“‘The Pirate Song’ was written for the pirate sketch on the Rutland Weekend Television Christmas Show, [aired on Dec. 26] 1975. It was co-written (words and music) by Eric Idle and myself. […] All my friends are pirates.” - George Harrison, I Me Mine (1980)

50 years ago today, George’s appearance on Rutland Weekend Television’s Christmas special aired. Also featured: “The Pirate Song,” co-written with @ericidle.bsky.social. “All my friends are pirates.” - George Harrison, I Me Mine (1980) Watch and read more at www.instagram.com/reel/DSu_Mnj....

Audio from Winter Warnerland (1988). Merry Christmas to those of you celebrating… and to everyone, wishing you peace. See you on the 26th!

Audio from Winter Warnerland (1988). Merry Christmas to those of you celebrating… and to everyone, wishing you peace. See you on the 26th!

“As a musician [George] wanted to immerse himself in a song for days, even weeks at a time.” - Olivia Harrison, translated from Süddeutsche Zeitung (November 2011) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSktI6hDI3....

Came across this while researching (in this case in Hullabaloo, November 1967) — this goes out to @teatles.bsky.social, who is probably familiar with it, but just in case. :)

“I was crying. It spoke to me with such soul. That’s the prettiest slide guitar on that record [‘Distance Makes No Difference With Love’], that I have heard in my life.” - Carl Perkins Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSiIA9VDHO....

“The best slide solo I ever played was on… what’s her name? That girl singer who used to be with that all-girl band? … Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go’s! That’s who it was.” - George, Guitar World (1992) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSfkFWEDBw.... Photo © Globe Photos.

“…[George] wrote me a lovely letter, after I’d sent him a present of the [artist] Marc Chagall book I did [Chagall’s World, with photographs by Wyman], thanking me for asking him to do it. He signed it ‘Bert Weedon.’” - Bill Wyman, Classic Rock (2009) More at www.instagram.com/p/DSc_swZDO5....

“I first met George when we, The Paramounts, were the support act on the last Beatles UK tour... […] George was the one who would pass a joint: he'd always make sure we had something to smoke.” - Gary Brooker, Concert for George (Genesis Publications) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSaZs-4DPp....

“There was obviously a deep and long-standing friendship between the two of them and the mood in the studio was quite jocular.” - Don Was Read more about “Under The Red Sky” at www.instagram.com/p/DSX1j8kjeu.... Photo by Neal Preston

“Co-Wilbury Jeff Lynne calls George ‘a great guitar player. When he strikes up on the slide there’s nobody better; his precision, his vibrato is perfect. But he always plays it down.‘“ - Musician (1990) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSVQ9lIjEh.... Photo by Robert Matheu

“…the last few things [George] emailed me: ‘Who gave Cecil B. DeMille,’ and, ‘What was William Holden?’ And we immediately clicked on that level of humor.” - Jim Capaldi, BBC Radio 2 (2009) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSSrTU5jJN....

“…[George] liked one song in particular and he subsequently added slide guitar to it. It was released as a single in 1988, ‘Love’s A State Of Mind’, on Elton’s Rocket label.” - Bonhams Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSQGq_ZDJq....

“I said, ‘Hey, George, we’re making an album, would you like to play on it [the song ‘The Last Time’]?’ And he’s so cool, he said, ‘Only if I can just be in the band.’” - John Oates, WGBH (March 30, 2017) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSNiC3KjN2.... Photo © Larry Roberts

“[George] was magnificent & very special. The man was much larger than life, but not big enough to hold his own huge heart, which he would share with generosity & compassion to those fortunate beings around him.” - Richard Dashut Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSK9hy-DHD.... Pic by R. Dashut

“[George] was magnificent & very special. The man was much larger than life, but not big enough to hold his own huge heart, which he would share with generosity & compassion to those fortunate beings around him.” - Richard Dashut Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSK9hy-DHD.... Pic by R. Dashut

Remembering Ravi Shankar. “[Ravi has] always been like a guru and father figure, but at the same time I think mainly of him as a friend, because we joke around most of the time.” - George Harrison, in his foreword to Raga Mala (1997) Read more at www.instagram.com/reel/DSIYEpF....

“[George is] very patient. That’s one of the things that impressed me most. He goes out of his way to understand your moods, to understand you as a person. He gets right underneath you and pulls the best out of you.” - Bob Purvis, Melody Maker (1974) More at www.instagram.com/p/DSFzPhjDCe....

“It was as cathartic as music can be. You play your heart out or sob your soul out. [Dec. 9, 1980] was an awful, awful day.“ - Ray Cooper, MOJO (November 2011) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSDPrVwjbr.... Photo (from Hamburg, 1962) by Astrid Kirchherr

Remembering John. “They can kill the man, but they can’t kill the spirit. They can’t kill what he meant to you.’” - George Harrison, Musician (March 1990) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSApWSYDBO....

Remembering John. “They can kill the man, but they can’t kill the spirit. They can’t kill what he meant to you.’” - George Harrison, Musician (March 1990) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DSApWSYDBO....

“George is George; he literally made that song. I had Alexa play ‘Basketball Jones’ by Cheech & Chong, and the guitar riff is so good…” - Billboard (April 20, 2018) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DR-FYizjCz.... 📷: Pattie and George at Columbia Records’ A Week To Remember party in L.A., 1973

“George came in the studio and asked if we’d mind if he played [on ‘Day After Day’]. […] George liked to do [the guitars] together, live. He and Pete sat there for hours trying different riffs.” - Joey Molland Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DR7g13KDA1...

“George came in the studio and asked if we’d mind if he played [on ‘Day After Day’]. […] George liked to do [the guitars] together, live. He and Pete sat there for hours trying different riffs.” - Joey Molland Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DR7g13KDA1...

“[George] seemed to be the only one around who wasn’t aware he was a superstar of unprecedented magnitude.” - Larry Hosford, While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DR47wntjEq.... 📷: George & Olivia, 1975; photos hby Henry Grossman

“[George] had an extremely melodic approach. He would build solos, and sometimes it would take ages. […] He’d search around, and, after a while, he’d have this solo that was a masterpiece.” - Alvin Lee, Guitar World (2017) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DR2XPeNjNh.... Photo by Pattie Boyd

“[George] could develop a simple little melodic idea that would be repeated in the course of a song, so that you would never be able to hear the song without hearing this hook. He was really good at that.” - David Bromberg Read more (including re: “The Holdup”) at www.instagram.com/p/DRzyHwtDPq....

“We became like brothers, very close. […] [George] was a very, very loving person, a great guy. […] He had such a heart. […] He was very unaffected by the fame. He just loved God and his family and his friends.” - Billy Preston, WBUR (2001) More at www.instagram.com/p/DRxNJtrDOo....

“George is the greatest as far as I’m concerned. […] He has a great heart and soul, a really beautiful person who is able to communicate peace and joy.” - Doris Troy Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRuo4amDH0.... Photos courtesy of the official George social media pages.

“Remember — We are not these bodies — just souls having a bodily experience — God Bless You — Love from George Harrison.” - MOJO (Nov. 2011) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRsDc9tDGu...

Remembering George on the 24th anniversary of his passing. Sending thoughts to Olivia and Dhani and all of George’s nearest & dearest. “We who love music, we love the people who make it, we love the sound of it, and we love what it does to us, how it makes us feel, how it helps *us* love.” - George

Remembering George on the 24th anniversary of his passing. Sending thoughts to Olivia and Dhani and all of George’s nearest & dearest. “We who love music, we love the people who make it, we love the sound of it, and we love what it does to us, how it makes us feel, how it helps *us* love.” - George

“George Harrison was such a sweetheart, you’d never guess at the life he’d lived.” - Patrick Mitchell (former art director of Musician magazine, Grids (2010) More at www.instagram.com/p/DRm6DDGjMK.... 📷: George photographed by Max Aguilera-Hellweg for Musician magazine in 1990

All Things Must Pass was released 55 years ago today. “‘All Things Must Pass’ just shows the nature of the physical world.” - George, French TV interview (1997) Read more at www.instagram.com/reel/DRkT5FJ.... 🎥: 1997 VH1 interview conducted by @johnfugelsang.bsky.social

“…that was how I was able to let a wonderfully sweet man named George know how much he meant to me.” - fan Marilyn Blake, Goldmine (January 25, 2002) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRhzCO_jKl....

“[George] knew: This was bad, I’ve got to get back. And maybe that was the Catholic guilt he was always trying to leave behind. Maybe he never did. Maybe that was the tilt mechanism, I don’t know.” - Olivia Harrison, NYT (2011) More at www.instagram.com/p/DRfLJn7DEB.... Photo by Bob Cato

“I don’t see it like I’m making a comeback; I’ve always laughed at that — making a comeback. […] [W]e continue to exist whether we’re cool and groovy or not.” - George Harrison, Guitar Player Magazine (Nov. 1987) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRcpZ7IjP2.... Photo by Gered Mankowitz

“[George] was just a wonderful person and whenever I was in trouble, like with money and things, he was always looking after me. […] I just miss him terribly because he was like a little guardian angel for me.” - Astrid Kirchherr Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRaBt0MDFP.... Photo by Astrid

“Olivia came into the picture at just the right time, a crazy, dark time. […] [W]ithout her things would have got worse.” - Jim Keltner, MOJO (Nov. 2014) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRXc4MiDGO.... Photo by Henry Grossman

Q: “Was it love at first sight?” Olivia Harrison: “Pretty much. We felt it in our hearts from before we met. Even on the phone, we seemed to have some understanding, like you do when you meet the right person. And he was a charmer, such a charmer!” Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRU4zb0DGv....

“The lyrics are just, if you listen to them, talking about everyone’s self-realization. You know, get in there and take them apart, listen to them and get them in your head because they’re only gonna be good for you.” - Dhani Harrison on Brainwashed More at www.instagram.com/p/DRST5sMDO-....

“They called him ‘the quiet Beatle,’ but he wasn’t particularly quiet; he simply didn’t demand to be heard.” - Paul Simon, Rolling Stone (2002) Continuing on from yesterday’s post, another clip from George’s appearance on Saturday Night Live with Paul Simon, Nov. 1976.

George’s appearance with Paul Simon on Saturday Night Live was taped on November 18, 1976. “The harmonies are just about perfect.” - Charles M. Young, Rolling Stone (December 30, 1976) More at www.instagram.com/reel/DRNKg3M....

Tom Petty: “I’ve got four ukuleles at my house just for emergencies, you know.” Ringo Starr: “In case George gets withdrawal.” - Interview Magazine (June 1992) Read more at www.instagram.com/reel/DRKk7jo.... Clip from Living In The Material World.

“I have always said, George to me is like all combined, like a son, like a friend, like a brother, everything. And I loved him so much and I miss him so very much I cannot express.” - Ravi Shankar, BBC Radio (2009)

“[D]eath wasn’t supposed to happen to Uncle George. Not yet. He was younger than my father, like a son to him. And when he died I realized he was like a father to me.” - Anoushka Shankar in the dedication to George in her book Bapi (2002) Read more at harrisonarchive.tumblr.com/post/8003009....

“I remember as a baby standing on a little leather stool, singing [Josh White’s] ‘One Meatball.’” - George Harrison, I Me Mine (1980) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRC26_dDK5.... 📷: George with his brother Peter, in a photo supplied to Mersey Beat by their mother Louise.

“The world is a sadder and poorer place without George. We need good people, and we just lost a shining light. Thank you for all of your music George.” - Mark Cope, CMJ New Music Report (Dec. 2001) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DRASQRrDA-.... Photo by Aaron Rapport

“Harrison was a total sweetheart, everything you would want a former Beatle to be — charming, warm, personable and hilariously funny.” - Creem editors J. Kordosh & Bill Holdship, New Times LA (December 2001) Read more at www.instagram.com/p/DQ9tKn7jHS.... Photo by John Livzey