"I think people who truly can live a life in music are telling the world, 'You can have my love, you can have my smiles. Forget the bad parts, you don't need them. Just take the music, the goodness, because it's the very best, and it's the part I give most willingly." ~ George Harrison
The music that the very spiritual George Harrison (1943-2001) gave the world willingly was the very best.
"Here comes the sun," he wrote. "Here comes the sun/ And I say... It's alright."
Born in Liverpool, England, as the lead guitarist for the most popular band of all time, Harrison was known as "the quiet Beatle" and nicknamed "Dark Horse" by the group because he did not have a standout quality. The private Harrison once said, "The nicest thing is to open the newspapers and not to find yourself in them."
While overshadowed by the stellar songwriting of Lennon/ McCartney, Harrison wrote many tunes for the group, including the two classics, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (featuring Eric Clapton on lead guitar) and Something.
Following the 1970 breakup of the band, Harrison followed his own creative path and released the hit album All Things Must Pass and a year later organized the Concert for Bangla-Desh at Madison Square Garden. In 1988, Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison formed the Traveling Wilburys.
About his life, the recluse rocker reflected, "I'm really quite simple. I don't want to be in the business full-time, because I'm a gardener. I plant flowers and watch them grow. I don't go out to clubs and partying. I stay at home and watch the river flow."
More ROCK Quotations
Give your good parts willingly.