Beatles poster artist Tony Booth dies

Tony Booth, who painted many posters advertising shows by The Beatles and other Merseybeat bands, has died at the age of 83.

He was born Anthony Booth in June 1933, and after leaving school trained as a commercial artist. His first job was at a sign writing and poster company.

In the late 1950s, Booth hand-painted publicity posters for events at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, which had opened in January 1957 as a jazz and blues venue. Booth’s posters were familiar signs outside the club.

In the early 1960s he worked in Liverpool city centre, close to the offices of Beatles manager Brian Epstein. He created publicity material for Epstein, including leaflets and hand-painted posters, and did the same for a range of gig promoters in the area.

The posters were not seen as having any long-term value, and few survived the 1960s. Original works for Cavern Club or Beatles shows now command high prices at auction.

In 2013, one of Booth’s posters adversing a concert with Little Richard and The Beatles was discovered during the refurbishment of Bidston railway station. It is now on display in the Merseybeat room at the Beatles Story museum in Albert Dock, Liverpool.

In early 2016, a short BBC documentary was made about Tony Booth. It was shown during an edition of Inside Out North West.

Later that year, Booth was commissioned to create the artwork for the Cavern Club’s 60th anniversary. His art is now displayed inside the venue.

Tony Booth continued to paint replicas of his Liverpool concert posters for fans, which were sold through his website thebeatlesposters.com. He also wrote a book about them which is awaiting publication.

In August 2016 an exhibition of his works was held at the View Two Gallery on Liverpool’s Mathew Street, as part of International Beatleweek Festival. It was Booth’s first ever exhibition, and marked the first time his posters had been displayed in one place.

Tony Booth died at Wirral’s Arrowe Park Hospital on 11 January 2017. He had been suffering from cancer.