Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > George Harrison
George Harrison Facts
| Sign | Pisces |
| Born |
Feb 25, 1943 Liverpool, Merseyside |
| Died |
Nov 29, 2001 Beverly Hills, CA |
| Age | Died at 58 |
| Total Facts | 56 |
A controversy arose in the days after Harrison's death, when it turned out his death certificate listed a bogus address; it was revealed he had died at Paul McCartney's Los Angeles house, whose address they'd wanted to keep secret. McCartney described the late Harrison as "my baby brother".
A good deal of confusion as to his real birthday was solved when a family birth record noted him as being born shortly before midnight around 11:50 P.M.) on February 24th, 1943. He had believed his birthday was February 25th for his entire life.
A New York Federal Court ruled in 1976 that his famous song "My Sweet Lord" was a copyright infringement on the song 1963 Laurie Records hit "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons. "My Sweet Lord" contained a similar repetition of two musical phrases ("sol-mi-re" and "sol-la-do-la-do") found in "He's So Fine," along with identical harmonies. Although the Court found that Harrison did not intended to plagiarize "He's So Fine," it ruled that, having been familar with the song, he had "subconsciously" copied its melody. Bright Tunes Music Corp. v. Harrisongs Music, Ltd., 420 F.Supp. 177 (S.D.N.Y. Aug 31, 1976). Appeals dragged the case on into the 1990s, with Harrison's former manager Allen Klein becoming the plaintiff when he bought Bright Tunes. Harrison eventually ended up owning both songs, while Klein's reputation suffered from his "changing sides" in the suit.
A vegetarian.
After eight years being idle, he decided to tour in 1974 despite a bad voice due to some throat problems. The tour was a critical and commercial disaster, with unfair severe criticism for the opening act of "Ravi Shankar and Friends", Harrison's voice (which was called "Dark Hoarse") and his preaching. He was so disillusioned and angry with the incident that he never toured in America again, only going to Japan in 1992 for a very large sum and Eric Clapton's back-up band.
After his lung cancer was found to have returned in March 2001, Harrison was operated on in June and had half of one lung removed. By November of that year however the cancer had spread to his brain, making recovery impossible.
Although rightly considered the shyest Beatle, Harrison loved comedy and often associated with Monty Python through the 1970s.
Attended Dovedale Road Primary School (now Dovedale Road Junior School) and the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys (now the Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts).
Brother-in-law of Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac (Fleetwood was married to Jenny Boyd, Patty Boyd's sister.)
Disillusioned with working for a major label, he quickly and hastily recorded "Gone Troppo" in 1982 to fulfill his contract. When asked to renew, he refused. He also refused to do any publicity for the album, which he thought of as second-rate. Due to the shoddy publicity campaign by Warner Brothers for the album, it was a flop and its highest chart position was #108. Harrison decided not to make another album for five years. When he did, the album, "Cloud Nine", was a smash, landing in the #1 spot.
During his November 1976 appearance on "Saturday Night Live" (1975), he appeared and sang, in a video titled "This Song". The "This Song" video referenced the then popular controversy over the similarity in the Melody of his mega hit "My Sweet Lord"(1971) and that of The Chiffon's earlier Pop, R n B hit "He's So Fine"(1963).
Executive Producer & Principal Partner, 'HandMade Films' [1979 - 1994]
First ex-Beatle to have a number one hit as a solo artist ("My Sweet Lord" December 1970) after the breakup of the Fab Four.
First musician of the pop era to introduce the sitar when he played it on "Norwegian Wood" from the The Beatles' album "Rubber Soul" (1965). This was the first time the Indian instrument had been played on a pop single. Rivals The Rolling Stones soon followed with sitar accompaniment on their hit "Paint It Black" (1966).
Former schoolmate of Paul McCartney; the two got acquainted riding the same bus every day, carrying their first guitars. After McCartney joined John Lennon's Quarrymen, Harrison began turning up at their shows, and filled in when other members weren't available. Lennon objected to having a "kid" join the band, but McCartney persuaded him.
George met Pattie Boyd on the set of A Hard Day's Night (1964). She was engaged at the time, but George kept asking her out until she gave in. They were married in 1966.
George's older sister Louise resides in southern Illinois as of 1998.
Got a job as an apprentice electrician at age 16 but didn't have the interest to continue it. With one son a mechanic and another a groundskeeper, father Harry hoped his sons would go into business together once George finished his apprenticeship. Harry let George quit to become a working musician, though, when The Beatles began to get weekly bookings, figuring he was young and could still "start over" if music didn't work out.
Had his own professional 16-track recording studio installed at Friar Park, where nearly all his solo records after 'All Things Must Pass' were made (album credits usually mention "Friar Park Studio", or "F.P.S.H.O.T."). In the 1980s Jeff Lynne, used to working with 48-track digital machines, found it startling to have to rethink his approach to record with Harrison, but found it refreshing in the long run (the band Shakespear's Sister also borrowed the studio in the early 1990s, to record "Hormonally Yours").
Harrison was cremated within hours of his death, and his ashes were later scattered along the Ganges River in India, in accordance with his last wishes.
He and his fellow Beatles were awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
He and the Beatles were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
He played 26 instruments: guitar, sitar, 4-string guitar, bass guitar, arp bass, violin, tamboura, dobro, swordmandel, tabla, organ, piano, moog synthesizer, harmonica, autoharp, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, claves, African drum, conga drum, tympani, ukulele, mandolin, marimba, and Jal-Tarang.
He was the youngest member of the Beatles.
He was the youngest of four children (Louise, Harold Jr. and Peter were his older siblings), and came from the most "normal" home of any of the Beatles. Father Harry drove a Liverpool city bus, while mother Louise gave dance lessons at their home. The Harrisons were common-sense people, but allowed their children to pursue their dreams, and encouraged George to take up music. Mrs. Harrison invited The Beatles over to practice early in their career, and sometimes came to see them perform. The family remained close, even after daughter Louise married and moved to America, and George became famous; Louise frequently made herself available for media interviews about her younger brother, and hosted his early American visits. He provided for their parents to retire comfortably, while his home at Friar Park was a family affair indeed, tended by he and his older brothers. His mother died of cancer in 1970, and he wrote "Deep Blue" in reaction to her death. His father died (also of cancer) in 1978, having adopted some of his son's spiritual beliefs; George and wife Olivia later related that they'd awoken that same night, to a strange blue light in the room, and a vision of Harry smiling at them.
In 1968, Eric Clapton played guitar on George's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on The Beatles's White Album. Also, George was at Eric's home in England and wrote "Here Comes the Sun" while skipping a board meeting for the band's company, Apple Corps.
In 1978, The Rolling Stones album "Some Girls" was withdrawn from stores after several stars whose photos appeared on the original cover (including Lucille Ball, Raquel Welch, Farrah Fawcett, Lee Majors and Red Buttons) threatened to sue. The album was re-released with a "censored" cover; Harrison's photo appears on both versions. He joked publicly that he'd sue the Stones "if they removed his photo."
In the early 1970s Eric Clapton fell madly in love with Pattie Boyd (at the time married to Harrison) and wrote "Layla" about her; when she refused to leave George for him, Clapton became so distraught and depressed he turned to heroin and developed a severe addiction. By 1974, feeling abandoned by George's obsession with Indian culture, Pattie left George for Eric and the Harrisons' divorce was finalized in 1977. Two years later, Pattie and Eric were married (they divorced in 1988). Through it all, George, Eric and Pattie remained the best of friends - George attended the Claptons' wedding reception and commented, "I'd rather she was with him than some dope". (Clapton and Harrison called each other "husbands-in-law.").
In the early 60s when "The Beatles" were a backup group to Tony Sheridan, George co wrote with John Lennon, an instrumental, "Cry For A Shadow", the title, a reference to a disbanded British group.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Beatles January 20, 1988.
Is portrayed by Chris Cound in The Linda McCartney Story (2000) (TV).
Is portrayed by Chris O'Neill in Backbeat (1994).
Liked jelly babies (a softer version of jelly beans).
Musician, one of The Beatles.
On 30 December 1999, an intruder broke into his Oxfordshire mansion, stabbing him multiple times in the chest. Harrison and his wife fought the intruder and detained him for the police.
Originally submitted his album "Somwhere In England" in 1980 with a psychedelic cover and four rather downbeat songs. Warner Brothers rejected the album, and ordered a new cover and four new, more upbeat songs. It was around this time that John Lennon died, and Harrison decided to re-arrange his song "All Those Years Ago" as a tribute to Lennon and sing it himself (he originally thought it should be a Ringo Starr tune). Starr had recorded percussion, which was used in the final track. At the same time, Paul McCartney asked if he could come over to George's house so George could do some guitar work on Paul's song "Wanderlust." It was the first time McCartney and Harrison had been together since the break up of The Beatles in 1970. Harrison asked Paul, wife Linda McCartney and Denny Laine to record backing vocals for his song, "All Those Years Ago." After recording the song, McCartney decided that Harrison didn't need to record the guitar part and he'd use a horn ensemble instead. After three other songs were recorded, and a new photo shot at an art gallery in London, the
Overcame both hepatitis in the mid-1970s (which caused a delay in the release of his album "Thirty-Three and 1/3"), and a cocaine addiction in the early 1980s.
Portrayed by Sam Bell in Nowhere Boy (2009).
Re-release of "My Sweet Lord" reaches #1 in the UK, replacing Aaliyah's "More Than A Woman". It is the first time there have been two consecutive posthumous #1 hits in the UK. [January 2002]
Son, Dhani Harrison (born 1 August 1978) was a student at Brown University.
Spoke German, but not fluently
The Beatles were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. [11 November 2004]
The first song he wrote was "Don't Bother Me", while he was sick in hospital. He said later "It was an exercise, to see if I *could* write a song".
The only Beatle whose childhood was not marred by personal tragedy.
Though the guitar chord - 7th + sharpened 9th - became known as "The Hendrix Chord" through its heavy use on "Foxy Lady" and "Purple Haze," the 7#9 was actually used several months earlier by George Harrison on "Taxman" from The Beatles' 1966 album "Revolver".
Through good friend, Eric Clapton, Delaney Bramlett introduced him to playing slide guitar, which he would use after The Beatles.
Together with Eric Clapton, he wrote the Cream hit "Badge." He also played the song's lead guitar track up to the bridge.
Treated for throat cancer in 1997, which went into remission the next year.
Was a member of the Travelling Willburys with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra.
Was actually hurt by the critical savaging of Shanghai Surprise (1986) and its subsequent financial failure, because he had very little to do with it and his name was on the film. In later years he said that his songs were the victims of the film's failure.