The music world mourns the loss of Chas Newby, a talented bassist who briefly performed with the iconic band, The Beatles, during their early years, know his net worth and band
Newby, who also played with John Lennon’s first band, The Quarrymen, passed away at the age of 81.
Chas Newby The Beatles bassist cause of death, obituary, net worth, band, bio, age, family
The news of his demise was announced by The Cavern Club, the legendary venue where The Beatles first began their rise to fame in the early 1960s. No cause of death has been revealed as of yet. 81 year old Chas had a net worth of $1-5 million.
Chas Newby stepped in as the bassist for The Beatles for a series of gigs when Stuart Sutcliffe, the band’s original bass player, stayed in Hamburg. He made his mark as the first left-handed bass guitarist in the band.
Chas Newby, who played bass guitar for The Beatles during their early days, has died at the age of 81.
He also played with John Lennon in his first band, The Quarrymen, and note – he was the first left-handed bass guitarist in The Beatles. pic.twitter.com/8YCehk7Pd1— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) May 23, 2023
RIP Chas Newby, fill-in Beatle and fair chap. He deputised for Stuart on a few dates when the Beatles returned from Hamburg the first time, end-1960, including the momentous Litherland date. Latterly he’s been one of the Quarry Men too. A charming man, always a pleasure to meet. pic.twitter.com/f3EqtlIL3I
— Mark Lewisohn (@marklewisohn) May 23, 2023
The Cavern Club expressed their sadness in a heartfelt Facebook post: “It’s with great sadness to hear about the passing of Chas Newby. Chas stepped in for The Beatles for a few dates when Stuart Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg and latterly he played for The Quarrymen. RIP Chas Newby, thoughts and well wishes from everybody at The Cavern Club.”
Renowned Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn pays tribute to Chas Newby
Mark Lewisohn, a renowned Beatles historian, also paid tribute to Newby on social media, highlighting his role as a “fill-in Beatle” and describing him as a “charming man.” Lewisohn noted that Newby replaced Stuart Sutcliffe on several dates when The Beatles returned from Hamburg in late 1960, including the significant Litherland performance.
Lewisohn’s Twitter post read, “RIP Chas Newby, fill-in Beatle and fair chap. He deputised for Stuart on a few dates when the Beatles returned from Hamburg the first time, end-1960, including the momentous Litherland date. Latterly he’s been one of the Quarry Men too. A charming man, always a pleasure to meet.”
Interestingly, despite the opportunity to continue touring with The Beatles, Newby declined John Lennon’s invitation when The Quarrymen went to West Germany in the 1960s. Instead, he chose to pursue his studies and returned to university. In a 2012 interview with the Sunday Mercury, Newby explained, “Music was never going to be a living for me. I wanted to do chemistry. John, Paul [McCartney], and George [Harrison], they just wanted to be musicians.”
Chas Newby’s post-Beatles journey: From music to education
Following his time with The Beatles, Newby pursued a career in education and became a school teacher. He had no regrets about his decision and stated, “People sometimes don’t believe me when I say I’ve no regrets. But I really haven’t.” Newby jokingly mentioned that he only gained fame as The Beatles’ first left-handed bass player.
News of Chas Newby’s passing led to an outpouring of tributes from fans on social media platforms. Twitter users expressed their sadness and extended their condolences to his family. One user wrote, “Omg no way!! That breaks my heart. My wishes are with his family.” Another tweeted, “Goodbye Chas, rest in peace. Paul must be affected.”