George Harrison’s Wife Thinks Their Son, Dhani, Was ‘Some Sort of an Anchor’ at Concert for George: ‘Somehow Through Him, George Was Really Present’
George Harrison‘s wife, Olivia, said their son, Dhani, became an anchor at his father’s tribute, Concert for George. George’s spirit was present through Dhani.
George Harrison’s wife, Olivia, said it emotional watching Dhani perform at Concert for George
Following George’s death on Nov. 29, 2001, Eric Clapton began feeling like he had to do something to honor his long-time friend. He wanted to celebrate George’s life and music so he organized Concert for George.
“It was [Clapton’s] idea,” Goerge’s widow, Olivia, told Rolling Stone. “He phoned me not long after George died and said, ‘I’d like to do something.’ Eric was a very deep friend of George’s, so I felt confident and relieved that it was Eric coming to me.”
“Olivia had given me this job of being musical director,” Clapton explained, “to single out people for certain songs, and I found that really hard. We were all quite protective of our relationships with George.”
At London’s Royal Albert Hall, a year to the date of George’s death, his friends came out to show their love for him. George’s fellow Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr made memorable appearances and the guys in Monty Python lightened the mood. George’s fellow Traveling Wilburys, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne brought even more great music.
However, one of the most emotional moments of the night came when Olivia saw Dhani perform. She said watching her son play “Beware of Darkness” with Clapton was “excruciating.”
Olivia said, “It was obviously very emotional for me to see him up there paying tribute to his dad. And listening to George’s words — ‘Beware of sadness/ It can hit you, it can hurt you, make you sore/ And what is more, that is not what you are here for’ — feeling so incredibly sad and trying not to be sad — taking George’s advice.”
George’s wife thinks Dhani became ‘an anchor’ at Concert for George
According to Harrison Archives, Olivia thought Dhani became “some sort of an anchor” for George’s spirit at Concert for George.
“Dhani and I were not quite sure how we would feel on November 29th,” she said. “Sometimes we thought we should be spending the night quietly, but really it was the most perfect thing we could have been doing. […] But it was very emotional… and I think Dhani was some sort of an anchor on that stage, and somehow through him, George was really present.”
George’s musical guru, Ravi Shankar, agreed.
Ravi Shankar said George was present at the tribute
Toward the beginning of Concert for George, one of George’s best friends, legendary sitarist, Ravi Shankar, spoke to the crowd.
Shankar kissed Olivia’s head and said, “Dear friends, I strongly feel that Geoge is here tonight. I mean, how can he not be here when all of us who loved him so much, who love him so much, have assembled all together to sing for him, to play music for him.
“I’m sure he’s here. Thank you. George was like a son to me and I’m so glad that I have my grandson Dhani also here this evening.”
He then introduced “Arpan” and the Indian musicians George loved so much lit up Apbert Hall. Clapton thinks George wouldn’t have wanted Concert for George because he was humble. However, his spirit would’ve been there, regardless of if it was tethered to Dhani.
