Brian Epstein Project relaunch widens legacy appeal for 'fifth Beatle'

A Liverpool-led campaign to commemorate late Beatle manager Brian Epstein has been re-launched under a new name and with a wider focus.

The Brian Epstein Legacy Project was originally unveiled as the Brian Epstein Statue Project in September 2019 with the aim of raising £60,000 for a statue of the city-born musical entrepreneur.

Now, following a pause in the campaign due to the impact of the pandemic, a fresh appeal has been launched which hopes to raise £100,000.

The funds will be used to create the statue, which will be sculpted by Andy Edwards – the artist behind the Beatles statue on the Pier Head – and sited in a city centre location, but also to help nurture the next generation of musical talent.

So far £20,000 has been raised – including an anonymous donation of £10,000 – towards the total.

Tom Calderbank, who is leading the project, explains: “Following the pause in our campaign due to the pandemic, we’ve now got fresh wind in our sails.

“Once completed, however, the sculpture will be only phase one of the wider project.

“Phase two aims to raise at least another £40,000 to establish a musical instrument library, to give access to music to underprivileged young people across the Liverpool City Region and help develop the next generation of talent.

“Phase three will then look further afield to see what can be achieved to celebrate and develop Brian’s legacy.”

Andy Edwards with his maquettes of the proposed Brian Epstein statue

The committee driving the appeal has also revealed a new international partnership with the Iowa Rock ‘n’ Roll Music Association Hall of Fame & Museum in the US.

Although there are around 70 statues of the Beatles across the world, the Brian Epstein statue would be the first commemorating the man who took them from the Cavern and set them on a path to ‘the toppermost of the poppermost’ – becoming the most famous band the world has ever known.

It led to him being dubbed the 'Fifth Beatle'.

Epstein, who died in 1967 aged 32, also nurtured the talents of Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Moody Blues, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas and The Scafford.

For more details and to donate to the appeal, visit the website HERE