Carl Perkins: The guitarist that shaped George Harrisons entire life
Everyone who makes music will have some kind of influence that inspired them to start making music; however, not many people have one that shaped their lives as much as Carl Perkins did with George Harrison. When he was younger, he started listening to Carl Perkins and cited the guitarist as the reason he started playing; then, they developed a friendship as his career progressed, and unbeknownst to Perkins, he provided comfort for Harrison in his final days.
Carl Perkins is widely considered one of the most incredible guitar players ever. He was a huge pioneer of the rockabilly scene and was responsible for writing songs that went on to be recorded by artists such as Elvis, Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix. When he was younger, George Harrison listened to Perkins and immediately identified with his music as something he wanted to be involved in. As such, he picked up a guitar and learned to play.
We know this because, at Perkins’s funeral, Harrison performed a song and spoke to Perkins’s son, saying, “If it hadn’t have been for your daddy, I never would have picked up a guitar.” His influence is evident on Harrison, not only because of what he said but because Perkins became the artist The Beatles covered the most. They released ‘Honey Don’t’ ‘Matchbox’ and ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’, all of which were well received by fans and Perkins himself.
Perkins and Harrison developed a good friendship, appreciating one another’s music and enjoying each other’s company. They were so close that Harrison was among the first people invited to the funeral when Perkins eventually passed away. By this point, Harrison had developed throat cancer and hadn’t sung for a while. Regardless, Wynonna Judd asked him to perform.
“When Wynonna [Judd] asked [Harrison] to get up, I could see a little terror,” said Wes Henley, recalling the funeral, “And I think that was more about, as he said later, he wasn’t sure anything was going to come out. He hadn’t been singing at all.” Eventually, Harrison got up and performed ‘Your True Love’, an upbeat tune in contrast to some of the more depressing numbers that had been played prior.
A couple of months later, Harrison met up with Perkins’s sons and Wes Henley in LA as they were going to a tribute concert for Carl. In doing so, he found some comfort in speaking to them about his friend, not just so he could mourn and reminisce but because his health was deteriorating, and he may have known his own days were numbered.
Stan Perkins remembers, “He felt like he was sicker than he was being told he was. He said they had found a spot on his left lung, and they said there was nothing to it. But he wasn’t too sure.”
Not many people have had an early influence be such a massive part of their lives. Not only did Perkins inspire Harrison to play the guitar, but he also helped him perform when he was worried about doing so and reminiscing about him helped Harrison in his final days. Whether he realised it or not, Perkins was one of the most important and inspirational people in George Harrison’s life.
