The Beatles-The Lost Tapes on NPR.org All Songs Considered Live Webcast on March 14 at 2PM ET

WASHINGTON - On Friday, March 14th at 2pm, All Songs Considered, NPR's Web-only music show (www.npr.org/programs/asc), will present a two-hour live feature about recently discovered tapes from the Beatles' "Let It Be" sessions. These rare recordings offer an intimate and revealing look at the Beatles as the band was breaking up. All Songs Considered will play selections from those sessions, including versions of songs many listeners have never heard.

In January 1969, the Beatles began a project called Get Back. The idea was to rehearse new songs that would be performed live on television. The group filmed a month of rehearsals that would later become the film and LP Let It Be, but the audiotapes for the film reels were later stolen. They have been fodder for many bootleg recordings over the years.

Bruce Spizer, the author of a new book called The Beatles on Apple Records, will join NPR's Bob Boilen for this special program. Apple Records was The Beatles' attempt at a business venture, and the label signed artists from James Taylor, Mary Hopkin and Badfinger, to magicians and clothing designers. "It was largely considered to be a success and a nightmare all rolled into one," according to Boilen. Mr. Spizer will tell All Songs Considered listeners about the sessions, and the songs-The Beatles playing Little Richard songs and tunes such as Get Back, I Want You and Let it Be.

Web visitors can write in with comments and questions at allsongs@NPR.org or join one of the online chat rooms. Visitors can see and hear All Songs Considered using Quicktime. Audio-only versions will be available using the Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. Streaming video is made possible by Channel Storm's Live Channel.

All Songs Considered is an interactive, multimedia music show that presents a unique mix of new and emerging music with interviews and an online slideshow of images and photos of the artists. All Songs Considered began in 2000, inspired by the countless letters from listeners who wanted to know more about the music played between stories on NPR's evening news program, All Things Considered. All Songs Considered's host, Bob Boilen, picks much of that music in his longtime role as director of All Things Considered. On All Songs Considered Bob plays full versions of some of those songs and much more.

NPR, renowned for journalistic excellence and standard-setting news, information and cultural programming, serves a growing audience of nearly 20 million Americans each week via more than 680 public radio stations. NPR Online at www.npr.org brings hourly newscasts, news features, commentaries and live events to Internet users through original online reports, audio streaming and other multimedia elements. NPR also distributes programming to listeners in Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa via NPR Worldwide, to military installations overseas via American Forces Network and throughout Japan via cable.