George Harrison's Birthday Would Have Been Today - February 25th

   

Image courtesy of niteprowl3r Flickr page -  beatles: https://www.flickr.com/photos/snouty/5494369894/in/photolist-9nw5Kq-aRwNez-aR9uw4-aR9u4B-aR9nqB-aR9jhx-aR9nbV-aR9jVx-aR9o46-aR9nE4-aR9jyD-aR9nR4-aR9org-aR9rHR-aR9jJ2-aR9umZ-aR9ogv-aR9oJr-aR9ueT-aR9kSt-aR9k3X-aR9rpz-aR9kaK-aR9m2T-aR9kGD-aR9ku8-aR9rg2-aR9kiM-6Kk94T-aRvkDn-aRvkm8-aRv85M-aRv7Qk-aRv8t2-aRv8hK-aRvkSp-aR9wok-aR9wyp-91hv7a-aRvB94-aR9tKr-aRvADV-aR9tTi-aRvBsp-aRvAPr-aRwVba-aRwVjF-nNusiV-aRwVt2-aRwV36

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I try not only to acknowledge, but also to honor the birthdays of the Beatles, since they are all not only decent guys, but had such a profound impact on the world. Yes, that's right. I try to mark the truly biggest dates in Beatle's history (can you tell that I'm a big Beatles fan?) when they come, and birthdays certainly qualify, right? Harrison was born on this day in 1943. He would have turned 82 years old today. 

As mentioned earlier, Harrison was a member of arguably the most influential and impactful band in history. This impact was felt both with their music, as well as with their passion outside of music. This iconic band not only were from the sixties, a time of turbulence, experimentation, and change, but they also helped to mold the sixties, allowing it to  become what it became. That decade, and the Beatles role in it, remains influential and provocative to this day. It is difficult, if not frankly impossible, to imagine what the 1960's would have looked like sans Beatles.

Harrison, of course, is best known as a member of the Beatles, having had a major impact on that impactful band. George Harrison was known as the "Quiet Beatle" and was also the youngest member of the Fab Four. He was particularly known for his spirituality, and bringing an Indian influence to the Beatles, with the sitar in particular, something that had not been heard in western music before, but became popular afterwards. His contributions include some great stuff to the famed body of work for the band. These include Think for Yourself (one of my favorite Beatles tracks when growing up), Taxman, Something, I Want to Tell You, Within You Without You, Here Comes the Sun,  and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. He also is known for having contributed some incredible and imaginative guitar solos, and introduced a distinctive Indian influence to the band, spiritually and musically.   

He grew as a songwriter, with the obvious privilege of working under legendary songwriters John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Eventually, he wrote some of the most iconic tunes that the Beatles are known for in his own right, and went on to have a pretty amazing solo career as well.

Following the break-up of the Beatles, George Harrison, like all of the other former members, embarked on a solo career, which included well known songs such as My Sweet Lord, Isn't It a Pity, Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth). He also wrote the most iconic song of Ringo Starr's solo career, It Don't Come Easy. He also collaborated with former bandmate John Lennon after following the breakup of the Beatles. Harrison also basically invented the concept of benefit concerts to raise money for causes, by thinking up and organizing the star-studded  "Concert for Bangladesh" with Ravi Shankar in 1971 at Madison Square Garden. This benefit concert for Bangladesh set the tempo for tribute concerts since. Years later, he joined numerous other iconic musicians (including Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Ry Orbison, and Jeff Lynne) to form the also legendary Traveling Wilburys, a "super group" which had and still has a cult following. 

In 1999, George Harrison was attacked and stabbed by a knife-wielding maniac in his own home. he survived, but the end for him was not long in coming. Harrison died in 2001, at the age of 58, from lung cancer, although both his music and memory live on in so many ways.

Personally, I am of the belief that Harrison, if anything, is rather underrated. When I was a kid, it was a big deal when he released his album Cloud Nine. To this day, I love every song on that album, and listen to it relatively regularly. If you explore his solo works, you will spot the influence that he brought to the Beatles, as well as his own unique musical (and spiritual) direction. 

One interesting side note on this day is that, while traditionally February 25th was indeed the day that Harrison celebrated his birthday, he found out late in life that he had evidently, technically been born a few minutes before midnight on the 24th. So, when he found this out, he began celebrating on the 24th, even though his birthday still is usually recognized as the 25th! 

Strange, huh?  

It seemed fitting to honor the memory of George Harrison today. So on this day, what would have been his 82nd birthday, I pay tribute to him.