The 'quiet Beatle', George Harrison died of lung cancer on this day in 2001.  His passing came almost 31 years to the day after the release of All Things Must Pass, his second post Beatles solo album.

While the Lennon/McCartney writing team produced the vast majority of songs on most Beatles albums, their lead guitarist was credited on several of the band's best, including I Want to Hold Your Hand, Twist and Shout, Hey Jude, Come Together, Let It Be, Here Comes the Sun, Blackbird, Something and While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Harrison also had a major hand in the group's embrace of of the new musical influences that helped craft the ground breaking sounds of the Rubber Soul and Revolver albums. He released a dozen albums on his own and in his later years teamed with Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison in the Traveling Wilburys, a group Harrison and Lynne cooked-up the idea of forming when the Electric Light Orchestra veteran was producing George's 1987 Cloud Nine.

Harrison's 1971 Concert for Bangladesh in New York's Madison Square Garden to awareness and raise relief funds for those facing war related genocide was one of the first major benefit concerts.  The two shows featured a lineup of artists that included Eric Clapton, Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Badfinger and Ravi Shankar raised $250,000 for UNICEF.

Despite the fact Clapton had vied for and won Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd (the inspiration for If I Needed Someone and Something by Harrison and Layla and Wonderful Tonight by Eric), the two guitarists remained friends.

A year after George's death, Eric participated in an all-star tribute to Harrison at Royal Albert Hall . The Concert for George as it was billed also included Paul McCartney, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jeff Lynne, Ringo Starr, Ravi Shanker, and George's son, Dhani.

The 2011 Martin Scorsese documentary Living in the Material World provides a good look at Harrison's quiet but remarkable life and career.

Other Noteworthy November 29 Classic Rock events include...

1933 John Mayall born.

1943 Rascals Felix Cavaliere born.

1947 Ronnie Montrose born.

1951 Boston’s Barry Godreau born.

1969 Bob Dylan on the 2nd Anniversary edition cover of Rolling Stone Magazine.

1976  ZZ Top releases Tejas.

1980 Supertramp records Paris live album at the Paavillion de Parisv

1982 Foreigner releases Records.

1982 Metallica does first concert as the headliner.

1982 Metallica dows its first headlining concert.

1992 U2 Zoo TV special airs on FOX.

1995 Sammy Hagar marries Kari Karte in San Francisco.

1997 Bruce Hornsby does National Anthem before Bulls/Wizards NBA game in Washington.

Bruce Springsteen closes 1999 tour in Minneapolis doing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town with a Santa on stage.

2003 Queen, Peter Gabriel, Eurthymics, Jimmy Cliff and more do AIDS benefit concert in Cape Town, South Africa.

2006 Ten paintings by Syd Barrett bring more than $100,000 in auction of the late Pink Floyd member. 

2006 Original artwork for Rolling Stones lips & tongue logo sells for $470,000 in London auction…

A Doobie Brothers 2018 concert at New York City's Beacon Theatre released last year on CD, DVD and Blu-ray will soon be available for download and streaming on major video platforms. The set includes full album performances of the group's 1972 Toulouse Street and '73's The Captain And Me lps.

George Harrison was never totally satisfied with the Phil Spector produced All Things Must Pass album that got released on this day in 1970. His son Dhani set out to do something his father wanted to but never got around to before his untimely death - remix and re-release it. Since beginning the project with acclaimed engineer Paul Hicks, Dhani said they have been, "...digging through mountains of tapes, and they just keep coming - boxes and boxes of them." The process will result in an expanded re-release including alternate takes and possibly songs that were not included on the ambitious triple album set. Date of the release is tba.

Saturday Night Live has landed Bruce Springsteen for the December 12 show. His 20th studio album, Letter To You, debuted as the top selling album in 11 countries.

Rockers with California connections are joining forces to help Santa Cruz County residents facing hardship due to forest and wildfires that ravaged millions of acres in the Golden State during the summer and fall. Sammy Hagar, Boz Scaggs, REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Satriani, Los Lobos and others will perform during a virtual concert on Saturday, December 5th. The Love Her Madly 90 minute benefit will stream for free on nugs.tv and SantaCruzFireRelief.org at 10pm (Eastern).

A documentary spanning Joe Bonamassa's career form his emergence as a child guitar prodigy to him gaining universal recognition as one of the greatest guitarists of our time will debut on December 8th. Guitar Man includes childhood footage, concert segments, interview clips featuring a number of prominent musicians and music industry figures and behind the scenes footage. Here's a taste...?

Before becoming one of the biggest acts in Rock, Van Halen was playing almost anyplace it could in SoCal, including an April, 1975 set at Pasadena High School, where the group did a covers heavy set that included songs by Deep Purple, ZZ Top, Edgar Winter and the James Gang. Fortunately, whoever did the sound that night also recorded a board tape.

Joe Walsh's annual Vets Aid concert is loaded with good musicians, and this year's edition of the annual fund raiser is online. We salute Joe for his commitment to having the backs of those that serve.

AC/DC dishes up Realize, another track from PWRUP. the comeback album due out Friday, November 13.

As much as we all look forward to a Covid free future, the pandemic has produced some collaborations that might not have come together without being under the limitations most of us, including musicians, live with these days. Here's another...

Pasadena, California is in the preliminary stages of deciding what form the city's lasting honor to one of its most famous community members, Eddie Van Halen. The Pasadena-Star News reports that a statue, a walkway at the convention center in the city that Van Halen did some early concerts at or turning his childhood home into a museum are all under consideration. A couple of VH fans in the city got the ball rolling by starting a gofundme page that has already generated more thn $5,000 in donations.

MORE VAN HALEN INSIGHTS

This weekend, Austin City Limits, the long running PBS series, puts the spotlight on performances Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble did on show before his tragic death. Stevie Ray Vaughan: 30 Years On marks the 30th anniversary of the post concert helicopter crash in 1990 that claimed the life of the Lone Star state guitar legend at age 35.  Stevie Ray's brother Jimmy Vaughn said ACL filmed some of Stevie's best performances.  Anyone lucky enough to catch him in concert during his all too short career can attest t

o his jaw-dropping greatness, so this special should indeed be special. Here's a taste of what's in store.

R.I.P. one of the monster guitarists of our and any other's lifetimes. Eddie Van Halen lost his battle with throat cancer today. News of his passing was passed along by his son and VH bassist Wolfgang on Twitter, who wrote, "I can't believe I'm having to write this, but my father Edward Lodeijk Van Halen has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning."

John Fogerty's homebound family band started posting songs online early on in the pandemic. On November 20th, the CCR veteran will release an album of 12 songs he recorded with his two sons and his daughter. Revived versions of five Creedence songs and five tunes from his solo albums are in the mix, along with versions of Bill Withers' Lean On Me and Steve Goodman's City Of New Orleans. The Cover of the Fogerty's Factory album cover will be an updated recreation of the 1970 Cosmo's Factory CCR release.

MORE JOHN FOGERTY INSIGHTS

Only a few Keith Richards guitars have ever been available for fans to take ownership of and the pedigree of one being auctioned by Nate D. Sanders makes it one collectors will covet. The custom made Fender Ted Newman Jones put together for the Rolling Stones guitarist was used on the Some Girls album sessions and on the band's 1978 tour. Keith can also be seen playing it in the videos for Miss You and far Away Eyes as well as in the Some Girls: Live in Texas '78 concert film.
The opening minimum for the rosewood bodied Telecaster with a maple neck and a Richards' signed inscription on it when it was privately sold to a radio exec is $1.2 million.

MORE KEITH RICHARDS INSIGHTS

Eric Clapton fans can look forward to a 50th Anniversary, expanded edition version of the Derek & The Dominos Layla and Assorted Other Love Songs double album. The November 13 release features 4 lps, 4 sides of which include a number of song versions on vinyl for the first time.

A heads-up and a thumbs up for this benefit to raise funds to assist the behind the scenes people in the touring business that are feeling the paindemic the pandemic is causing financially. Thanks to the ranks of great guitarists enlisting to be in the lineup of this streaming benefit Thursday, September 17!

David Coverdale has been soldiering through this pandemic with dual bilateral hernias. We're happy to pass along word that the Whitesnake front man was finally able to undergo surgery and is on the mend.

“I love the emotional nature of Letter To You,” says Springsteen. “And I love the sound of the E Street Band playing completely live in the studio, in a way we’ve never done before, and with no overdubs. We made the album in only five days, and it turned out to be one of the greatest recording experiences I’ve ever had.”

Letter to You includes nine recently written Springsteen songs, as well as new recordings of three of his legendary, but previously unreleased, compositions from the 1970s, “Janey Needs a Shooter,” “If I Was the Priest,” and “Song for Orphans.” Springsteen is joined on Letter To You by Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Stevie Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Charlie Giordano and Jake Clemons. The album was produced by Ron Aniello with Bruce Springsteen, mixed by Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Bob Ludwig. Letter To You is Springsteen's first time performing with the E Street Band since The River 2016 tour.

Todd Rundgren's next album Space Force won't drop until 2021, but he gives us an idea of what his musical direction is in this preview track titled Espionage. Judging from early reactions, fans are on the fence about it.

Ozzy Osbourne stuck a fork in the idea he'd participate in any future Black Sabbath concerts. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Ozzy said hed had regrets over the fact Drummer Bill Ward had been prevented from participating in the group's recent farewell tour. Tony Iommi has lobbied for one final concert in the future. Asked about it, Ozzy said, "Not for me. I'm done" and added he did not have "Slightest interest" in being involved.

Ozzy has been battling Parkinsons but maintains he's working out daily with determination so he'll be able to perform with his own band once the Covid pandemic subsides and concerts become possible, telling RS, "I haven't done my last gig yet. Even if it's just to do one gig, I will do a gig. And then I will have finished my job."

MORE OZZY OSBOURNE INSIGHTS

The Rolling Stones rolled out a video for All The Rage, a previously unreleased track included on the expanded re-release of Goat's Head Soup.

All kinds of rumors about AC/DC's future have been churning around over the last several months. Joe Walsh didn't get Brian Johnson to divulge anything specific that would be music to the ears of the Thunder Down Under's fans, but Brian does sound like he plans to be back on stage in 2021.

Songs For While I'm Away, a rock doc about Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott, will hit screens in Ireland this fall. The film tells his life story largely in his own words and also includes interview clips from several prominent musician fans of his work and lasting influence.

Graphic courtesy of joestrummer.com

Bruce Springsteen and Bob Weir are in the lineup of musicians paying tribute to Joe Strummer Friday (8/21) in a benefit for Save Our Stages, an organization dedicated to helping live music venues unable to host live concerts during the pandemic. The lineup of musicians also includes Tom Morello, Josh Homme Albert Hammond Jr., Dropkick Murphys, Lucinda Williams. Joe Ely and many more. The streaming event launches 8/21 at 3pm eastern.

Come Together done by Lzzy Hale, Linda Perry, Slash, Gilby Clark, Mike Garson. Its A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll)  by Lzzy Hale, Robin.

Seven songs from the final concert Duane Allman performed with the Allman Brothers Band will be released in October on an album titled The Final Note. The concert took place in Owings Mills, Maryland just twelve days before the legendary guitarist lost his life in a motorcycle wreck in Macon, Georgia on October 29th, 1971. He was just 24.

According to JamBase, the recording was made by a young radio guy who'd brought a tape recorder to the concert to interview band members and decided to record some of the set on it. The cassette sat forgotten until recently when a friend asked him whether he still had it.

MORE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND INSIGHTS