American English is simply the best Beatle tribute story of our time. At the inception of the band, they were voted "number one" by thousands of Beatle fans as winners of sound a like contests at Beatlefest® for three consecutive years. They have also won Illinois Entertainer of the Year and have been voted "Best Tribute Band" three of the last four years by their fans in the Chicagoland area. Their demand here and abroad, coupled with their spectacular fan base, has anchored them into a professional setting, and launched them into larger venues and theatres worldwide.
American English has shared the stage with musical headliners such as The Grassroots, The Neville Brothers, Three Dog Night, The Ides of March, Eric Burdon, The Buckinghams, The Doobie Bros., Badfinger, Gary Senise's Lieutenant Dan Band, and many others.
With the band's increasing success, American English then hit the international scene by making their debut in Tokyo. Their appearance hit the press and initiated a major article in the upscale Japanese magazine "Lightening," causing "American English Mania" in Japan. The frenzied crowds in Tokyo reacted as though they were seeing the real thing!
The next year, American English invaded the Caribbean and appeared on every major television network in Puerto Rico. American English was truly a band on the run. Constantly pursued by television, radio, and newspapers, they stirred up the islanders like never before. As an added honor, The President of the House of Representatives, Carlos Vizcarrondo, invited the band to the capitol for a private meeting. The band made history by being the only American band to ever perform at the capitol.
Following their return from Puerto Rico, American English awakened a major significant figure in The Beatle world.
Sam Leach (the original Beatles promoter from Liverpool)
was in Chicago for a book signing, promoting his "Birth Of The Beatles" book. After seeing American English, he has since called the band "The Beatles incarnate!" and is now back promoting and managing American English.
Under the wings of Sam Leach, American English was granted the honor never bestowed upon any other group. They traced the historic footsteps of The Beatles, and performed on the hallowed ground of several original Beatles venues including The Cavern Club in Liverpool and The Grosvenor Ballroom across the River Mersey in Wallasey.
Later that year, the band headlined the George Harrison tribute at the House of Blues in Chicago, where they were joined by several legendary Beatles/Wings related artists. This tribute was the first of its kind and the event made news headlines around the world. The band had the distinct honor to perform with the original Beatles drummer Pete Best!
Their crowning moment came in August that following year, as they headlined International Beatle Week in Liverpool in front of a screaming crowd of 50,000 plus! To top it all off, American English recorded a concept album at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London. The fantasy album "What If", features songs that might have ended up on the next Beatles record, had they stayed together in 1971?
