Chas Newby, One-Time Bassist for The Beatles, Dead at 81

Newby became a part of Beatles lore after his brief stint with the band in 1960

Chas Newby, a one-time bassist for The Beatles during their early years, has died. He was 81.

"It's with great sadness to hear about the passing of Chas Newby," a statement posted on the Cavern Club Liverpool music venue's Facebook page began. "Chas stepped in for The Beatles for a few dates when Stuart Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg and latterly he played for The Quarrymen. Interestingly, he was also the first left-handed bass guitarist in The Beatles. RIP Chas Newby. Thoughts and well wishes from everybody at The Cavern Club."

The iconic club regularly featured The Beatles in their early years.

A brother of Pete Best, the band's former drummer replaced with Ringo Starr just prior to the group becoming a sensation, also confirmed the news on Tuesday on Facebook.

"Both Pete and I and the whole Best family absolutely devastated to hear the very sad news with regards to one of the family's closest friends Chas Newby passing last night," wrote Roag Best, as cited by The Guardian. "Many of you will know him for playing bass guitar for both The Beatles and The Quarrymen, but to us, he was laid back Chas with the big smile. We'll truly miss him. Forever in our thoughts. God bless you, Chas."

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Newby, born in Liverpool in 1941, became a part of Beatles lore after his brief stint with the band in 1960, playing on stage with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison a handful of times. While fun, it was not the life he sought.

“Music was never going to be a living for me,” Newby said to the Sunday Mercury in 2012. “I wanted to do chemistry. John, Paul and George, they just wanted to be musicians.”

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According to The Guardian, Lennon reportedly wanted Newby to stick with the group while on tour in West Germany, but the bassist declined, thus breaking with history.

"People sometimes don't believe me when I say I've no regrets," he told the Mercury. "But I really haven't. I have enjoyed my life immensely."

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