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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Ryan Paton

The Beatles former bassist Chas Newby dies as Cavern Club issue statement

Tributes have flooded in after Chas Newby died aged 81.

The bassist played with The Beatles for a series of gigs in December 1960. The Cavern Club Liverpool has taken to Facebook to confirm he has died.

A post said: "It's with great sadness to hear about the passing of Chas Newby. Chas stepped in for The Beatles for a few dates when Stuart Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg and latterly he played for The Quarrymen.

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"Interestingly, he was also the first left-handed bass guitarist in The Beatles. RIP Chas Newby thoughts and well wishes from everybody at The Cavern Club."

Fans took to the comments to issue tributes to Chas.

Jude said: "My deepest condolences to family and friends. I met him at the unveiling of the Epstein statue in Liverpool last year. Lovely bloke. RIP"

Tammie added: "Rest in peace "

Peter commented: "So sad , a great guy who helped everyone . . . R I P"

Ady posted: "I met him last year and he was a very humble and genuinely nice fella. RIP"

Chas shared his memories playing with the Fab Four for the ECHO's Beatles City podcast in 2019. He spoke of how he filled in for Stuart Sutcliffe when The Beatles returned to Liverpool from West Germany.

He played four gigs, two in the Casbah Club, one in the Grosvenor Ballroom in Wallasey and a seminal first appearance at Litherland Town Hall. At the time, Paul McCartney played rhythm guitar, so Chas joked his real claim to fame is that he was the first left handed bass player in the Beatles.

He told the ECHO in 2019: "I borrowed a bass from a guy called Tommy McGuirk, but of course Tommy was right handed, so I got this bass guitar and it's not as difficult as it sounds but I just played it upside down."

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