It's Sid Bernstein Calling: Sid Bernstein, the Promoter Who Rocked America: The Beatles, Elvis, Abba, Tony Bennett, Judy Garland ... Book

It's not every day that you make the most important phone call of your life based on a wish and a hunch. But that's exactly what promoter Sid Bernstein did when, feeling that the time was right for the Beatles to play America, he placed a single call to Brian Epstein and arranged the pop group's history-making event at Carnegie Hall. A year later, Sid presented John, Paul, George and Ringo to a sold-out Shea Stadium. That unforgettable performance, the first concert in a venue that large, changed the face of music. "It's SID BERNSTEIN Calling . . ." is America's premier impresario's exciting ride through the decades with many of the twentieth century's greatest personalities. As a promoter, his extraordinary vision and instinct was evident during rock-and-roll's "British Invasion," when he imported a tidal wave of English bands-the Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, Moody Blues, The Kinks and others-to American shores. All the while, Sid, with his incomparable music savvy, was pivotal in the careers of James Brown, Ray Charles, John Denver, Joan Baez, Miles Davis-a veritable Who's Who in the recording industry. Also a rebuilder of dreams, Sid was instrumental in the triumphant comebacks of legends Tony Bennett and Judy Garland. Sid takes us on his professional and personal journey, from high points such as his marriage to Broadway singer Geraldine Gale and appointment as Ambassador from Liverpool, through the incredible low points, like the breakup of his chart-topping group, the Young Rascals and the shocking death of John Lennon. We get an intimate look at Sid and the many celebrities he met along the way: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Ed Sullivan, Barbra Streisand, Paul Newman, Shirley MacLaine, the members of ABBA, even George and Barbara Bush! In "It's SID BERNSTEIN Calling . . ." we're propelled into the world of show business and, through Sid's recollections, get to know some of its biggest stars. We do so gladly, listening with our hearts to this man who was always one step ahead of the beat-paving milestones in entertainment history.Read More