A historic concert

George Harrison


With the lyrics "Now I'm asking all of you, help us save some lives," George Harrison turned music in to a political and social force.

August 1, 2008 marked the 37th anniversary of George Harrison's historic Concert for Bangladesh, which pioneered the all-star rock concert benefit model. In 1971, Harrison staged two concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden that brought together a star-studded cast of musicians—Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell and Billy Preston—to alert the world to the plight of the Bangladeshi people.

George Harrison and Bob Dylan


In 1971, the pioneering former Beatle, hearing Ravi Shankar's distress, used his fame and the power of music to organize the Concert for Bangladesh. At that time, the country was ravaged by floods, famine and civil war, which left 10 million people — mostly women and children — fleeing their homes.

Harrison set the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause. The Concert for Bangladesh was one of the most ambitious humanitarian efforts in rock music history.