Here’s how it happened.

John Lennon, 16-year-old singer/guitarist, had a band: the six-member Quarry Men Skiffle Group.

The band had a gig. They were scheduled to play 2, 1/2 hour sets (the first at 4:15 pm and then again at 5:45 pm) on Saturday, July 6, 1957, at the St. Peter’s Parish Church Garden Fete in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England. The Fete was held in the church field.

John had a friend, Ivan Vaughan, who occasionally played tea chest bass with the Quarry Men. He was not playing with the band at the Fete, but… 

Ivan had a friend, a classmate, 15-year-old singer/guitarist/piano player Paul McCartney.

Ivan invited Paul to the Fete to hear the band and meet John. (Paul did not have a band.)

Paul, riding his bicycle, guitar slung over his shoulder, arrived at the Fete about half-way through the Quarry Men’s first set.

He watched and listened intently, especially impressed by the band leader, Ivan’s friend, John.

When the Fete was over, at a little before 7:00 pm, in the nearby St. Peter’s Church  Hall, Ivan introduced Paul to John and the rest of the Quarry Men.

After a bit, to break the ice, Paul sat down at the church hall’s piano and played and sang bits of some Little Richard songs. Then he picked up his guitar and did the Eddie Cochran tune “Twenty Flight Rock” and… he knew all the words.

John watched and listened closely. He was very impressed.

On this day, July 6, in 1957, John met Paul.

P.S.: Most of the information for this post came from the 1996 book: “The Day John Met Paul” by Jim O’Donnell. Highly Recommended.