Twenty-three years have passed since Dave Tanner was a journalism-focus student at Truman State University. He returned last weekend as one of his musical idols — The Beatles member Paul McCartney.
Tanner, alongside three other men, plays in a Beatles tribute band, the Liverpool Legends. He portrays McCartney on stage night after night emulating many of McCartney’s quirks and mannerisms ranging from a thick British accent down to his left handed bass playing while clad in his famous barefoot-suit-look from Abbey Road.
Tanner said while attending Truman, he majored in communication and wrote for The Index. This led to him working a number of jobs in journalism before becoming a full-time musician.
Throughout and after college Tanner had various jobs in journalism — like working for KTVO — and playing Beatles music on the side.
“This is the greatest profession in the world — I love it,” Tanner said. “ It’s something that I don’t really ever call a job. It’s more of a passion. It takes a lot of hard work. A lot of logistics to get from point A to point B. A lot of days away from home. But as a musician, to think that I’m able to do that and that we’re able to do that, it’s pretty special. And not a lot of people get to do it.”
Liverpool Legends are based out of Branson, Missouri, but have traveled to gigs all over the world ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York City to places like India. In addition, the Liverpool Legends are the only Beatles Tribute band to ever have had an album nominated for a Grammy.
Along with all the talk about his own music, Tanner praised the work of so many up and coming musicians today and gave them a word of advice.
“I just say keep on going,” Tanner said. “Play your hearts out every night. Play when you want. Play what you want.”
For more information about the Bulldog-turned-Beatle, pick up a copy of The Index on Thursday, Feb. 1.