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Thursday, February 2, 2023

Louise Harrison Caldwell, George Harrison's Older Sister, Passes On

George & Louise
Louise Harrison Caldwell was never a household name, but her brother was. Her younger brother was none other than George Harrison, lead guitarist for The Beatles. Mrs. Caldwell played a pivotal role in the history of The Beatles, and was quite probably her brother's greatest admirer. Sadly, she died on January 29 2023 at the age of 91.

Louise Harrison was born on August 16 1931 in Liverpool. She was the oldest of four children. It was in the Fifties that she married an American and moved to the North America. In 1963 she was living in the small town of Benton, Illinois with her husband. In September of that year George Harrison visited her in Benton. The two siblings hiked through the Garden of the Gods in Herod, Illinois  and George got to see his first movie in a drive-in theatre. He also bought a Rickenbacker guitar. He even performed with a local band, The Four Vets, at the VFW in Eldorado, Illinois, making George Harrison the first Beatle to perform in the United States.

Louise Harrison Caldwell would be pivotal in spreading Beatlemania in the United States, even writing radio stations and record stores about her brother's band. She even toured with the band during the tours of the United States in 1964, 1965, and 1966. She would continue to promote her brother and The Beatles for the rest of her life. She made numerous personal appearances and give numerous interviews. In 2005 she formed The Beatles tribute band, Liverpool Legends, who perform in Branson, Missouri. A book on her experiences as the sister of a Beatle, My Kid Brother's Band a.k.a. The Beatles was published in 2016.

Louise Harrison Caldwell spent much of her life living in either Illinois or Missouri, so it was not unusual to see her on the various local television stations from time to time. She was filled with various stories of The Beatles, which she would eagerly tell. She was obviously proud of her brother George, as well as the other Beatles. Those who met her remarked on her kindness. While Louise Harrison Caldwell was not as famous to her brother, she was well loved by Beatles fans.

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