Beatle People: Johnny Hutchinson

Johnny Hutchinson (born 18 July 1940 in Malta), also known as Johnny Hutch, was a Liverpudlian rock and roll drummer of the late 1950s and early 1960s, during the same time that The Beatles rose through the ranks of British rock bands. Hutch's group, The Big Three, were rivals of the Beatles, and his opinions of them were not the highest; one early remark he made was that the Beatles "weren't worth a carrot."

Feelings aside, Hutch sat in with them during a 1960 audition, keeping a beat until their then-drummer Tommy Moore could arrive. He also filled the gap later between Pete Best's 1962 departure and Ringo Starr's arrival (while he finished a residency with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes), in the weeks before their first EMI single session.

Following his success with the Beatles, manager Brian Epstein signed up the Big Three. Their big-time career was limited, though, and the band disliked the image crafted for them by Epstein, parting ways with him in mid-1963. A year later, the Big Three disbanded, and Hutchinson retired from music.

Hutchinson then moved back into building, a career he had begun prior to embarking on his musical journey. Since then, Hutchinson has built up a portfolio of property in Liverpool and is a successful local landlord.

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