Concert For George
In 1997 George Harrison was diagnosed with throat cancer. Despite his treatment and journey being largely kept out of the public eye, it was announced in early November 2001 that Harrison was undertaking radiotherapy after cancer had sadly spread to his lungs and brain. On the 29th November 2001, Harrison passed away at 58 years old surrounded by his family.
On the first anniversary of Harrison’s death, his past wife and son organised a special memorial known as the ‘Concert for George’ at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert featured musical performances by surviving members of The Beatles, Jools Holland, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, as well as comedy by members of The Monty Python. In the video below watch this fantastic performance of “Something” by Paul McCartney starting the song off with a ukulele.
There is no other band quite as famous in British history as The Beatles. Building their careers, reputation and an incredible fan following in Liverpool in the 60’s, The Beatles have released hits such as ‘Come together’, ‘Here comes the sun’ and ‘I want to hold your hand’.
Their most notable lineup of members includes John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Guitarist George Harrison was known for his love of Indian music and culture, and his influence on The Beatles musical biography. Alongside music and humanitarian work, Harrison also tried his hand at producing, working on the hit ‘Monty Python’s life of Brian.
A notable performance within the moving concert was Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton’s rendition of ‘Something’. The track starts as a simple ukulele (known to be Harrison’s favourite musical instrument) rendition by McCartney, transitioning into a full band. The video on YouTube has since hit over 12 million views and continues to be enjoyed by many.
As well as celebrating the life of Harrison and those who loved him, the concert also raised a considerable amount of money for ‘Material World Charitable Foundation’, a charity set up by Harrison himself to aid artistic expression. The Concert for George was additionally filmed and released on DVD the following year. The film won Best Long Form Video at The Grammys in 2005. Musical performances were also recorded and released as an album.