Tony Sheridan, early Beatles associate, dies at 72

BERLIN (AP) — Tony Sheridan, a British singer who performed with the Beatles during their early years in Hamburg, has died in Germany. He was 72.

Frank Orth, the owner of Wemo Records, a German label that issued his last album, said Sheridan died Saturday. He didn't have details of the cause.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney said on his website that Sheridan "was a good guy who we knew and worked with from the early days in Hamburg."

Sheridan was born in Norwich, England, on May 21, 1940. He went to Hamburg in 1960 with a makeshift band, the Jets — and during his time in the German port city was backed by the Beatles. Sheridan and the Beatles together recorded "My Bonnie," released in 1962.

Sheridan lived near Hamburg in recent years.