On Thursday 23rd January, the Liverpool Beatles Museum hosted a memorable event to honour the contributions of the session musicians behind the iconic French horn parts on Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The museum welcomed fans, families, and music enthusiasts to celebrate these often-overlooked contributors to one of The Beatles’ most famous albums.
Guests at the unveiling were first treated to a live performance by four members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Tim Jackson. They performed the French horn parts from the album’s title track, giving the guests an insight into how influential the four horn players were on the final sound of the track.
The highlight of the event was the unveiling of two French horns used in the original recording session on 3rd March 1967. These instruments belonged to Tony Randall and John Burden, two of the four session musicians who played on the track. Both families were present to share memories about their fathers, adding an emotional element to the event.
The story of the museums newest addition takes us back to 3rd March 1967. Four session musicians — James W Buck, Neil Sanders, Tony Randall, and John Burden — walked into Abbey Road Studios to record the French horn parts for the title track. These were the days of musical experimentation, and as John Burden later shared, “They didn’t really know what they wanted. Paul McCartney hummed phrases to us, and I wrote them out. George Martin guided us, and all four Beatles were there, though Paul was the most involved.” From those hums and scribbles came the iconic sound we now know and love.
The events behind the horns’ inclusion in the museum were also an interesting tale. In December 2024, Sian Kenrick, Tony Randall’s daughter, approached the museum with her father’s French horn, sparking a collaborative effort to locate other instruments from the session. This led to Tim Burden, John Burden’s son, also contributing his father’s French horn to the exhibit. Their dedication ensured that these important artifacts could be shared with Beatle fans worldwide.
The event successfully highlighted the importance of collaboration and the invaluable contributions session musicians made to the Beatles work. For visitors to the Liverpool Beatles Museum, the newly unveiled French horns serve as a tangible connection to the history of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.