Who Was The Fifth Beatle?

Everyone knows that The Beatles had only four members: John, Paul, George, and Ringo. But there are many people who were important to the success of the band, and there has always been talk among fans about who was the so-called "Fifth Beatle." Here are some of the top contenders for the title:

1. George Martin

Sir George Martin was the band's producer, arranger, and musical mentor. He had been a successful producer when The Beatles were signed to Parlophone/EMI Records in 1962 and began recording at Abbey Road Studios. He helped The Beatles to record the vast majority of their songs, producing all of their albums except for their final release, Let It Be. He also played on several recordings, most notably the piano solo in the classic song In My Life. Sir George's influence on the development of the band's sound cannot be overstated. His willingness to experiment, as well as his belief in the songwriting talent of Lennon & McCartney, led him to provide outstanding musical direction throughout The Beatles' career.

2. Brian Epstein

Brian Epstein became the manager of the band after seeing them play at The Cavern Club in Liverpool in late 1961. Because of his unshakeable belief in their talent and potential for greatness, Brian worked very hard to promote the band. Very soon after he signed them, their career began to take off. He cleaned up their image, getting them to wear tailor-made suits rather than jeans and leather jackets, and within a few months he secured them a recording contract. Brian was a very dear and trusted friend of the band members, but sadly he passed away suddenly in 1967 at the young age of 32. The Beatles began to break apart after his death, missing Brian's organized leadership.

3. Stuart Sutcliffe

Stuart Sutcliffe was John Lennon's best friend at the Liverpool College of Art. Although he was not a great musician, he was the original bass player for the band. He was immensely talented as a painter, however, and he had a very bright future in the art world. John and Stu's shared love of art, philosophy, and cool style helped guide the aesthetics of the early band. Together they thought of the name "The Beatles," who before 1960 had been known as The Quarry Men. Stu died tragically of a brain hemorrhage in 1962, just as The Beatles were on the cusp of worldwide fame. He was two months shy of his 22nd birthday.

4. Pete Best

The Beatles did not always consist of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Drummers were hard to come by in Liverpool in 1960 (sometimes Paul had to play the drums!), and the best drummer in town, Ringo Starr, was with another local band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. But when The Beatles got their big chance to play night clubs in Hamburg, Germany in August of 1960, they were desperate to find a permanent drummer, so they asked George's friend Pete Best to join them. Pete played with the band until he was fired in August of 1962, when John, Paul, and George invited Ringo into the band... and the rest is history!

5. Mal Evans & Neil Aspinall

"Nell and Mal," as they were known by The Beatles, were the most trusted members of their inner circle. They served as road managers, personal assistants, and even bodyguards. Their loyalty to the band was legendary. Both from Liverpool, Neil and Mal had known The Beatles before they became famous, so the band felt confident that they could always be trusted to look out for their best interests. Sadly, Mal died in 1976, but Neil stayed with the band until his death in 2008, serving as the president of The Beatles' own company, Apple Records.

6. Billy Preston

Billy Preston first met the lads in Hamburg, Germany in 1962 when he was the 16 year-old keyboard player for Ray Charles, who was one of The Beatles' musical idols. By the time they were recording Let It Be in early 1969, the band members were not getting along, so George invited Billy to the studio in the hopes that his presence would bring a more positive atmosphere. George's plan worked, and Billy played keyboards on several songs: Don't Let Me Down, I Want You (She's So Heavy), Something, and Get Back. He is the only other musician to get credited on a Beatles record; the hit single Get Back was released by "The Beatles with Billy Preston." Despite Billy's positive influence, The Beatles broke up about a year after recording Let It Be.

Etc.

There are many more names that get batted around – names such as Chas Newby, Jimmie Nicol, Andy White, Tony Sheridan, Derek Taylor, Allan Williams, Astrid Kirchherr, Murray the K – but, in my opinion, the people mentioned above contributed the most to the success of the Fab Four and so are most worthy of the potential title of "The Fifth Beatle."