Beatles History: George Harrison Honored With Hollywood Walk of Fame Star on April 14, 2009
George Harrison earned a few nicknames with The Beatles. The quiet one, the shy one, the third Beatle, and the most easy-going Beatle. Whatever name people called him, at least one thing was true — he was a talented songwriter who was overshadowed by his older songwriting bandmates. That didn’t prevent George from being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 14, 2009, a second prestigious posthumous honor for one of Liverpool’s most famous sons.
George Harrison was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 14, 2009
The Hollywood Walk of Fame welcomed George on April 14, 2009, and it was well-deserved. After all, he played a large part in crafting music that changed the world. He didn’t always receive songwriting credit, but George was the most talented guitarist in the Beatles, and his playing was essential to the Fab Four’s sound.
He also helped introduce Indian instruments (sitars on “Norwegian Wood,” “Love You To,” and “Within You Without You”) and musical theories to Western audiences.
George’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony was a star-studded affair. Paul McCartney, who recruited George for The Beatles, attended. George’s wife and son, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, accepted the star on his behalf. Tom Hanks, Joe Walsh, and Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, members of George’s late-1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, also attended.
George’s star resides at 1750 Vine Street, per the Walk of Fame website. Fittingly, it rests outside the Capitol Records building. The company released The Beatles’ records in the United States.
George died from lung cancer complications nearly 8 years before he got his Hollywood star
George’s Hollywood honor came a little late. The famous guitarist died from lung cancer complications nearly eight years earlier. Paul and Ringo Starr both visited before he died on his own terms on Nov. 29, 2001
George’s death happened nearly two years after he survived a near-fatal attack at his home in late 1999. A would-be murderer stabbed him multiple times, including in the chest. The violent encounter happened two years after George survived a throat cancer diagnosis.
Still, the ex-Beatle felt he was close to death after the knife attack, and those close to him saw a change. He lived for nearly two more years before dying with a roughly $400 million net worth.
The quiet Beatle earned another posthumous honor with his solo Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction
The third Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class in 1988 included The Beatles. How could it not? George and Ringo attended while Paul stayed home.
George entered the RNR HOF as a solo artist 16 years later, in 2004. It was obviously a posthumous honor, and that was a good thing. Though he attended The Beatles’ induction, George wasn’t a huge fan of being the center of attention. He said standing before a room full of crazed people in 1988 was stressful. Still, George deserved the honor. He sent three songs to the top of the Billboard 100 singles chart and had another two top-10 hits in the 1970s and 1980s,
George Harrison’s honor on the Hollywood Walk of Fame came years after his death, in 2009. The Beatles guitarist earned another posthumous achievement with his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2004. He didn’t like being the center of attention, but it’s hard to argue that George didn’t deserve recognition for his work.
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