Stories: Erin Smith

 

Erin Smith enjoying her holiday in Pompeii.

Today on this first day of May we have another Beatles fan story! So without any further ado, here she is, the amazing Erin Smith!

1. What's your name?

 Erin Smith

2. How old/young are you? 

30

3. Where are you in the world? 

Northern Illinois

4. What is your earliest Beatles memory?

The thing that always sticks in my mind as the moment when I fell head over heels for The Beatles is this:  I had just turned 11 and was going with my family on a road trip to visit some relatives in Connecticut.  I brought my portable CD player, headphones and various CDs with for the car in case I got bored with my parents’ choice of radio stations. I should mention that this was the mid-‘90s; I don’t think we had a car with a CD player until a few years later.   

My dad had brought a few of his own CDs with including his favorite Beatles album, Abbey Road.  I knew my dad was a Beatles fan, but I always made fun of him for still liking such an “old” band.  But on the second day of our trip, I had already grown tired of the music I had brought with and decided to pop in Abbey Road.  I had heard my dad play this album at home a few times but had never really paid much attention to it. But for whatever reason something clicked this time; it was like I was hearing it for the very first time. 

I sat completely transfixed as “Come Together” started and as the album played on I couldn’t believe I had so easily dismissed this band before.  By the time “Her Majesty” ended, I was in love.  I started rummaging around through the CDs, anxious to find another Beatles album, but to my complete horror Abbey Road was the only one he had brought with.  I peppered my dad (who I think was pretty bemused with my new overnight obsession) with endless questions about the Beatles throughout that trip, and by the time we got home I listened to his other Beatles albums (although I was in shock that he only possessed 5 of the 13.  This changed very quickly.), and was reading any book I could find on them.   

Shortly after my summer of discovery, The Beatles Anthology premiered on ABC.  I could not believe my luck.  The Beatles were everywhere: on the cover of magazines, on TV, on the radio.  It was like they were making this resurgence just for me!  

5. Did you ever attend a Beatles concert between 1960 and 1966?

Sadly no, as I was not born yet!  My dad was 12 during their last concert in Chicago at Comiskey Park in ’66.  When I asked him once why in the world he didn’t go (or at least try to get a ticket) he told me he didn’t discover the Beatles until the mid ‘70s, when they had already broken up.  Hmmph.   ;) 

6. Have you met any of the Beatles? Or anyone associated with them? 

I shook George’s sister Louise’s hand at my first Fest for Beatles Fans in 1997.  And I was once seated two tables away from Victor Spinetti, although I did not have the pleasure of meeting him.

7. Have you ever seen John, Paul, George or Ringo on a solo tour/appearance?

 I have seen Paul once (his ’05 U.S. tour).  I am dying to see him at least once more, as it was such an amazing show! How he makes you feel like you’re the only one he’s singing to in a room full of hundreds of screaming fans is beyond me.  And I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ringo four times (three times with his All Starr Band, once on his own)

8. In what way have the Beatles inspired you? Did you take up a career because of them?   

The Beatles inspire me in countless ways.   They inspire me to always have a sense of humor, to stand up for myself, to fight for what I believe in.  They inspire me to see as much of the world as I can, to try to find the positive in any situation and to always try to have an open mind.  They’ve inspired in ways that probably  haven’t even occurred to me yet!  I could not be more grateful for this band, and I am of the firm belief that you can’t not come away a little happier, a little more enlightened after listening to a Beatles song.  

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We are very thankful to Erin for taking the time to answer our questions and we want more fan stories so head on over to our Fans page to answer the questions and send them in for us to feature on the blog!