Uncle Murray and The Beatles

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My mother was a gifted piano player, harpist and singer. She played in the Cornell University orchestra and twice in Carnegie Hall. During her youth, she would commute by train from Oceanside N.Y. to New York City for advanced lessons. While she was there, she became close friends with Murray Kaufman better known as “Murray the K”. Murray was a well-known DJ in New York with WINS , renowned for his radio antics. In my very young and adolescent years , he became a part of my family and would spend some holidays with us in Long Island. He gave me my first set of drums and was extremely supportive of my music aspirations. He was always kind and energetic and not surprisingly, was born on Valentine’s Day. I fondly named him “Uncle Murray.” I listened to his late night shows in Middletown with my old first addition transistor radio.

He produced and sponsored theatre shows that introduced young aspiring musicians including  The Who, Cream, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles , the Beatles and the list goes on. He was also famous for producing the first “Disco” in the abandoned Roosevelt Field on Long Island.

He also was the first DJ to interview the Beatles while their song “I want to hold your hand,” was going to number one on the charts. In early February 1964 , he became the lead man on their first US tour.

Luckily , Uncle Murray always thought of me and had pleasure introducing me to his music scene and adventures. So … on February 9 , 1964, After an overnight with Murray, he took me to the Plaza Hotel where he was live broadcasting the Beatles first tour. I was fortunate to meet Paul and George, for an all so brief few minutes. Their schedule was hectic . Murray toured with them and roomed with George and at that time the Beatles referred to him as the “Fifth Beatle”. Murray’s zest for life, music and showmanship have always stayed with me . It took me years to realize how special those times were. Rock and roll Uncle Murray!

Cliff Lloyd

Cliff grew up in the lovely Hudson  Valley in upstate New York. He went to Middletown High School and received a BS in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He lived in Syracuse and moved to Fresno, Ca. In 1978. He and his wife Laura have been in real estate for 35 years. Laura also has published two children’s books “The Treehouse Treasury” and  “Spoiled Pink”. Laura also managed  an aspiring musician and produced  a number of music videos . This story is the background for a book and

screenplay which is historical fiction about the Woodstock experience, the  tumultuous 60’s-70’s and the heartbreak of the Vietnam war and it’s veterans.