Tony in the 1990s (Picture: Roland Hoskins)

Tony Barrow, the legendary PR man who coined the phrase The Fab Four for The Beatles, has passed away at the age of 80.

Beatles expert Spencer Leigh tweeted on Sunday: ‘Just heard that TONY BARROW the Beatles press officer, the man who named them the Fab Four died last night.

‘He was 80 last Wednesday.’

‘Sad to report the death of Tony Barrow, three days after turning 80; PR man to the Beatles (1962–68) and others in an illustrious career,’ tweeted Beatles author Mark Lewisohn.


Just heard that TONY BARROW the Beatles press officer, the man who named them the Fab Four died last night. He was 80 last Wednesday. — Spencer Leigh (@spencerleigh5) May 15, 2016

Born in 1936, Tony began his career writing music reviews for the Liverpool Echo as a late teen.

He soon began presenting jazz bands and skiffle groups at local dance halls before moving to London where he continued to stay in contact with the Echo and friends, including Brian Epstein.



Brian signed the Beatles to a management deal and turned to Tony for advice, and although Tony was working for Decca Records – who turned The Beatles down – he began working informally from the band during his working day, sending out press releases and promoting the band to other record labels.

The Beatles on stage at the London Palladium during a performance (Picture: Michael Webb/Getty Images)

It was in a press release that Tony dubbed the band the Fab Four, a moniker that is still used seven decades later.

He toured with the band throughout the Sixties at the height of Beatlemania, and was the man whom the press had to go through in order to get to John, Paul, Ringo, and George.

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Tony Barrow (background) and Paul McCartney on the train during a Beatles tour in Germany (Picture: Fiona Adams/Redferns)

Tony also worked for Cilla Black, the Bay City Rollers, the Monkees, and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

He quit the business in 1980 when the punk era entered the charts, and later wrote a memoir of his time, called John, Paul, George, Ringo & Me.

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