The Beatles Became Popular in the U.S. With a Little Help From George Harrison's Sister Louise
George Harrison had a lot of support from his family, especially his sister Louise when he joined The Beatles. His mother (also Louise) was his No. 1 fan. She answered fan mail, invited some of her son’s loyal fans to tea, and even became pen pals with one of them.
Initially, George’s father was less-than-enthusiastic about his son quitting his job to become a full-time musician. Yet, he was just as much involved with George’s fans as his wife.
However, George’s sister had an even bigger job; helping her little brother reach stardom.
In 1963, The Beatles decided to take a holiday. John Lennon took his wife Cynthia to Paris, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr went to Greece, and George visited his sister in America. On Sept. 16, George flew to the States with his older brother, Peter, becoming the first Beatle to do so.
Louise ‘Lou’ Caldwell lived at 113 McCann Street in Benton, Illinois, at the time. Louise had recently immigrated there with her husband Gordon, a nearby coal mine engineer. Benton, Illinois, is a small town, but George welcomed the quiet after experiencing the first waves of Beatlemania. No one recognized him, and he could experience some American staples without hassle.
Source: cheatsheet.com
