Piece Description

Professor Glenn Gass, and producer Rich Reardin discuss the life and music of George Harrison.

Glenn Gass teaches at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University with series of courses on the history of rock & roll and popular music. Rich Reardin is the executive producer of In Search of a Song, and longtime radio and music producer.

Professor Gass is the recipient of the Herman B Wells Lifetime Achievement Award, the Indiana University Sylvia Bowman Distinguished Teaching Award, the IU Student Alumni Association Student Choice Award, the Society of Professional Journalists Brown Derby Award, and other teaching awards and honors. He was inducted into the Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching and is author of A History of Rock Music: The Rock & Roll Era (McGraw-Hill, 1994).Professor Gass is a member of the Education Advisory Board of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.He is the recipient of grants in composition from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, and the Indiana Arts Commission. Dr. Glenn Gass Website

In Part One, Rich and Glenn discuss George Harrison's incredible contribution to the Beatles as both guitarist, and songwriter. They examine his evolution as an immediately successful songwriter with his first song "Don't Bother Me" until becoming an integral part of the Beatles, and on par with the powerhouse team of Lennon and McCartney.  Part one explores George's years as a Beatle, and Part two explores his post Beatles career with his own solo projects.

Topics discussed include: George's rise from guitarist to become a songwriter on par with the powerful team of Lennon and McCartney, starting with his first  song "Don't Bother Me". Also how the timeless songs of the Beatles continue to be popular in successive generations. The nuances of the contribution of George and Ringo to the overall sound of the Beatles.  Georges crucial 3rd voice in the unique harmony of the Beatles.  A look at George's blossoming songwriting in the album "Help!" with "I Need You". The extraodinary pressure put on the individual members of the Beatles with "Beatlemania" and how it affected George 's songwriting, and future spiritual path. The Beatles trip to India ,George buying a Sitar, and his subsequent influences that changed the sound of the Beatles forever.  An example of his "Indian" sound from the B Side of the Single "Lady Madonna" with "The Inner Light".  How "The Little Brother" George Harrison, became a a full fledged contributor with his songs, and musical contributions to the "color" of the Beatles music.  George's interest in mind expansion, and his evolution from LSD to meditation, and how his naive experimentation resulted in a journey into the greatest songwriting of his career with the Beatles.  The implosion and breakup of the Beatles, culminating in their horrific experience recording the Let it Be project. Paul McCartney's request to George Martin to produce a final album worthy of the bands songwriting talent, and Georges contribution with "Here Comes the Sun", and his amazing ballad, "Something".  This is part one of a two part series on the life, music, and songwriting of George Harrison.

Musical selections include: While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Don't Bother Me, I Need You, I Want To Tell You, If I Needed Someone, Long, Long, Long, The Inner Light, Within You Without You, Here Comes The Sun, Something, The End.

Though this program is offered in commemoration of the ten year anniversary of the death of George Harrison in November 2001, however the content of this program is "Evergreen" and not date specific.

For more information, visit In Search of a Song.com