Longtime Beatles friend Neil Aspinall dies at age 66 in New York City

LONDON " Neil Aspinall, a longtime friend and business associate of The Beatles, has died in New York City at age 66.

Aspinall's death was announced in a statement from surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison, and the band's Apple Corps Ltd. company.

Aspinall died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he had been receiving treatment. A British newspaper reported Sunday that McCartney had flown out to see him just before his death.

The statement said "all his friends and loved ones will greatly miss him but will always retain the fondest memories of a great man."

Aspinall stepped down last year as chief executive of Apple Corps, the guardian of the Beatles' commercial interests.

A Liverpool school chum of McCartney and Harrison, Aspinall was The Beatles' first road manager and would drive them to gigs in his van. He later became their personal assistant, and in 1968 was given a management role at Apple Records, the band's own record label.

As head of Apple Corps, Aspinall was executive producer of the hugely successful "Beatles Anthology" album and was behind other successes, including the "Beatles One" album.

"As a loyal friend, confidant and chief executive, Neil's trusting stewardship and guidance has left a far-reaching legacy for generations to come," the band's statement said.