7 Musicians’ Reactions to George Harrison’s Death: ‘He Inspired Love’
In 2001, George Harrison died of cancer, prompting an outpouring of tributes from his fellow musicians. In his prolific career, Harrison came into contact with hundreds of different artists. Here are seven who spoke about Harrison after his death.
Yoko Ono and George Harrison didn’t always get along, but she wrote a tribute to the musician
Harrison and Yoko Ono had a complicated relationship during his lifetime, but she offered a statement in tribute to her late husband’s bandmate.
“George has given so much to us in his lifetime and he continues to do so even after his passing with his music, his wit and his wisdom,” she said, per ABC. “His life was magical and we felt we had shared a little bit of it by knowing him. Thank you George. It was grand knowing you.”
Michael Jackson said George Harrison was an inspiration as a musician
Harrison and Michael Jackson were on the radio show Roundtable together in 1979 to review new music. After Harrison’s death, Jackson issued a statement calling the former Beatle an inspiration.
“The world has lost a great spirit in George Harrison, a great musician, songwriter, and friend,” he said, per Billboard. “He was an inspiration to me, and I will miss him a great deal.”
Paul McCartney knew George Harrison longer than most musicians
Paul McCartney met Harrison when they were in school, and they worked together for a decade in The Beatles. While they had a contentious relationship toward the end of the band’s time together, they repaired their bond in the years after the band broke up. McCartney issued a touching statement about their friendship after Harrison’s death.
“He was a lovely guy and a very brave man and had a wonderful sense of humor,” he said. “He is really just my baby brother. We were school friends together, you know. And we joined the Beatles together and went through all of that together so … it’s a very sad day. I was lucky enough to see him a couple of weeks ago and he was still laughing and joking. His music will live on forever. He was a very strong, loving man. But he didn’t suffer fools gladly.”
Mick Jagger noted how much he admired the former Beatles’ spirituality
The Beatles reportedly had a feud with The Rolling Stones, but the members of each group got along well. After Harrison’s death, Mick Jagger spoke about how he would miss his friendship and complimented his spirituality.
“I am very saddened by George’s death and will miss him enormously,” he said. “He was the first musician I knew who developed a truly spiritual side and he was generous with his time to both charity and to friends.”
Ringo Starr said George Harrison was a best friend
Ringo Starr didn’t know Harrison for as long as McCartney did, but they were close friends for years. Even two decades after Harrison’s death, Starr gets choked up talking about his friend.
“George was a best friend of mine,” he said. “I loved him very much and I will miss him greatly … We will miss George for his sense of love, his sense of music and his sense of laughter.”
Bob Dylan offered a rare public statement about his former collaborator
Harrison was a huge fan of Dylan in his lifetime, and the musicians collaborated multiple times over the years. Dylan issued a rare and poetic public statement about his late friend.
“He inspired love and had the strength of a hundred men,” Dylan’s statement read, per the book George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door by Graeme Thomson. “He was like the sun, the flowers and the moon, and we will miss him enormously. The world is a profoundly emptier place without him.”
Tom Petty noted how close he was with the former Beatle
Like Dylan, Tom Petty worked with Harrison in The Traveling Wilburys. He said that Harrison became one of his closest friends who came into his life at the right time.
“It’s the only time in my life, really, that I had been that close to somebody — outside of like my mom dying or something,” Petty told Rolling Stone, per The Petty Archives. “I loved him so much, and if he had never played a note, I would have been so blessed to have him in my life. And then over the weekend, it really comes home to you that, oh, wow, the whole world feels this way. They all knew him in their way, and they are mourning him as well. It was very hard, because there’s a duality to it. I mourn for my friend, and then I also am a huge fan just like everyone else. I’m just blessed by God to have known him. He had so much love in him. I realized it more with him gone that he was just pure love.”
