“He was a great man, a great musician. George’s music will live on, and I loved him for his generosity of spirit and for everything he brought to the world.” This is how the famous singer-songwriter Bob Dylan extends his vote of appreciation for George Harrison.
Born on February 25, 1943, in the industrial heart of Liverpool, George Harrison was the youngest of four children. His father, Harold Harrison, a bus conductor, and his mother, Louise, a homemaker, were hardworking, modest people who instilled in George the values of humility and perseverance. It was in the working-class streets of Liverpool that George found his true love for the guitar at the age of 13.
The Post-War Environment in Liverpool played a pivotal role in shaping his worldviews. While growing up, he was surrounded by the war-torn city, surrounded by the remnants of war and left deep scars of impoverishment in infrastructure, economy and cultural fabric. This sense of hardship and resilience, combined with a desire for change, likely inspired his search for deeper meaning and spirituality through music later in life.
Songs like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” resonate with a yearning for healing and transcendence from the difficulties of everyday life, possibly reflecting the collective trauma of wartime Britain, songs that still find their way into the hearts of music lovers all over the world through countless covers. “Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.”- George expressed his deep belief in the power of music as a universal language that connects the soul to something greater than us.
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George Harrison started as the lead guitarist of The Beatles around the 1960s, contributing not only his remarkable guitar skills but also his evolving song writing talent. His quiet, thoughtful nature earned him the title of “The Quiet Beatle,” yet his impact on the band and the world of music remains immeasurable. He was an explorer, forever seeking new realms to express his artistry. It was this spirit of exploration that led him to the Indian subcontinent and introduced him to the sitar.
The result was a transformative shift in both his music and his life. The sitar became George’s bridge between Eastern spirituality and Western pop music. In 1965, he introduced the instrument to The Beatles with “Norwegian Wood”, leaving an indelible mark on popular music. In the mid-1960s, George’s interest in Indian philosophy deepened. Under the guidance of renowned sitar master Ravi Shankar, George immersed himself in the study of Indian classical music and Hindu spirituality. His embrace of these teachings profoundly influenced his first solo album “All Things Must Pass”.
George Harrison passed away on November 29, 2001, after a long battle with cancer. George Harrison was not just a Beatle; he was a seeker—a man who followed his own path, one that was far from ordinary, yet touched by the extraordinary. “I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it left.” reflects the grounded self of George Harrison despite the fame that he earned throughout his lifetime.
