George Harrison

Nationality:

Biography: English musician, singer and songwriter who became famous as the lead guitarist of the Beatles.

Most Beatles albums included at least one Harrison song, including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"; "Here Comes the Sun"; and "Something", which became the Beatles' second-most-covered song. His exploration of Indian music and meditation were evidenced in some of his songwriting.

After the break-up of the Beatles, he began his solo career with the landmark "All Thing Must Pass" album. In response to refugee strife in Bangladesh, he organized an all-star benefit concert at Madison Square Garden (NYC) in 1971 that served as a proto-type for future such events.

He co-founded the movie production company HandMade Films, producing and distributing films such as "Life of Brian"; "Time Bandits'; "Mona Lisa"; and "Withnail and I".

After some time away from making albums, he had a commercial resurgence in the late 1980s with his release "Cloud 9", and formation of the super-group the Traveling Wilburys.

He was married twice - to British model Pattie Boyd from 1966-77, and to American record label executive Olivia Arias from 1978 until his death, with whom he one son, musician Dhani Harrison.

He was also elected to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - with the Beatles (2008), and posthumously as a solo performer (2004).

Born: February 25, 1943
Birthplace: Liverpool, United Kingdom

Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Goat/Sheep
Star Sign: Pisces

Died: November 29, 2001 (aged 58)
Cause of Death: Lung cancer

Articles and Photos

Married Life

1966-01-21 Quiet Beatle George Harrison (22) weds British model Pattie Boyd (21) at the registry office in Epsom, Surrey, England, Paul serves as best man; divorce in 1977
1977-06-06 Former Beatle George Harrison (33) and British model Pattie Boyd (32) divorce after 11 years of marriage
1978-09-02 British musician George Harrison (35) marries American record label marketer Olivia Arias (30) at the Henley-on-Thames Register Office in England

Historical Events

1958-08-29 Guitarist George Harrison (15) joins The Quarrymen, who later become The Beatles
1963-04-14 Quiet Beatle George Harrison is impressed by unsigned British blues band "Rolling Stones"
1963-05-10 Decca Records sign The Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison
1964-03-02 Beatles begin filming "A Hard Day's Night", George Harrison meets future wife Pattie Boyd
1964-09-11 Beatles guitarist George Harrison forms Mornyork Ltd music publishing company
1964-12-07 George Harrison changes his company's name from Mornyork to Harrisongs
1964-12-25 George Harrison's girlfriend Pattie Boyd attacked by female Beatle fans
1965-02-07 George Harrison's tonsils removed
1966-06-01 George Harrison is impressed by sitarist Ravi Shankar's concert in London
1967-06-04 American guitarist Jimi Hendrix covers new Beatles song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at Saville Theatre (London), just days after its release, with George Harrison and Paul McCartney in the audience
1967-06-28 George Harrison is fined £6 for speeding
1968-02-16 Beatles George Harrison, John Lennon and their wives fly to India for transcendental meditation study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
1968-05-15 "Wonderwall" with music by George Harrison, premieres at Cannes Film Festival
1968-09-06 Eric Clapton records guitar tracks for George Harrison's Beatles song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
1968-10-10 George Harrison forms Singsong Ltd
1968-11-17 Beatle George Harrison makes cameo appearance on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"
1969-03-31 George Harrison and Pattie Boyd are fined £250 each for illegal drugs
1969-06-04 Beatles release "The Ballad Of John & Yoko" (recorded by just John and Paul), backed with George Harrison's song, "Old Brown Shoe" in the US
1969-10-31 George Harrison's "Something" is released by the Beatles as a single in UK, his first "A" side
1969-12-15 John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band, play their only European gig - appearing in UNICEF charity concert at London's Lyceum Ballroom, band is augmented by Bonnie & Delaney Bramlett, guitarists George Harrison and Eric Clapton, and keyboardist Billy Preston
1970-01-04 Beatles last recording session at Abbey Road studios, completing George Harrison's tune "I Me Mine"; John Lennon was on vacation and did not participate
1970-11-23 George Harrison releases "My Sweet Lord" single in the US
1970-11-27 Apple Records releases George Harrison's triple album set "All Things Must Pass" - it becomes the best selling solo release of any of the Beatles, going 6X Platinum
1971-01-15 George Harrison releases 1st solo single "My Sweet Lord" in the UK; tops the charts in 15 countries, and becomes subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit
1971-01-31 "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison hits #1 on UK pop chart
1971-02-23 George Harrison is fined & his driving license is suspended for 1 year
1971-04-09 Ringo Starr releases single "It Don't Come Easy", produced by George Harrison, in the UK
1971-07-30 George Harrison releases single "Bangladesh"
1971-08-01 George Harrison's benefit concerts for Bangladesh (2 shows) take place at Madison Square Garden, NYC; performers include Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Leon Russell
1972-02-28 George Harrison is involved in a minor car accident
1973-05-25 George Harrison releases single "Give Me Love" in UK
1973-05-30 George Harrison releases his fourth studio album "Living in the Material World" in the US
1973-06-01 George Harrison's "Living in the Material World" album goes gold, 2 days after its US release
1973-06-22 George Harrison releases his fourth studio album "Living in the Material World" in the UK
1973-07-25 George Harrison pays £1,000,000 tax on his Bangladesh concert & album
1974-03-01 George Harrison announces his concert tour of US in November
1974-12-06 George Harrison releases single "Ding Dong, Ding Dong"
1974-12-20 George Harrison releases "Dark Horse", his fifth studio album in UK
1975-10-03 Apple Records releases George Harrison's sixth studio album, "Extra Texture" in UK
1975-12-26 George Harrison teases his hit "My Sweet Lord" before breaking into "The Pirate Song" on Eric Idle's Rutland Weekend Television Christmas Special (UK)
1976-02-06 George Harrison releases single "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)"
1976-04-20 George Harrison sings "The Lumberjack Song" with Monty Python in NYC
1976-09-07 US courts find George Harrison guilty of 'subconsciously' plagiarizing "He's So Fine" for his song "My Sweet Lord"
1976-09-28 A&M Records sues George Harrison who fails to meet deadline for LP completion
1976-11-19 George Harrison releases single "This Song", an expression of his frustration at being sued for copyright infringement
1976-11-20 George Harrison appears on "Saturday Night Live": haggling with Lorne Michaels; performing "Here Comes the Sun" and "Homeward Bound" with Paul Simon; and airing two music videos
1977-02-18 George Harrison releases music single "True Love", from his "33-1/3" album
1979-02-16 George Harrison releases single "Blow Away"
1979-02-23 George Harrison releases "George Harrison" album, featuring the single "Blow Away"
1979-04-27 George Harrison releases single "Love Comes to Everyone"
1979-07-13 George Harrison releases single "Faster"
1979-08-17 "Monty Python's Life of Brian" directed by Terry Jones, starring Graham Chapman, Mickael Palin, & John Cleese, and funded by George Harrison's HandMade Films, premieres in US theaters
1981-02-06 Beatles George Harrison & Paul McCartney record vocals to a Ringo Starr track written by George, and re-worked as a tribute to John Lennon - "All Those Years Ago"
1981-02-19 George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ronnie Mack's song "He's So Fine"
1981-05-15 George Harrison releases single "All Those Years Ago" in UK: the song was a tribute to John Lennon, and featured Ringo Starr on drums, and Paul and Linda McCartney on backing vocals
1981-06-05 George Harrison releases "Somewhere in England", his ninth studio album, includes John Lennon tribute "All Those Years Ago" (Featuring Paul and Ringo)
1981-10-27 Ringo Starr releases single "Wrack My Brain", written and produced by George Harrison, and album "Stop and Smell the Roses" in the US
1981-11-13 Ringo Starr releases single "Wrack My Brain", written and produced by George Harrison, in the UK
1982-11-05 George Harrison releases "Gone Troppo", his tenth solo album
1987-06-05 Prince's Trust Rock Gala: Eric Clapton leads an all-star band including George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Phil Collins, and Jeff Lynne at Wembley Stadium, London
1987-10-12 George Harrison releases single "Got My Mind Set On You", it becomes his third solo #1 hit, and the last chart-topper by any of the Beatles
1987-11-02 George Harrison releases album "Cloud 9" & Paul McCartney releases greatest hits album "All the Best"
1988-01-16 George Harrison's single "Got My Mind Set On You" tops the Billboard charts; the cover song was written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962
1988-01-25 George Harrison releases single "When We Was Fab", peaks at #23 in the US
1988-06-13 George Harrison releases single "This Is Love"
1988-10-17 Traveling Wilburys release debut album "Volume 1", featuring the single "Handle With Care"; pseudonymous band members include Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty
1989-10-23 George Harrison releases "Best of Dark Horse 1976-89" album
1989-11-27 George Harrison releases music singles "Cheer Down" and "Poor Little Girl"
1992-04-06 George Harrison performs his final full concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, in a benefit for the transcendental mediation based Natural Law political party
2002-11-18 Dark Horse/EMI posthumously releases "Brainwashed", George Harrison's 12th and final studio album
2002-11-29 "The Concert for George", a benefit memorial to George Harrison held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, features Eric Clapton; Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr; Jeff Lynne; Tom Petty; Joe Brown; Anoushka Shankar; Billy Preston; and members of Monty Python
2004-03-15 19th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Jackson Browne; The Dells; George Harrison; Prince; Bob Seger; Traffic; ZZ Top; and Jann Wenner
2023-05-09 George Harrison's "Here Comes The Sun" becomes 1st Beatles song to register a billion streams on Spotify, it is also the oldest song to do so