Beatles promoter Sid Bernstein dies at 95

Music promoter Sid Bernstein, who booked such acts as Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland and the Rolling Stones, and masterminded the Beatles' historic concerts at Shea Stadium and Carnegie Hall, died yesterday at 95.

Bernstein's daughter, Casey Deutsch, said he died in his sleep at a hospital, of natural causes.

For decades, Bernstein excelled at being everywhere and knowing everybody. He worked with Duke Ellington and Ray Charles, promoted Dion, Bobby Darin and Chubby Checker, and managed Esy Morales, the Rascals and Ornette Coleman.

He was an early backer of ABBA, setting up the Swedish group's first American appearances. He was behind one of the first rock benefit shows, the 1970 "Winter Festival for Peace" at Madison Square Garden, which featured Hendrix and Peter, Paul and Mary. And he helped revive Tony Bennett's career with a 1962 show at Carnegie Hall.

A master of schmooze and schmaltz, Bernstein also had a studious side that led to his biggest break. He took a course on Western civilization at the New School for Social Research that required students to read a British newspaper once a week. It was 1963, and the Beatles were just catching on in their native country.

"This was the right time to be reading an English newspaper," he explained in a 2001 interview with the music publication NY Rock Confidential. "So here I am reading little stories about this group from Liverpool that is causing a lot of 'hysteria.' By the end of the course, I was so Beatle-ized by what I read, even though I did not hear a note, I said, 'gotta get 'em.' "

He tracked down Beatles manager Brian Epstein and convinced him that he could line up a gig at Carnegie Hall.

The Beatles were still unknown in the United States, and the price was cheap -- $6,500 for two shows. The promoter used his own money to pay Epstein.

By February 1964, Beatlemania had arrived, and the band was set to play on "The Ed Sullivan Show" just three days before the Carnegie concerts, guaranteeing maximum attention at minimum cost.

Bernstein was primed to get the bands that followed. He arranged shows for the Stones, the Animals and other British groups, while saving his biggest dreams for the Beatles. In 1965, he landed the group at Shea Stadium -- rock's first major stadium concert.

Over the past 20 years, Bernstein's best client became himself. He wrote two memoirs, gave frequent talks about his life and even recorded an album of duets. At age 90, he started a Twitter account.

Bernstein and his wife, Geraldine, were married for more than 40 years. They had six children.