More popular than Jesus group, but was persuaded to stay on the condition that the Beatles would from now on focus solely on their work as recording artists. After a break, they reconvened in November 1966 to begin recording "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", which was a major critical and commercial success when released in June 1967. Lennon was asked about the controversy during a trip to Canada in 1969. He repeated his opinion that the Beatles were more influential on young people than Christ, adding that some ministers had agreed with him. He called the protestors in the US "fascist Christians", saying
Dave Ward (reporter) Dave Ward (reporter) David Henry Ward (born May 6, 1939 in Huntsville, Texas) is a legendary broadcast journalist and cultural icon in Houston, Texas. He was an anchor of the weekday 6:00 pm newscast on KTRK-TV's "Eyewitness News" in Houston, Texas for more than 50 years. He joined KTRK-TV in 1966 as reporter and photographer and was promoted to his final position as weekday evening anchor in 1968, and is the longest running news anchor in American television, surpassing the late Hal Fishman in 2015. Ward claims: Ward began his career at KGKB radio while attending Tyler Junior College (class