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Subscribe to RSSTen years ago today, George Harrison died at age 58. To mark the occasion, we've collected a few classic images of the legendary musician and excerpted his bio from our friends over at Rolling Stone.
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George Harrison in Hamburg, Germany, in April, 1961.
Known first as "The Quiet Beatle," George Harrison was a great songwriter who had the misfortune to be surrounded by two stone cold geniuses whose work often obscured his talents. Yet Harrison compositions such as "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" are as good as anything the Beatles ever recorded. And with his solo debut All Things Must Pass, he stepped completely out of the shadows of his Beatle band mates to reveal himself a powerfully spiritual songwriter with an expansive sense of melody. Harrison was also a gifted, fluid guitarist and hugely influential in introducing the Beatles — and, by extension, the entire Sixties generation – to Eastern religion and musical influences.
Before all that, Harrison was a teen guitarist in thrall to Britain's 1950s skiffle revival — a working class kid with a band called the Rebels. It was Paul McCartney, a schoolmate one year ahead of Harrison, who invited the 15-year-old to jam with the Quarrymen, a group led John Lennon. (Harrison had come three years behind Lennon at his previous school.) This band would become the Beatles — and Harrison would himself become, like Lennon and McCartney, one of his generation's great seekers. His response to fame, however, was to direct that search inside of himself
Read the full bio here.
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Harrison on stage during The Beatles' 1964 tour of the United States.
Terry O'neill / Getty Images
Harrison attends a UNICEF gala in Paris in December 1967.
Terry O'neill / Getty Images
Harrison in 1975, on the grounds of his home, Friar Park, near Henley-on-Thames, south Oxfordshire, England.
John Livzey / Getty Images
Harrison in 1987.
What are your memories of Harrison? Were you a fan of his music after The Beatles? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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George was not the best guitar player, but he wrote some of the best guitar tunes to be found anywhere. Sadly, I never got to see him live in concert, or anywhere else. However, in 1986 I had a close encounter while working in Adelaide, Australia. George was a huge racing fan and attended the premier Adelaide Gran Prix that year. I went looking for a guitar at Derringer's, a little music shop there. The staff were all excited that George had come in the previous day to borrow a guitar. Missed him by a day! I ended up buying a very nice used guitar; which is actually one of my best instruments & is still played regularly. I call it my "Harrison Guitar" as George may (or may not - but that is not important) have played it.
Important!
And extremely fun to think about!
Obviously you know nothing about guitar playing; George was an amazing guitar player- He never once played a "bad note' or for that matter, he never overplayed/played too many notes. As they say "less is more", and that was truly the case with George. I am still astgonished by your statement, have you ever heard him play slide guitar? He was a true master, the tone, his touch with a slide is unbelivalble. You cant buy that tone with all the electronic gadget in the world.
I totally agree with you both! We can never know enough about the guitar. I wanted to stress the point that there are a lot of amazing guitar players out there- but very, very few who can write for 'the guitar' and play it as an individual melodic instrument -not just a bunch of fast notes. George was also into keyboards- he did the synth (one of the first synths to be used on a rock recording) bridge on "Here Comes The Sun". George knew guitar talent too- he recruited Eric Clapton for much of the"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" parts; and on other songs. --And then there is his ukulele thing...
Of "The Four" who lived that fishbowl existence, George seemed to fashion the best post-Beatles life. His music, which was never allowed to flourish often on Beatles' albums, was finally released and recorded the way he wanted it. And it was just as memorable as anything Lennon/McCartney had produced. George went on to produce great films and even made an appearance in "The Rutles" standing in front of Apple, as behind him people made off with the office furniture and equipment. He showed up on Saturday Night Live to claim the $3,000 that Lorne Michaels offered if the Beatles would reunite and play on the show. When only George showed up, Lorne said George would get only one-fourth the $3,000. George said, "That seems a bit chintzy." George turned out to be a treasure hidden behind John and Paul and finally, when the Beatles disbanded, we were treated to the gifted man he was. He is truly missed.
Missed indeed. There are certain people who are gone, and it seems as though the world was just a bit brighter when they were here.
If you haven't yet listened to the song Beware of Darkness on the George Harrison album All Things Must Pass, please do so. It is a masterpiece, almost frighteningly beautiful, and it carries an undeniably powerful message about Life—and about Living in the Light.
Thank you, George, for a wonderful Magical Mystery Tour. You changed my life for the better, and the lives of millions all over the world.
By the way, make sure that it is the studio version of the song on the All Things Must Pass album, not an acoustic or demo take, of which there are plenty: in that way, you'll get the full effect of the song's force and majesty.
George Harrison was one of the greatest song writers of all time and later on became one of the finest guitar players in the world (especially on slide). He's one of the few people on this earth that will be remembered forever! Soon their will be no Beatles...very hard to "Imagine".
You are so right . . . I remember when they were on Ed Sullivan. Their appearance changed everything for my generation.
He probably was as good as McCarthy/Lennon. I enjoyed his after-Beatles work alot.
McCarthy? Not much of a fan, I see.
McCarthy / Lenin, perhaps?
@MSNBStupid, Lenin??? Really???
@billco .... MSNBStupid made a joke because the original comment misspelled McCartney. Really. Pay attention.
Who could compete with Lennon and McCartney in terms of songwriting? But George certainly held his own, in charisma, appearance individuality and musical ability. When he moved towards spirituality, it affected the entire "Hippie" generation, including me and most of my friends at the time.
I like George very much but let's not gloss over his many faults. This is a man who seduced and slept with Ringo's wife and considered himself a great "c-cksman". Like Lennon, he was a tremendous hypocrite in many ways. Read more about him - I recommend "You Never Give Me Your Money", which is an awesome book, mostly about the Beatles finances but it also gives you an excellent look at each of the four. Don't get me wrong - you won't find a bigger Beatles fan than me - I was 8 in 1964 when they played on Sullivan and I grew up with them - but I feel that they are often times reviered as god-like, when they were only people with many, many flaws. That said, RIP George.
very well put, they were great musicians and they inspired many and not just for their music but their world views and we honored them for all of the above but lets not forget they were also like us: humans.
Not offended. I was 9 in 1964 and love them all to this day. But I think what I loved the most, after the music was their complete humanness. Many times I shook my head and rolled my eyes at John....but love them still....oh yeah.....:-)
Gee.....George had some faults. No kidding OneOfTheMany. You think there is someone without a fault? What a stupid comment.
George Harrison was one of the most important musicians that ever lived.
I grew up a Beatles fan, listening to my older brother's record collection in the 70's. I started off as a big McCartney fan, but as I grew older I began to appreciate the influence Harrison had not only within the Beatles but in his solo career. If you take a look at his output : All things Must Pass, Concert for Bangledesh , Cloud Nine, Traveling Wilbury's, Movie Soundtracks and his swan song Brainwashed there would many artist who take that in a heart beat. In addition to his contribution to the world of music by bringing Indian music and his tasteful guitar licks to the world of Pop Music.
Listen closely to his guitar licks and music production, I have a new found respect especially with Somewhere in England and 33 1/3.
George we miss you, rest in peace.... thank you for the memories!!
JM
I had the good fortune to bump into George (literally) at a Formula 1 race years ago. As I was backing up to let Nicki Lauda get by, I stepped into someone behind me. I turned to excuse my clumsiness only to come face to face with George Harrison. After stuttering for what seemed like an eternity, I was finally able to form the words "Excuse me Mr. Harrison". He was very gracious and allowed me to take a picture of him along side of Nicki.
As someone who grew up with the Beatles, meeting one of my childhood idols was something I shall cherish for life. George Harrison was an accomplished musician, and song writer. But more importantly, he was a caring, loving, gentle person who made the world a better place by his presence.
He died the day before my nephew William was born; The Beatles mean so much to me; a lot of their music is a part of my life's history...
>> George was not the best guitar player
On the contrary Harrison was a very accomplished soloist and ensemble player. Listen for instance to the solo on "Hey Bulldog". His real knack was fitting guitar parts and solos into music at exactly the right place, and in such a way that it was subtle yet complex.
There were only two days that I ever was allowed to miss school or work outside of my children being born; one was the day after John was murdered (school), and the other was the day after George died (work). While my missing that one day of school was significant, what's more important is that, for George, the Army gave me the day off! The impact of these two deaths, along with the "what might have beens" still affects me to this day. My thoughts and prayers for the Harrisons and all of us left with only the words and music of perhaps the best of our generation.
We saw the HBO special of Harrison and loved it, it brought back so many memories and Sorcesse captured the entire epoc perfectly. I miss those times.
I've read that John played the solos in "Hey Bulldog".
I watched that HBO special as well--lots of wonderful memories. If someone were to ask me what my favorite Beatles song/album was, I couldn't answer. I love them all for different reasons and all their songs were a reflection of where they were at musically at the time. I will never forget the first time I saw them on Ed Sullivan. Good grief, I was barely out of diapers! I remember my dad sitting in "his chair" puffing away on a Camel--no filter and commenting to my mother, "My God Mary! Will you look at their hair" I remember I couldn't take my eyes off them and I didn't understand all the screaming. Each of the Beatles was unique and talented in their own way and none of them would have been the same without the others. I admired George for his spirituality and his connection to the universe and the oneness of all things. I miss George and John--both had their lives tragically cut short.
George Harrison was the Beatle who really delved deepest into the realm of our existence! He appeared to be the least egotistical of the fab 4. I along with many friends and I am sure Steve Jobs tripped with LSD to "Within you without you" and truly understood where he was coming from. I see no mention for his time as a travelling Willbury I think that super group was really super. Life goes on within you and without you George but life was much better with you in it!
George is great. George is missed sorely. Long live George. Long live the Beatles!
Concert for George is good video if your a George fan. I fast forward past the Indian music, with the exception of Ravi Shankar's daughter's sitar solo. The most likeable of the Fab Four, in my opinion.
George was my favorite Beatle and seemed a bit more mature and "normal" than John and Paul. He was an amazing musician and songwriter. He was the first one to hold a concert to benefit others, when Ravi Shankar asked him to help raise money for Bangladesh. To me, he was the most attractive as well. Yes, they were all human, with flaws and foibles. I have never understood why people tend to idolize our entertainers. They are there to entertain us, not to be emulated or deified. I would have liked to meet him, but I did get to meet his sister a few years ago when she was promoting a tribute band. The Beatles changed the music in the 60s and even though they broke up rather qucikly, they will always be remembered as being influential and talented. George disliked the fame and adulation, and he eventually retreated from it, focusing on his spiritual journey, and yes he was flawed in that too, but that is what we can expect from all human beings, we call try to do our best, and he is no exception. I hope you found his peace. I have many memories attached to the Beatles, some happy and some not, but they made up the backdrop for my childhood. Some lyrics still ring with truth from all those years ago...
I was five when the Beatles played Sullivan. I came to appreciate their music during the 70s but not to worship them or their music. For the most part it was pop (and great exercise music) and I still don't understand why a whole generation allowed itself to be lead around by it collective nose by everything the Beatles did or said. Still I really enjoyed Harrison's sense of humor and his first solo album was one of the first albums I owned and he was a wonderful slide guitarist. Sadly, when I think of the Beatles it reminds me of a confusing, overwrought, angry, frightening and chaotic childhood.
A lot of us liked the Beatles alot, but hardly worshiped them. It was more an anticipation of each new album to see what they had morphed into this time. I think with a little imagination, albums like Sgt Pepper, and Abbey Rd sound like a score from a musical. Modern Rogers and Hammerstein type stuff. Not traditional rock to be sure. Their music has staying power unlike any other modern artists. You won't be hearing Lady Gaga elevator music 25 years from now. I heard Obla di Obla Da (instrumental remake) in the dentist office recently. Now that's staying power right up there with White Christmas!
During interviews and most recently, during the HBO special on George, Paul stated that George was a far better guitarist than John or he was. George was overlooked many times by the egos of the other two, and eventually that caused the break up. The first album I ever got was in 1965 and it was theirs. It was hard not to go anywhere back then without hearing them. A trip my family took in 1968 to Canada has Hey Jude and Yellow Submarine in my memory and I recall that my late mother commented about both songs, even she liked them. No other band created a new musical direction like the Beatles. They were unique and not as hardcore as the Stones, or some of the others. It is unfortunate that George and John both have died so young, I often wonder what other beautiful songs they could have created if they had the time.
There is NOTHING any one can say that would make these four gentleman any more note worthy than they already are. I was on my way to Boston's Logan Airport when I say a billboard with a picture of the four beatles and it said "Now on I Phone." In that instance I did NOT see a band, I did not see a rock 'n roll band, I did not see musiciians of my generation. I SAW FOUR PEOPLE WHO CHANGED THE WORLD. They were the equivalent of a MUSICAL THINK TANK. They NEVER wrote rock music. They NEVER wrote pop music. THEY JUST WROTE. They were so good and so ingenious and so inventive, their work has influenece every form of popular music. Even their early music, while belonging to an era, is never dated. It is full of energy and insightufllness and fun. Nobody comes close. Not the Stones. Not Led Zeppelin. Not anyone. They blessed the world with their talent and they lead the way all the way. Thank God we still have Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. And God Bless John Lennon and George Harrison. I am so glac I was part of their generation and I know their music WILL LIVE ON way past my time or the future's.
Beautifully put! I remember many years ago when MACCA was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, he stated that he had always aspired to be another Cole Porter and still does. The music is timeless and adaptable to so many styles because of the beautiful melodies, so lacking in many others music. Porter new the importance of melody and The Beatles did too. Pretty fine lyrics of course but you must have the melody.
I was fortunate enough to see them three times live - 1965 in Atlanta when I was nine and twice in one day in Memphis when I was ten. The two shows in Memphis were in coliseum and I had 4th row and 6th row seats. Still among the best days of my life. Have seen MACCA live many times and I've never seen anyone who loves to perform like he does - still sound great too. Several tours ago, MACCA played a tribute to George on the ukulele, as he had done the last time they saw each other. Very emotional.
We lost you 10 years ago today......learned to live with it...never will get over it.
George once told an acquaintance of mine (while they were co-producing a movie together) that all he ever wanted to do was to play music. He said the Beatles thing was a happy accident.
Hare Krishna, Hare Rama
While it's understandable that most overlooked George's musical and songwriting skills (when you're bookended by Lennon/McCartney, that's gonna happen), what people fail to recognize is his wonderful sense of humor. "The Quiet Beatle" was often the funniest Beatle, and his willingness to poke fun at himself ("The Pirate Song" with Eric Idle, "When We Was Fab," etc.) and others always got to me. He was absurd, his timing perfect and his humor understated. I'm a professional musician, so I miss the guitarist and songwriter quite a bit. However, I miss him as a pretty damn funny guy, too.
I will always love The Beatles. If I'm ever down or blue I listen to them and instantly feel better. "Music" today is nothing but special effects. We will never see their likes again. Thank you for the love. Beatles forever!