Beatles promoter Sid Bernstein dead at 95

NEW YORK, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Sid Bernstein, a music promoter and agent who brought The Beatles to New York for landmark concerts, died Wednesday in New York, his publicist said. He was 95.

Merle Frimark confirmed Bernstein's death to CNN.

Bernstein is perhaps best known for bringing The Beatles to Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium for concerts in 1965 and 1966.

"I'm a hunch player, you see," Frimark's statement quoted Bernstein as saying. "I was just glad to get this group I had been reading about for months. It took eight months after I booked them for there to be any airplay of their records on the radio. I had to convince Carnegie Hall and my financial backers to take a chance on this then-unknown group. I had been reading about their progress in the European papers and was fascinated with the hysteria that surrounded them. I was the first to promote The Beatles in the States and Ed Sullivan called me first about them before he ever booked them on his television show."

The son of Russian immigrants also booked shows for music icons such as Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland and the Rolling Stones, CNN said.

Bernstein is survived by Geraldine, his wife of 50 years, as well as six children and six grandchildren.