Lets make it so in 2006. I was wondering if you know about our
international campaign to get Oprah Winfrey to do one show featuring
Beatlefans, young & old, their lives as beatlefans, their memories, as
well as their memorabilia.What was it like growing up loving the
Beatles, what people did for you because they knew you loved the
Beatles, what did your parents think, your brother/sister think. What
did your schoolmates think? How old were you when you became aware of
your feelings for the Beatles? What did you do before & after Paul's
concerts if you went?We are having people e-mail their stories or just
e-mailing their support for the idea to Oprah, a popular talk show host
here in the USA. We need Beatlefans from all countries.Would you be
interested in sending your Beatlefan stories and/or send letter of
support for such a show to Oprah? Please pass this information to
anyone or any site you possibly can.
 Any questions RedRoseSpdwy@AOL.COM
To send your story or letter of support to Oprah go to
http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml
Then click Be On The Show in the middle of page


Sample letter below (before editing)
Dear Oprah
             I write this letter as the excited 8 year old boy watching
Ed Sullivan in 1964, as a father of two little girls getting to know
Paul McCartney & a person who has sung Paul's songs for 40 yrs (in
spite of being off key) I have been attempting to find others who have
the same lifelong passion & lifelong stories about Paul McCartney
similar to mine. . The significance of this passion instilled in my
then 8 yr old heart in 1964- it is very unlikely person or band will
likewise take the world by storm.
            My history as a fan for 41 years follows. I am Rick
Linville, a 49 year old fan from Columbus Ohio.  I have been a Paul
McCartney/Beatles fan since 1963 , when I first started hearing about
the Beatles in the news. My first contact with them was on the Ed
Sullivan Show. I sat one Sunday night in 1964 with my mom,dad, sisters
Kay & Jane & deep down knew my life had just totally changed. I gave up
toys at that point & all desires became Beatle albums. I would organize
Beatle shows with 3 friends at 8 & 9 years old. I always impersonated
Paul McCartney because he was my favorite. We made wooden guitars, used
overturned wastebaskets for drums & pie tins for cymbals. We would
setup on top of my parents big chest freezer in the basement.
Neighborhood girls would pay us 10 cents each to watch our show. We
would play a Beatles record on a small 16 inch by 16 inch "phonograph
(AKA record) player & lip sync. At the end of the show we would run out
of the house with the girls screaming behind us in play. I have always
loved singing Beatle songs(even though family, friends ,even total
strangers would ask me to stop singing) When I was in the third grade
1964 I wore my moms black crushed velvet boots to school because they
looked like the boots on Meet the Beatles. My parents, sisters &
girlfriends , for the next 40 years or so, knew what I would want for
birthdays or Christmas. Initially, the Beatles were so cool looking &
had a cool different sound. Their songs were meaninful & romantic. I
have always loved singing Beatle songs(even though family, friends
,even total strangers would ask me to stop singing)
           As with many Beatlefans, the third most outstanding date in
our lives, behind the discovery & the breakup of the Beatles, was the
violent death of John Lennon. I had loved & respected his music. My
older sister called me from California that evening at 11PM to break
the news to me. I cried that night, as well as weeped with hundreds of
fans at the Ohio Statehouse lawn in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
           I have seen Paul McCartney 7 times in concert, Ringo 3
times, George almost once (1971 canceled) & John never. I saw Paul once
around 1976 with his group Wings. Then I saw him 3 times in 1989.
Before the 1989 tour I found out if you joined his official fan club
you can get preferred seating. So I joined & sent a money order to
England. After 3 weeks I got concerned so I sent another money order. A
lady from England called me at work & said the fan club had received my
first money order. She said the only question-do you want the 2nd money
order returned or an extra pair of tickets for a different show? I
thought I must be dreaming. I said send the extra tickets. I had 2
Cincinnati tickets 18th row. The two extra tickets were for Detroit 8th
row dead center. I was thrilled. A buddy & I went to Detroit to see
him. He was alone on stage singing "Put It There". The song about his
father putting out his hand to shake hands when Paul was an upset
little boy. Everyone was seated while Paul was on stage singing. When
he went into the main chorus, I stood up & put out my hand. He winked,
smiled & nodded at me. I fell back in my seat dumbfounded. It was the
one personal moment I always wanted with Paul. After that show I also
saw him in Cleveland & Cincinnati on that tour. He came back on tour
about 1993 & I saw him in Cincinnati with my soon-to-be wife. In about
2001 he came back on his Driving Rain tour. Another friend & I saw him
in Cleveland & in 2002, on the 2nd leg "Back in the US" tour, saw him
in Columbus Ohio. The interesting thing about the Back In The US
tour-my dying mother knew the greatest gift she could give her then 45
year old son was a main floor seat for the show. Another bonus-my twin
sister Kay, who was ho-hum about the Beatles since we were kids, wanted
to go see him.
           So Kay, myself & two other friends went to the Columbus
show. Before the concert, we went to the venue early to see some
Beatles impersonators band. While we were waiting for the doors to
open, we decided to go over by the limousine entrance. I thought what a
waste of time, but I agreed. While we stood there for 15 minutes with
20 other people, an English guy said Mr McCartney will be arriving in
5 minutes. Please do not rush the limo or he will not slow down for a
wave & photos. Pauls entourage (4 limos & police escort motorcycles)
arrived & I handed the camera to my sister, thinking I might be the one
to get too excited to get the picture. Paul pulls up, pops his head out
the window & begins waving. My 45 year old sister begins screaming &
jumpimg up & down. She messed up the most important photo & got a photo
of the front door of the limo. That broke my heart. So we went on in to
the concert.
          I finally stepped up to a microphone & sang Live & Let Die
(without musical backing) on 3/18/05. It was "The Step Up To The Mike
Columbus" American idol type contest for local singers.  I saw it
advertised on a news show at PM. So I drove down to see how many people
were lined up downtown at the Promowest Pavilion. Pretty long line but
I decided why not.  My sisters Kay & Jane probably got the biggest kick
out of me, of all people, being in a singing contest. But it was fun. I
told everyone as we waited that people often ask me to stop singing. I
also joked my wife makes me lip sync in church.
             I was talking to a couple sitting behind me in the 13th
row from the stage before the US Tour Columbus concert this past
October. I told them I will be unable to buy any tour merchandise.The
damage to my car in a burglary was not covered by insurance. It
happened while waiting in a hotel lobby for Paul McCartney to possibly
pass through (he never did appear) The couple said they talked it over,
have 2 concert programs in the car & want me to have one of the
programs. I gave them my address while I pinched myself to see if I was
dreaming. Sure enough, 2 days ago I received the program PLUS a sealed
clear box of greeting cards with McCartney artwork on each card.
Priceless...even though I had to use my t-shirts & cups money for car
repair, I still walked away with a souvenier. Does anyone know where
these cards came from?
             In conclusion,Oprah, My wish is for you to dedicate a show
to Beatlefan stories. Again, I write this letter as the 8 year old boy
watching Ed Sullivan with an adrenalin rush & now a 49 year old man
with that same
 adrenalin, hoping to see Paul McCartney again in October this year . I
am RICK LINVILLE-Columbus, Ohio/USA 
RedRoseSpdwy@aol.com