Remembering George

9 years ago one of our beloved Beatles. George Harrison lost his battle with throat cancer and left behind a beautiful loving wife and a talented son as well as countless friends and fans. The world found out about his passing on November 30, 2001. In my personal life, it was a very strange time. I had quit my job at a day care to continue my education to become a reading teacher (which is what I do today) on September 12, 2001. However, due to contract, I had to continue my job at the day care until November 30. I found out that George had passed away the morning before I went into work for the last day. I really felt like it was a symbolic thing for me.

It is known that George seemed to have a soft spot in his heart for his fans. He frequently opened the door and chatted with them at Kinfauns. He wrote the song for the Apple Scruffs and even invited them into the studio to hear the song first hand! It really isn't too shocking to know that in my files from the Beatles years, the person I have the most fan photos of is George Harrison. He was a man who valued his privacy, but would stop and talk to fans hanging around his home or studio.

Here are some of my personal fan photos of George. We miss you!!

Georgie

I was trying to sort through my Beatles flash drives and re-discovered these George photos. What a cutie!

Singing on the step

Here is the 2nd fan photo I have seen of a Beatle singing to a fan that is waiting on the steps at the studio for the Beatles. I have seen a much smaller version of this photo, and it looked like John was yelling at this fan! But after seeing this bigger one and also reading a little about it, I have learned that John was singing to her! If you recall, I have posted a photo that showed a tanned George singing with a guitar to Carol Bedford. Makes you wonder how often the guys came out and sang to people. :) It is a nice thought, isn't it?

Lennon

If you remember, I posted one of these photos not very long ago and said that I would like a better copy. Well I ended up bidding on the photo on ebay and won! Here are the pictures I won. Yippie!

Thanks!

Here in the United States it is Thanksgiving Day. It is a custom that on this day, we go around the table where we are having our meals and say what we are thankful for. Since we here at "Meet the Beatles for Real" are a virtual family, I wanted to say that I am thankful for each and every one of you who check this blog on a regular basis. I am especially thankful for those who comment, but even if you are a lurker, I am glad that you are checking it out. I decided to start this blog after trying to organize my Beatles photos (something I do all of the time!) I realized that I had a bunch of photos taken by fans and I started to wonder who the girls (and guys) were who were in the photos. What were their stories? And so this blog began for me to organize my photos and maybe find some information. Little did I know that thanks to this blog, long lost friends would be re-united, a family would find a photo and story of their loved one (someone who had met the Beatles at a press conference) who had passed away which they had been searching years for, and some amazing stories would be shared.

I am thankful for anyone who has ever sent me a story or a photograph or even just a word of encouragement. Without all of you, I would have given up on this blog a long time ago.

I am thankful for The Beatles. They are part of my life. The Beatles are my hobby, but they are also part of who I am. John, Paul, George and Ringo are four important guys to me. And I know that a lot of people will never understand that. It is their loss. I think everyone should have a passion for something that they can share with others. For some it is comic books, others it is Star Wars, for some it might be coin collecting....and for me it is The Beatles.

And so I am leaving you all with a treat. Two photos of John! They aren't fan photos, but I just scanned them from BBM and I like them. Happy thanksgiving to all of you, even if you aren't in the U.S. I am sure you have things to be thankful for today and every day.

Two girls for every guy.....

I know that the Beatles were fans of the Beach Boys, but did they really have to take their song so literally? Haha!

Lizze and Gayleen on the One Show

Way before I actually had the chance to "talk" to Lizzie Bravo here online, I was fascinated by the story of how she and Gayleen were chosen to sing the background one "Across the Universe." I remember thinking after I first heard their story, "Oh my goodness...that could have been me!" I am a singer and I am sure that if I had been outside that day and was asked who can hold a high note, I would have jumped up and said, "me sir! me sir!" And then move over Lizzie and hello Sara! hahahaha! But really it is so neat because it is something Beatle fans DREAM about and it really happened to two of our very own. Lizzie and Gayleen weren't musicians. They were fans who were fortunately enough to be there and get the amazing once in a lifetime opportunity to sing with the Beatles on a really awesome song!

Lizzie emailed me this link to of her and Gayleen's recent interview with the One show in England. I really love it! Check out the awesome fan photos that are shown! And see the love and excitement these two ladies still share when talking about The Beatles.

Thanks Lizzie and Gayleen for allowing us to live through your experience once again. Wishing you both all the best. From Sara....the 2nd gen fan in Illinois.

Paul and his Beatle cut

I am really loving these photos! I had one of them, but it had cut Neil out of the photo. Paul is wearing that anchor shirt yet again!

Return of the Red Striped shirt

Gina is a reader who has contributed many photos for this blog. She sent me this one to showcase Paul's red and white stripped shirt and show that is the one he was for sure wearing in 1966. I love how this photo isn't very good, but Paul comes out looking great!

Paul makes his move....

Check Paul out in this Feb. 1964 NYC photo. He is totally making a move on that girl!

Long-haired handsome man

Whatever gets you through the night.....

How many of you watched the Lennon in NYC documentary on PBS last night? I saw it and thought it was great! I totally bawled my eyes out from the "house husband" years until his death, but still really enjoyed the show. I saw some photos and footage that was new to me along with a few new stories. Good stuff!

Like any good Lennon fan, I can't watch something and not find some issues with it. LOL. I guess the biggest thing I had problems with is the whole "Lost Weekend" myth. Now I know that May Pang herself said that she was not happy with how that time in John's life was shown on this program. I always thought that Yoko set John up with May but did not know that they were leaving for L.A. until after the fact. Maybe I am incorrect on thinking that. Once again, the photos and the story of the "Kotex" incident made it look like it happened the same night as the "Smother's Brother's" incident. Not a huge deal, but it is just historically inaccurate. And lastly the myth that John and Yoko got back together the night of John's performance at the Elton John concert. Not just this documentary, but many of them, make it sound like John saw Yoko after this concert and the two of them went back to the Dakota that night and started to conceive Sean. Now I do not doubt that seeing each other that night might not have started something in both of their minds and hearts about getting back together. But they did not physically get back together for another few months.

OK....off my high horse about that junk. Really it was a top-notch documentary. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it!

A blurry copy...

I scanned this photo from the Mojo magazine that had those strange Paul/George photos in it. At first I wasn't sure what I was looking at in his picture, but after much looking, I am pretty sure I see Paul and John in the picture. A bettery quality photo would help matters out a lot.

Paul's birthday surprise

Can you even begin to imagine having Paul McCartney perform at your birthday party? I guess for the right price given to the right charity, Paul might do it! In 2003, Wendy Walker's then husband paid Paul 1 million dollars, which he agreed to donate to the Adopt-a-Minefield charity, to perform at Wendy's 50th birthday party. Wendy has written a book and in it is the story of Paul singing at her party. This article makes it sound like we never knew the identity of the woman who the party was for, but I always had in my files that it was someone named Wendy that worked on the CNN Larry King Show.

Remember back in 2003 when there were reports of Paul McCartney performing at a private party? Well, all details are revealed in the new book, “Producer: Lessons Shared from 30 Years in Television“, by Wendy Walker. Turns out, the woman who Paul McCartney was singing “Birthday” to for her 50th birthday is Wendy Walker, the senior executive producer of CNN’s Larry King Live.

At the time, Walker was married to financier, Ralph Whitworth, who paid $1 million to have Paul McCartney perform at a private birthday party for her in Rancho Santa Fe, California, near San Diego. McCartney agreed to make this rare appearance if the money was donated to the landmines charity he was supporting with then-wife Heather Mills.

Wendy and Ralph first met Paul when he appeared with Heather on the Larry King Live show in 2002. The Whitworths then chaired the Adopt-A-Minefield benefit in 2002 (which McCartney performed at) and donated $50,000 to the charity.
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Being huge Beatles fans, Ralph Whitworth got the idea the following year to approach McCartney to play at a private birthday party for his wife. McCartney agreed to this rare private performance since the $1 million sum would go to Adopt-A-Minefield.
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The party was held at the Whitworths’ favorite restaurant, Delicias, in Rancho Santa Fe. Wendy describes her shock and surprise to see her childhood idol, Paul McCartney, performing in the intimate setting– and all for her! Walker was surrounded by approximately 150 friends and family including the emcees of the party, Larry King and Katie Couric. As any true fan would, Walker documents in her book the 19 song set-list that McCartney played that night.
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Walker crossed paths with Macca again in 2007 when Larry King did a special interview in Las Vegas for the one-year anniversary of The Beatles’ Cirque du Soliel show, LOVE. Ironically, both Wendy and Paul were now divorced. While talking to Paul, Ringo entered the room, and Paul introduced them: “Ringo, this is my friend, Wendy.”
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After 17 years as a producer for CNN’s Larry King Live, Whitworth has met her share of famous politicians and celebrities. But to this day, she is still amazed that Paul McCartney played at her private birthday party — a once-in-a-lifetime event that she will never forget.

A little more Paul

Beatles Anthology

A anniversary of sorts has came and past and I didn't see any mention of it. 15 years ago the Beatles Anthology premiered on ABC. I would guess that for you first generation fans, the Beatles Anthology was neat and exciting for you, but the excitement of it all wasn't something new for you. I guess if you waited outside Abbey Road Studios or even waited for the radio to play a new Beatles song for the first time, seeing the count-down at the end of Anthology for Free as a Bird wasn't as big of a deal for you as it was for me.

But you see I am a 2nd generation fan. I always had to live vicariously through my mom and others like her who were 1st generation fans. Hearing about how exciting it was to see the Beatles on Ed Sullivan or the excitement that built up when Sgt. Pepper was going to be released. And for the first and most likely only time in my life, I got to have that experience.

In 1995 I was 19 years old and a sophomore at Eastern Illinois University. The Anthology was going to be on during my week-long Thanksgiving break, so I lugged my T.V. back home to my parent's house. The buzz about the Anthology was crazy and I got all wrapped up in it. Finally Sunday night came. The first part of the Anthology was going to be on ABC! There was a scare for awhile because Paul refused to allow the program to show if there were any meat restaurant commericals. But things went as planned and I sat with my VCR player ready to record. When I watched the program, I was amazed. I screamed as "new" footage and photos were shown on the screen. I sang along. I listened intensely as all four Beatles told me old information and new things that I never knew. And lastly I cried when I first heard and saw the video for "Real Love."

It was a really awesome time to be a Beatles fan. Sure it wasn't 1964 all over again, but there was a renewed interest in all thing FAB. When I went back to college after the break, people I barely knew wanted to ask me all sorts of things about The Beatles. Suddenly being a Beatles fan was "in."

For me November 1995 was a great time as a Beatles fan. I even started to write a book about the history of the Beatles Anthology. I did a lot of research and then came to the realization that I have no clue how to write and publish a book. Maybe someday I will look again at that project.

Maybe I am crazy for even bothering to write this and you all just think I am totally off my rocker. Did the Anthology project bring any excitement to your Beatle fan life?

No one I think is in my tree....oh wait...I think Paul is in my tree!

The last time....

Yeah...George and Paul are really paying attention to this camera man...

Nashville

I really love this Paul photo! What a tourist! LOL!

Paul in a striped shirt

Blog reader, Guus, sent this photo of Paul in a striped shirt. He seemed to think it is Paul in his famous blue and white shirt. However, I tend to think it is his red and white shirt that he wore on the 1966 tour. Regardless of which shirt it is, Paul sure liked shirts with stripes!

The return of the press conference photos

EMI

I have this photo with a huge watermark on it in my files and I believe that I have indeed posted it before. However....here it is without the watermark!

What a beautiful family

Look how little Dhani is!!!! What a cutie!

McCartney glare

You gotta love that glare you get when using a flash through a car window! But at least this photograph turned out! You can totally tell that this is Paul! Whose nose is that in the background?

I get by with a little help from my friends....

All of you who read this blog just amaze me. I often wonder how many people out there in cyberland are actually reading this, but it just really makes me happy to know that others share my love of Beatles fan photos. Anyhow......last night I posted two photos of Ringo in 1967 in a blue/green jacket. In less than 24 hours from that post, I received cleaner copies of the photo in question photos. Anibal from Spain sent in one and informs me that the photograph was taken on September 28, 1967 (I checked and it appears that the guys were working on I am the Walrus that night). And the Jason from Tracks (Yes...the Tracks Beatles people that I check out their web page ALL of the time and have for years and years) also sent me a copy of the photo. Wow! Thanks to both of you!

I was dreaming of the past

Here is another photo of John and Yoko from 1980. I guess for some obvious reasons John in 1980 has been on my mind lately and here pops up yet another 1980 photograph.

What color is Ringo's jacket anyhow?

Two photos taken at obviously the same time. However, the top photo shows Ringo wearing a green jacket and the bottom one is blue. I belive the bottom one is correct and Ringo has a blue jacket. The top photo must have fade over time. But it is still a beautiful Ringo photo!