You might picture him with a Gretsch Country Gentleman or that iconic rosewood Telecaster. But if you had bumped into George Harrison in the mid-90s, he wouldn’t have handed you a guitar pick. Honestly, he probably would have shoved a ukulele into your hands and told you to start strumming.
It wasn't a gimmick. It wasn't a joke. For the man often labeled the "Quiet Beatle," the ukulele was a spiritual necessity.
The Beatle Who Carried Spares
George Harrison on ukulele wasn't just a hobby; it was a full-blown crusade. He didn't just own a couple of ukes. He bought them in batches. Literally. He would order them by the dozen so he could give them away to anyone who seemed like they needed a bit of cheering up.
Tom Petty once told a story about George leaving his house. George walked to the car, stopped, and realized he hadn't left enough instruments behind. He ended up leaving four ukuleles at Petty's place because, in George's mind, you never knew when a group of people might need to start a jam session.
"Everyone I know who is into the ukulele is 'crackers,'" George once wrote. He loved that. He loved that you couldn't play the thing without laughing.
Why George Harrison on Ukulele Mattered to the Music
If you listen closely to the very end of the Beatles' "Free As A Bird," you’ll hear it. That frantic, jangly strumming is George paying homage to his hero, George Formby. Formby was a British Vaudeville star who played the banjolele—a hybrid of a banjo body and a ukulele neck.
George was actually the honorary president of the George Formby Society. Think about that. One of the most famous musicians on the planet spent his free time at conventions in Blackpool, geeking out over vintage 1920s instruments with retirees.
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The Gear: What Was He Actually Playing?
He wasn't just playing cheap toys. George had a sophisticated ear for the instrument.
- Kamaka 6-String: In the music video for "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," he’s playing a Kamaka Liliu VI. It has six strings instead of four, giving it a much richer, harp-like resonance.
- Danny Ferrington Custom: His friend Danny Ferrington built him a "Keoki" ukulele. It was a beautiful, weird, asymmetrical thing that George played constantly.
- Ludwig Banjo-Uke: He hunted down the exact models Formby used, specifically the Ludwig "Standard" and "Ambassador" models. These things are loud, percussive, and incredibly hard to play well.
The Dinner Party Strum-Along
Paul McCartney has spent the last two decades telling the same sweet story. Whenever you went to George’s house for dinner, the ukuleles came out the second the plates were cleared.
It didn't matter if you were a world-class musician or a neighbor. You were handed a uke. George believed the instrument was the ultimate equalizer. It’s hard to be a "rock star" when you’re playing a tiny wooden box that makes a plink-plonk sound. It forced everyone to just be present.
That "Something" Performance
The most famous intersection of George Harrison and the ukulele happened after he was gone. In 2002, at the Concert for George, Paul McCartney walked out with a Gibson ukulele.
He started playing "Something."
He played it just the way George used to—fast, upbeat, and a little bit whimsical. It was a total 180 from the slow, soulful ballad we all knew. But that was the point. That was George. He wanted the joy. He wanted the "crackers" energy.
How to Play Like George
If you want to capture that George Harrison on ukulele vibe, you have to stop thinking like a guitarist.
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- Lose the pick. George used his index finger. He’d whip his wrist through the strings with a percussive "snap."
- Learn the "Split Stroke." This is the classic Formby technique. It involves hitting the strings on the downbeat, then a flick on the upbeat. It sounds like a drum kit and a guitar playing at the same time.
- Get a 6-string if you can. That doubled-up string sound on the C and A strings is what gives his solo work that shimmering, "All Things Must Pass" texture.
- Buy a spare. Seriously. Follow George’s lead. If you find a cheap, decent uke at a garage sale, buy it and give it to a friend who’s having a rough week.
The ukulele wasn't a step down from the guitar for George. It was the destination. It was the sound of a man who had seen the world, conquered the charts, and decided that a $200 piece of koa wood was the most honest way to say "I love you."
Next Step: Pick up a tenor or concert-sized ukulele and look up the chords for "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." Try to mimic George’s percussive right-hand rhythm—it’s all in the wrist, not the arm.