George Harrison

The youngest member of the Beatles, George Harrison was often considered "the shy one." In fact, his strong voice was arguably the most underrated of the four. Lennon and McCartney often passed over many of Harrison's song submissions, recording only a small selection of his masterpieces per album (including "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here Comes The Sun"). When Harrison's first solo recording, All Things Must Pass, was released, many music critics felt that the triple album's fruitfulness was a direct result of Lennon and McCartney's neglect. In his work with the Beatles and solo, Harrison blended earthy Roots tones with droning eastern influences and cascading melodies. Compared to Lennon's barbed and bluesy grit or McCartney's jaunty pop sensibilities, the sound was organic and blooming, huge yet worldly. His songs unfolded unpredictably and took the listener to unfamiliar sonic regions. Music enthusiasts credit him for integrating eastern sounds into western music -- Harrison introduced the sitar and Indian ragas to pop music. He also spearheaded the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, a music festival assembled to benefit Bengali refugees of the India-Pakistan war. Harrison passed away on Nov. 29, 2001, in Los Angeles after losing a prolonged battle with cancer.