George Harrison was born on February 25 (or late in the evening on February 24, according to conflicting sources) in 1942. The Beatles’ lead guitarist also wrote many classic songs for the band before launching his own successful solo career.
Sadly, Harrison died of cancer on November 29, 2001, at age 57. In commemoration of what would’ve been George’s 82nd birthday, a couple of his most famous friends and musical collaborators took to their social media pages to pay tribute to the beloved musician.
Videos by American Songwriter
Harrison’s former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney posted a brief note that reads, “Time to celebrate my good mate George’s birthday.” The message is accompanied by a photo of Harrison and McCartney singing together during an apparent Beatles recording session.
Meanwhile, George’s pal Eric Clapton acknowledged Harrison’s birthday by posting a video clip of the two performing together at the star-packed 1987 Prince’s Trust Rock Gala.
The clip shows Harrison, Clapton and an impressive collective of other well-known musicians playing the George-penned Beatles classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Also taking part in the performance were Ringo Starr, Elton John, Phil Collins, Jeff Lynne, and Level 42’s Mark King, among others.
A video featuring footage of the full song can be viewed on YouTube. The concert took place at Wembley Arena in London on June 6, 1987.
Clapton, of course, played lead guitar on The Beatles’ original 1968 studio version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
Other Birthday Tributes to Harrison
The Beatles and Harrison’s own social media sites also shared special video birthday tributes to George.
On The Beatles’ socials, a video presentation set to “Here Comes the Sun” was posted. It features an animated pop-up book that opens to reveal various photos and images of Harrison from his years with the Fab Four.
Harrison’s social media post features a montage of film clips and photos of George, augmented by colorful kaleidoscopic effects. The video is soundtracked by “The Light That Has Lighted the World,” a song from Harrison’s 1973 solo album, Living in the Material World.
Meanwhile, the late John Lennon’s social media sites also acknowledged Harrison’s birthday. The post features a series of pics of Lennon and Harrison together onstage circa 1964, along with the message, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGE!”