Editing George Martin (section)

====Liverpool pop and rock acts====
By late 1962, Martin had established a strong working relationship with [[Brian Epstein]], the Beatles' manager.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=117–118}} Epstein also managed (or was considering managing) a number of other Liverpool music acts, and soon these acts began recording with Martin. When Martin visited Liverpool in December 1962, Epstein showed him successful local acts like [[Gerry and the Pacemakers]] and [[the Fourmost]]; Martin urged Epstein to audition them for EMI.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=117}} Gerry and the Pacemakers scored their first no. 1 with their version of "[[How Do You Do It?]]", a song previously rejected by the Beatles, in April 1963. The group's next two singles (also produced by Martin), "[[I Like It (Gerry and the Pacemakers song)|I Like It]]" and "[[You'll Never Walk Alone]]", also reached no. 1, earning the group the distinction of being the first British act to have their first three singles top the charts.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=132–133}}

Martin also produced the Epstein-managed [[Billy J. Kramer]] and [[The Dakotas (band)|the Dakotas]], whose first single was a cover of the Beatles' "[[Do You Want to Know a Secret]]", which hit no. 2 on the chart. Kramer and Martin scored two UK no. 1's in 1963 and 1964—"[[Bad To Me]]" (also Lennon–McCartney original) and "[[Little Children (song)|Little Children]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=134–135}} Kramer also reached no. 4 with another Lennon–McCartney song in 1964, "[[I'll Keep You Satisfied]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=215}}

Martin began work with the Fourmost in summer 1963 with a cover of one of John Lennon's earliest songs, "[[Hello Little Girl]]", which reached no. 9. Their follow-up, released in November, was another Lennon–McCartney work, "[[I'm in Love (Lennon–McCartney song)|I'm In Love]]", which reached the top 20.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=140}}

Martin also agreed to sign the Beatles' Cavern Club associate [[Cilla Black]]. Her first record was a discarded Lennon–McCartney song, "[[Love of the Loved]]". The record was only a minor hit, reaching no. 35.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=142}} Martin and Black rebounded in 1964 with two no. 1 hits, "[[Anyone Who Had a Heart (song)|Anyone Who Had a Heart]]" and "[[You're My World]]". Black's "Anyone Who Had a Heart" was the top-selling British single by a female artist in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biggest selling chart stars of the '60s |date=1 June 2010 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/7791739/Ken-Dodd-outsold-only-by-The-Beatles.html |access-date=2 June 2010}}</ref>

Between the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Martin-produced and Epstein-managed acts were responsible for 37 weeks of no. 1 singles in 1963, finally transforming Parlophone into the leading EMI label.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=154}}

In December 1964, Gerry and the Pacemakers released "[[Ferry 'Cross the Mersey]]", a teaser for the February 1965 [[Ferry Cross the Mersey (film)|film of the same name]] in the style of the Beatles' ''[[A Hard Day's Night (film)|A Hard Day's Night]]''.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=216–217}} The [[Ferry Cross the Mersey (album)|soundtrack album]] featured music by Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Fourmost, Cilla Black, and George Martin-orchestrated instrumental music.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=217}}