On 25th of February we celebrated George Harrison's birthday. The musician would have turned 82 years old. ''The quiet Beatle'', because that's how he was often referred to, was a musician, songwriter and a cultural icon who played a crucial role in shaping modern music. Born on 25th of February 1943 in Liverpool, England, Harrison's journey from a young boy with a dream to a superstar is a tale of passion and talent.
Harrison grew up in a middle-class family in Liverpool and quickly developed an interest in music. Inspired by rock and roll legends such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, he learned how to play the guitar and in 1958, at just 15, joined a local band called “The Quarrymen", which would become “The Beatles" in 1960.
As the lead guitarist of “The Beatles", George contributed significantly to the band's success. Although he often took a backseat to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, his songs such as “Here Comes The Sun", “Something" and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps" showcase his incredible talent for songwriting. By 1965, he successfully led “The Beatles" into folk rock by his interest in Bob Dylan, and towards Indian classical music through his use of an Indian instrument called the sitar, which he got acquainted with on the set of the film “Help!". He played the sitar on numerous Beatles songs, including “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)".
After the band disbanded in 1970, Harrison began his successful solo career. His first solo album called “All Things Must Pass" featuring the iconic song “My Sweet Lord" is still widely recognized and very successful. This incredible album showcases Harrison's ability to tackle spirituality, love and peace through music. George became an advocate for humanitarian causes and organized the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, in order to bring awareness and raise funds for people facing a humanitarian crisis in East Pakistan.
In later years George Harrison remained dedicated to music, releasing his album “Cloud Nine" featuring a hit “Got My Mind Set on You" in 1987. A successful musician, he was featured as a guest guitarist on tracks by Ronnie Wood, Badfinger and Billy Preston, and collaborated with Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr with whom he remained close
friends until death. According to The Rolling Stone magazine, he ranked 31 in their list of greatest guitarists.
In 1966 he married Pattie Boyd, however the marriage ended in divorce and he married Olivia Arias with whom he had a son, Dhani. In 2001, at the age of 58 George Harrison passed away after a long and brutal battle with cancer. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in a private ceremony in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in India.
Bibliography
George Harrison (2025) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Harrison (Accessed: 02 March 2025).
Smooth (2023) George Harrison facts: Beatles Singer’s family, wife, children, songs and Death explained, Smooth. Available at: https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/beatles/george-harrison-facts-wife-children-age-songs-death/ (Accessed: 02 March 2025).
ความคิดเห็น