The Fifth Beatle(s): The Quarrymen

Music's big bang, July 6, 1957. Look at those little squirts. RIP Len.

John Lennon formed the skiffle group The Quarrymen with classmates from Quarry Bank High School in 1956 when he was barely 16 years old. 

Eric Griffiths, Pete Shotton, and Bill Smith were founding members along with Lennon; according to Wikipedia, Smith's tenure in the band was extremely short, and he was replaced in quick succession by Nigel Walley, Ivan Vaughan, and Len Garry throughout late 1956 and early 1957. Also during this period, drummer Colin Hanton and banjo player Rod Davis joined. 

The group (I read somewhere that calling them a band was not done in the 50s) practiced in the Shotton family's air-raid shelter and hung out at Julia Lennon's house, listening to rock-and-roll records. They entered a talent contest and lost to a skiffle group from Wales, missing their chance to be on England's version of Star Search. 

Ivan introduced John to Paul at the St. Peter's Church picnic, and the rest, they say, is history. 

Colin, Rod, and Len had been performing together around the world for Beatles/skiffle fans; whether or not Colin and Rod continue is to be determined, as Len recently passed, on March 3. 

With the release of the Anthology Vol. 1, The Quarrymen have two recordings to their credit: That'll Be the Day and In Spite of All the Danger, which is on my 2024 Beatles list at #24. 

From wiki:

Current members

Colin Hanton – drums (1956–1958, 1997–present)
Rod Davis – banjo (1957); guitar, vocals (1994–1995, 1997–present)

Former members

Eric Griffiths – guitar (1956–1958, 1997–2005; died 2005)
Pete Shotton – washboard, tea-chest bass (1956–1957, 1997–2000; died 2017); 

Bill Smith – tea-chest bass (1956)
Nigel Walley – tea-chest bass (1956); manager (1956–1958)
Ivan Vaughan – tea-chest bass (1956–1957; died 1993)
John Duff Lowe – piano, keyboards, vocals (1958, 1994–1995, 2005–2017; died 2024)
Ken Brown – guitar (1959–1960; died 2010)

Chas Newby – bass guitar (1960; 2016–2023; died 2023). 

Len Garry – tea-chest bass (1957–1958); vocals, guitar (1997–2026, died 2026)

Quarrymen who continued on as Johnny and the Moondogs, The Silver Beetles, The Beatles 

Stu Sutcliffe - bass guitar (1960-1961; died 1962)

John Lennon - guitar (1957 - 1970; died 1980) 

Paul McCartney - guitar, bass (1957 - 1970)

George Harrison - guitar (1958 - 1970; died 2001)

Interesting to note that while Pete Best and Ringo Starr are Beatles, neither were a Quarrymen.