Conversations with Adam Therrien

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Therrien.

Hi Adam, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
In July of 1957, John Lennon was introduced to Paul McCartney, through one of John’s friends at a gig with the Quarrymen. A few months later Paul introduced John to a friend of his, an avid guitarist, George Harrison. Soon enough the three were thick as thieves and shared a great love for the rock n’ roll of the 1950s. Much, in the same way, the Beatles 4 sale was formed. Adam met Josh through a church band they both played in. Both guys soon found some common musical ground, The Beatles. Both Adam and Josh kicked around the idea of how it would be cool to form a Beatles tribute. Fast forward a month or two and Josh introduced his bass player friend, Jay to Adam.

At that point, the frontline for the Beatles 4 Sale was formed. For the next 5 years, the guys played with different drummers and ran the gamut of the Beatles catalog. They played theaters, festivals, clubs, and everything in between. In 2017 they played the entire album of Sgt. Peppers Lonely hearts Club Band live for most shows as it was the 50th anniversary of its release. The following year it was The White Album live and then in 2019 they tackled Abbey Road- the whole album..all life. All the guys in the band made it their mission to learn the parts as the Beatles played them but with new life to them. Maybe a little more distortion. Maybe a Synth sound instead of horns. Maybe dressing in black and white outfits instead of matching suits. They played everything from 1962 all the way through to Abbey road and much like the Fab 4, Beatles 4 Sale went through a few drummers to find the right one, we needed to find our Ringo. We had 4 drummers before the group finally settled into the current lineup with Isaac Velazquez joining the group on drums.

In January 1969, the Beatles started what is now known as, the “Get Back” sessions. It was an attempt to record and write the way they had in the beginning. They wanted to stop layering overdub after overdub, stop the orchestral parts, stop the exaggerated recording insanity they had been doing the last few years, and just play rock n roll. After 5 years of playing the later years of the Beatles Catalogue, Beatles 4 Sale wanted to “Get Back” to the beginnings and so started to play the early years only. Everything from Please Please Me all the way through Revolver was fair game. We even decided to throw in some of the songs from the Hamburg, Germany, and Cavern club days. Rock n’Roll. We wanted to play rock n ‘roll! We wanted to scream, we wanted to tear up some guitar solos, we wanted people to dance and we wanted to see the crowd quite literally “Twist and Shout” with us. This new direction was a huge success! The band had a new energy and a new life. Audiences, though they loved the later year shows we had done, started to dance more, started to get a little crazier, and in general brought back the Beatlemania. So we have kept with this idea and style now for years. Adding new songs, new medleys of classics and even bringing in what we call “Songs from the Jukebox”. In the early days of the fab four, they played the music of their heroes, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochrane, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. We started to do the same and have loved every second of it.

Beatles 4 Sale has made it their mission to keep the music of the Beatles alive and bring new life to it. We don’t speak with English accents, we don’t wear wigs and we don’t wear matching suits. We try to approach playing their music the way they would if they were in their 30s today. A little edgier, a little wild but, still something everyone can enjoy. Playing all the best of the Beatles in a fresh new way, Beatles 4 sale has used the talent and energy of the live show to excite audiences young and old for both new and longtime fans This is what has given the band the label of Best Beatles Tribute in Tennessee.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Heck no! We all came from different parts of the country and even outside the county. Back in 2006, Adam had just left a job as a music teacher. After three years of intensive teaching, and 12 years of playing in clubs, and bars and trying to get a hold of the music business he was burned out and so, quit music. “I sold all my guitars, drums, and everything else except for one acoustic guitar,” Adam said. I kept that one for my own enjoyment and sentimental reasons. After a few years of being a carpenter my wife, Katie, urged me to try music again. I told her I wasn’t interested. The music world had chewed me up and spit me out, I didn’t have anything left. So she left me alone. A few months later she told me I should join a band again. I laughed and asked why? She told me I was a different person since I wasn’t in a band. Not a sad person. Eventually, I agreed and she went out that day and bought me a new electric guitar, amp, some guitar pedals, and a mic. She found a group for me to audition for and I was accepted. It was through that audition that she made me go for that I ended up getting to see the world. I stayed with that band, an early Elvis tribute with a guy named Travis Ledoyt. He was a world-renowned Elvis impersonator and I was thrilled to play with him for 4 years.

Josh was living in Macon, GA, and took a chance and moved to Nashville to be a musician. He had to turn his back on everything he knew and move 5 hours away from anyone he knew. So he started from scratch and made connections like all musicians do, at least the great ones do. We are all so glad that he did! Jay was living in Florida at the time and did the same thing. He had a job there but wanted something more, So he and his wife packed up and came to Nashville and started over. Working with local acts, day jobs, raising a family, and playing the musical game.

Isaac had the hardest road of all. He is originally from Venezuela and came to America through a lengthy process of immigration. A LOT of sacrifices to come to this county and show the USA what he is made of, a great drummer and a resilient human being. We have all had to be away at times for holidays and birthdays and such to make a living as a musician. Not to mention being a musician navigating through covid. It almost destroyed the band but we made it through. Thankfully we all have the most amazing spouses who have supported this dream and taken part in making it a reality.

Honestly one of the hardest parts of this whole thing has been a consistent drummer until we met Isaac. We have all told him he can never quit the group… he’s not allowed. But we bribe him with tacos and he’s good with that.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Well, we play the music of the Beatles but we don’t try to BE the Beatles. A lot of other groups try to replicate themselves to be the Beatles. They use wigs, fake accents, expensive gear, and a lot of pre-recorded tracks to help them sound and look just like the Beatles. We don’t want to be them we just want to play their music. Just as the Beatles played the music of their heroes, Elvis, Buddy, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochrane, and such, we want to play the music of our heroes, The Beatles. We specialize in replicating the sound of the songs but with a little edge to it. This is what helps our live show engage people. We make the songs come to life! We help people remember what it was like the first time they heard these songs on the radio. We help people learn about the most amazing music ever written. Everyone has a favorite Beatles song… everyone.

We have been able to play in Beatles festivals, High-end clubs, Historic theaters, concert series, small towns, and big cities. the thing that we are most proud of is that we keep this music alive. We help people remember where they were or what they were doing when they heard these songs. We help new people discover these songs through energetic performances they are sure to never forget. We get the audience involved in the show so they can feel they are a part of it.

What sets us apart from others? We are ourselves. We are the real deal just like the Beatles were. They were a little smart-alecky, and so are we, They didn’t always dress the same, and neither do we. They had different ideas of music and how to play things, and so do we. The main thing is we want you to walk away from our shows feeling like you just relived a memory or created a new one never to be forgotten.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Tacos. We all love tacos. Other than Tacos, we love hearing stories from fans and the audience.

We love to hear from people who saw the Beatles or what a song means to them. Why their favorite song is their favorite song. We love to hear why they have a favorite Beatle. We love to hear what a great time people had and how they sang and danced all night.

Contact Info:

• Website: beatles4saleband.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/beatles4saleband
• Facebook: facebook.com/beatles4saleband
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/n7qhqvjI3lg 

Image Credits
MPG Photography