Guitar signed by Fab Four to be auctioned
News-Antique.com reports that a guitar with the signatures of all four Beatles is to be the last minute addition to an Arizona auction on April 1st.
Dave Wakefield Sr., an avid Beatles fan from Virginia, worked for Baltimore City in the 70s and 80s. During that time period, a close friend of his, a police officer who moonlighted as event security at the Civic Center got Dave signed on as one of the extra event security workers. This provided him with the opportunity to be backstage for various events. He had the chance to meet and get the autographs of many performing artists who appeared at the Civic Center during this time period.
His primary work was done at the Civic Center, which became the Baltimore Arena. He also did security work at the MerriWeather Post Pavilion, the Capitol Center, Cole Field House, the Towson Center and RFK Stadium.
Three out of the four signatures on the Beatles guitar were acquired at these various venues (Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison). He was unable to acquire John Lennon’s signature at any of these locations.
In early 1980, after several failed attempts to get the remaining signature to obtain the final autograph, he traveled to New York to attempt to get John Lennon’s signature. He went to the Dakota, the building Lennon lived in, and waited patiently outside. On the second day, John Lennon came out on foot and Dave approached him. He explained that he had the other three Beatles signatures but was missing his. Lennon commented “.. of course, he needed the most important signature†and signed his guitar.
Dave Wakefield Sr. kept the guitar in his home in a case. A few years ago, he passed it on to his son who is now putting it up for auction.
Full information on the auction can be found here.
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