Tony Sheridan R.I.P.

Tony Sheridan, a friend and mentor to The Beatles, who backed him on stage and on record, died Saturday.

Tony Sheridan, a friend and mentor to The Beatles, who backed him on stage and on record while both were based in Hamburg, Germany, died Saturday. He was 72.

A pioneering U.K. rocker who never attained the fame of Cliff Richard, Sheridan was credited with being the first British musician to play electric guitar on TV. He toured with such American stars as Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Chubby Checker and Jerry Lee Lewis. In September of '61, he sang lead on the Bert Kaempfert-produced session for "My Bonnie," backed by the foursome (then including Pete Best) billed as The Beat Brothers.

A few years later his Beatles connection landed him work performing for U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, where one of his band members was killed by hostile gunfire. He was later made an honorary captain of the U.S. Army for his heroism.

Americans had a final chance to meet Tony Sheridan at last fall's BeatleFair in San Diego. When he returned to Germany, he needed heart surgery from which he never recovered.

Sources: Rolling Stone, London Telegraph