1964 Fans,

We unreservedly apologize for the cancellation of the Seattle show scheduled for July 24, 2010 and hope that a new show will be rescheduled.


What happened:

1964 was up and at the airport at 4:00am ready for travel to Seattle when their flight was canceled with mechanical problems.

As a result of extremely bad weather conditions (in the Detroit area) Friday night and Saturday, they could not get booked on any other later flights. These flights were completely over booked, as a result of the conditions the previous days. They did try, but they were essentially at the back of the line behind all the others who missed their flights too.

The airline did their best, and would have been able to get 1964's equipment there, and maybe even a band member, but the entire band would not have been able to make it there in time together, all at once for the show.

There was not even a rent-a-car available, as they too were all taken.

So, before the rumors start: EVERYBODY is FINE, they are all SAFE, and are now "unwillingly" well rested.

In talking with Mark Benson, it appears that this has happened about 4 times in their 26 year history.

2 Jul 2010 (Fri):

Auburn Hills MI...Meadow Brook Music Festival

3 Jul 2010 (Sat):

Angola IN...Trine University - Hershey Hall

5 Jul 2010 (Mon):

Indianapolis IN...Beef & Boards

6 Jul 2010 (Tue):

Indianapolis IN...Beef & Boards

7 Jul 2010 (Wed):

Traverse City MI...National Cherry Festival

9 Jul 2010 (Fri):

Knoxville TN...Tennessee Theatre

10 Jul 2010 (Sat):

Sylvania OH...Centennial Terrace

14 Jul 2010 (Wed):

Boston MA...Private function

15 Jul 2010 (Thu):

Englewood NJ...Bergen Performing Arts Center

16 Jul 2010 (Fri):

Westbury NY...Theatre At Westbury

18 Jul 2010 (Sun):

Hamburg NY...Private Function

23 Jul 2010 (Fri):

Charlevoix MI...Venetian Festival

24 Jul 2010 (Sat):

Seattle WA...Marymoor Park

30 Jul 2010 (Fri):

Minneapolis MN...Orchestra Hall

31 Jul 2010 (Sat):

Alexandria VA...Birchmere Music Hall

June 2010 Schedule:

3 Jun 2010 (Thu):

St. Charles MO...Ameristar Casino

4 Jun 2010 (Fri):

Iowa City IA...Englert Theatre

5 Jun 2010 (Sat):

Rosemont IL...Rosemont Theatre

19 Jun 2010 (Sat):

Bardstown KY...J. Dan Talbott Amphitheatre

25 Jun 2010 (Fri):

Tulsa OK...Tulsa Performing Arts Center

26 Jun 2010 (Sat):

Middleburg Heights OH...Summer In the City Festival

Many people often ask me "what is the most difficult part of shooting 1964, is it the poor lighting conditions? Is it subject motion in low light? Is it the angle of where you are relative to the stage?". Well...NO...its Tom Work! Tom has systematically figured out how to block every member of 1964 PERFECTLY! He is quite sly and devious. He'll tell you that he doesn't do it on purpose, Don't you believe it! I'm here to tell you...HE DOES. Please note the perfection in the placement of the Gretsch headstock blocking Mark. Also, you can easily discern his slightly devious and deliberate smirk coming across his face...yeah, he KNOWS he is messing up the shot.



Please note the quality of this photo, Sharpness where you want it, mood of light and color. Also note the subjects, all three in the picture. The retouched quality is perfect! Then TOM pulls his block maneuver and then bamo!...shot lost forever.

How many of you guys have pictures like this. I am willing to bet there are tons!

Please help me confirm this, and send me your BEST shots that were ruined by this insidious devil of picture killer!

Send to: 1964@3rdAlternative.Com

May  Schedule

5/1-Cincinnati OH…McAuley Performing Arts Center

5/8-Lawrence MA…Lawrence H.S. Performing Arts Center

5/21-Salt Lake City UT…Abravanel Hall

5/22-Carmel CA…Sunset Center

5/23-Fresno CA…Tower Theatre

5/29-Simpsonville SC…Freedom Weekend Aloft-Heritage Park Amph.-3:30pm

5/31-Roanoke VA…Roanoke Festival In The Park

April Schedule

4/11-Youngstown OH..Stambaugh Auditorium

4/15-Chicago IL…Private Event

4/16-Enid OK…Chisolm Trail Expo Center

4/17-Texarkana TX…Perot Theatre

4/22-York PA…The Pullo Center

4/23-Reading PA…Sovereign Performance Arts Center

4/24-Claremont NH…Claremont Opera House

March 2010 Schedule:

4 Mar 2010 (Thu): Easton MD...Avalon Theatre
5 Mar 2010 (Fri): Pittsburgh PA...Benedum Center
12 Mar 2010 (Fri): Rockford IL...Coronado Theatre
13 Mar 2010 (Sat): Madison WI...Barrymore Theatre
22 Mar 2010 (Mon): Orlando FL...Private Function



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As many of you know, 1964 has been using a stand-in while Gary Grimes has been away on medical leave. But most of you know very little about him.

I have met and hung out with Todd on many occasions, and he is absolutely a "stand-up" guy! Probably one of the nicest people I have met since I can remember. His personality is a perfect compliment to the personality and character of the rest of the 1964 group.

Having what is quite conceivably, some of the biggest shoes to fill in the "Beatle Tribute Band" industry, Todd was well aware of the legend created by Gary Grimes' portrayal of Paul McCartney. Todd accepted his new post with much apprehension and trepidation. "I was really nervous about coming into this band, but all the guys have been great in helping me work through this and supporting me".

I asked Todd how different 1964 is from some of the other bands he has worked with? "It's true that no other band goes through the scrutiny and detail that 1964 does, its was really quite overwhelming". "I know there are a lot of true Beatlemanics out there watching everything we do, and expecting nothing less than perfection from this band".

"Coming into 1964 is one of the hardest things I have ever done". "In the beginning, I had a real difficult time adjusting to  the different way 1964 does their monitors, so my singing was a little off". "It took me quite a while to adjust, but I think I'm doing okay now".

"I know I could never replace Gary Grimes, I just want to be the best that I can be, and put on a good show for everyone."

I have included the bio which appeared in the NYC playbill (courtesy of Mark Johnson) for your perusal.



Todd vividly remembers the first Beatles song he heard - “I Saw her Standing There” - when he was 4 years old. Shortly after, he got his first guitar and his Mom taught him 3 chords - G, C and D. Later in life he frequently found himself at Karaoke night in local establishments where he sang mostly Beatles songs, often “Long Tall Sally” and “She’s A Woman” - a couple of his favorites.

In 1996, Todd answered an ad that read "John and George looking for a Paul and Ringo to form Beatles tribute act". Todd responded, and that led to them forming the Detroit based show called "Shout!”. In 1997 the band performed at Beatlefest in Chicago, where they won the festivals battle of the bands. “I played right handed bass”, he says. “After being mobbed for pics and photos after the show, I was inspired to enhance my portrayal of "Paul" by learning to play left-handed and to see what could come of this new found hobby of performing in a Beatles tribute act”.

Shortly after, Todd’s bandmates told him of a national Beatles show that they wanted him to see. The show they were referring to was 1964 The Tribute"!! After seeing 1964 in Kalamazoo, MI at the State Theater later that year, he says “I was blown away as are most people who see them”. Ironically, the following year Todd would get a call from Mark Benson asking him to fill in for Gary Grimes in this very same venue! I would be asked several times in the future to do so Todd recalls, and now - here I am at Carnegie Hall!

In recent years, Todd performed in several Beatles shows before joining 1964. He currently lives in Mount Morris, MI on a 10 acre horse ranch with 3 horses and numerous other farm animals. He also spent many years as a masonry contractor, and notably, renovated Aretha Franklin’s home in Detroit. His musical influences include The Beatles (naturally), Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Ted Nugent.

Todd has a 7 year old son named Nicholas.