When I was getting the video on Bob Dylan, I ran across George Harrison and Pete Ham at the Concert for Bangladesh - man, they are both gone now....
History Lesson: (Pete Ham) During the Warner Bros. Records era from 1973-75, Badfinger became embroiled in many internal, financial and managerial problems and their music languished. By 1975, with no income coming in and his business manager non-communicative, Ham's spirit became broken and he hanged himself in the garage of his Surrey home. He was discovered by his girlfriend in his garage the very next morning. His blood alcohol was .27%. He was 27 years old. He left behind a pregnant girlfriend Anne (his daughter Petera Ham was born one month after his death); Anne had a son, Blair, from a previous relationship.
(George Harrison) Harrison developed throat cancer, which was discovered in 1997 after a lump on his neck was analysed. He attributed it to his smoking in the 1960s. He underwent an operation at the Mayo Clinic in the US during the early part of May 2001, to remove a growth from one of his lungs. In July of that year, it was revealed that Harrison was receiving radiotherapy for a brain tumour at a clinic in Switzerland. In November 2001, Harrison began radiotherapy at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. During his treatment there, Dr. Gilbert Lederman, a radiation oncologist, allegedly revealed confidential medical information to the public and forced Harrison to autograph a guitar. The incident led to a lawsuit, which was ultimately settled out of court under the condition that the guitar be "disposed of". Despite the treatments and operations, Harrison died on 29 November 2001 at his Hollywood Hills mansion that was once leased by McCartney and was previously owned by Courtney Love. His death was listed on his Los Angeles County death certificate as "metastatic non-small cell lung cancer". He was cremated at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and his ashes were scattered in the Ganges River by his close family in a private ceremony according to Hindu tradition.
Man, we have lost so many of the great ones......
