Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesThis Sunday marks what would have been George Harrison‘s 75th birthday. After first coming to fame as the lead guitarist of The Beatles, Harrison went on to have a long and successful career as a solo artist.
While the Fab Four was dominated by the talented and prolific songwriting duo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Harrison eventually began making major contributions to the band with his own compositions, including “Taxman,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Here Comes the Sun” and the #1 hit ballad “Something.”
George also helped to introduce Indian music to the pop world thanks to sitar-driven tunes like “Love You Too” and “Within You Without You.”
Following The Beatles’ breakup in 1970, Harrison became the first member of the band to score a chart-topping solo hit, with 1970’s “My Sweet Lord.” He hit #1 again in 1973 with “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” and once more in 1987 with “Got My Mind Set on You.”
George also was a member of the successful supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, along with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne.
Harrison died on November 29, 2001, from complications of lung cancer at the age of 58.
As previously reported, in honor Harrison’s 75th birthday, audio and video reissues of Concert for George, the star-packed 2002 Harrison tribute show held at London’s Royal Albert Hall, are being released today. The event included performances by McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Petty, Lynne and others.
Among the versions that are available is an expansive limited-edition box set featuring four LPs, two CDs, two DVDs and two Blu-rays; a hardbound 60-page book; and a cutting from the hand-painted tapestry used as a backdrop at the actual show.
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