FASTER

George Harrison was born in Liverpool, England on this day in 1943 and passed away nearly ten years ago. His late ’70’s music video titled “Faster” was dedicated to the memory of Formula One racing driver Ronnie Peterson and includes a cameo appearance by British F1 champion Jackie Stewart.

Inspirational and reflective, George had a deep interest in travel, photography, film making, motorsports, and of course music. As The Beatles lead guitarist, his riffs and songwriting are legendary. He owned a vintage Porsche 911, Mini Cooper, Dino 246, Aston Martin DB5 and was one of the first to purchase a McLaren F1 road car. He was also an avid gardener and introduced many to Eastern thought and music.

His list of achievements and honors staggers the imagination. As a member of The Beatles, he received an MBE, Acadamy Award, star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (he was also awarded individual honors for the last two). He appeared twice on the cover of Time and is listed at number 21 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

The Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 was the first benefit concert of that magnitude in history. And the memorial Concert for George, a 2002 benefit event held in his honor, is still one of my favorite music films (free streaming today at georgeharrison.com).

Director Martin Scorsese is currently collaborating with Olivia Harrison on “Living In the Material World: George Harrison,” a documentary film that looks at the musician’s life before, during and after The Beatles. This eagerly anticipated project is expected to be released later this year.