Meeting the Beatles and Dhani Harrison: a Beatle fan's story

This is an interesting story sent to us with pictures by Olivia Morris Fuchs of Louisville, KY., who met Dhani Harrison recently at NAMM in Anaheim. Harrison was there for the debut of the Gretsch replica of his father's guitar. You'll see a few recognizable faces in the slideshow at left, including Brian Ray and Abe Laboriel Jr.

In 1963 my British pen pal sent me, Olivia Anne Morris Fuchs, "Olivia Anne," a magazine and 

asked me to look at the boys she loved inside. When I first saw The Beatles in that photo I really 

saw only one, George, George Harrison. I have been devoted to George Harrison and his music and 

his interests ever since. 

 

Not long after, I was fortunate to be the unpaid hostess for the promoter who brought so many 

rockers to my home town through much of the 60s, probably because I also was the President of the 

Beatles Fan Club. That also opened doors to rockers and the rock radio stations which wanted all 

the "official" Beatles news I regularly received from England. 

 

So, when The Beatles announced that they were performing in Indianapolis, Indiana, just up the road 

from my home in Louisville, Kentucky, one of my first Beatle friends and I, with her parents since 

we were not old enough to drive, set about to make sure we got to the show and to meet The Beatles. 

I had all the expected press credentials, and a portable reel-to-reel recorder with a suction cup to 

allow anything I happened to capture to be transmitted over the telephone receiver back to the radio 

stations. But, the most important piece of "equipment" I had was the magical Bank Americard in my 

own name. That allowed me to book rooms in all the best hotels in Indy. We stayed in the 

Speedway Motel Tower with the Beatles one floor above us! 

 

Before The Beatles and my George arrived, all of we fans were forced out into the parking lot to await their arrival. The long years since have stolen what I thought was so important I had to reenter the Tower to retrieve and risk missing the arrival of The Beatles, but I am glad it happened. Because after the security finally allowed me back inside, while I was waiting for the elevator, in came John, Paul, George and Ringo. I was alone in the elevator lobby with the Beatles! 

 

They laughed easily, seemed so happy to be there, and were warm and chatty with me. Before they left to go to their room each of them gave me a hug, a real true, hug. I remember each as though it happened yesterday, the feel of their arms and their warmth, and how I wished it never would end. One of my Beatle Rock Chick friends who hugged Paul recently in Nashville is the only person I ever have been able to speak with about how their hugs feel, even now in my recollection. Special stuff. (A photo of me nearer in time to my first Rock Chick Days:  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5198645&l=acc3985ffb&id=546292291 ) 

 

Much of what happened afterward is a blur because when I went outside to be with my girlfriend, 

all of the screaming girls who had seen what happened grabbed at me, took my rings and watch and 

scared me until security came to my rescue. But, before I went inside one lovely fan gave me two 

precious photos–one of John pulling the turquoise jelly baby from his boot heel and the other of him 

handing it off to me! 

 

Years later another amazing man, Gary Jacob, who is the promoter of Abbey Road on the River, 

brought that Beatles Tribute Artists Festival to Louisville, Kentucky, on Memorial Day Weekends. 

One year Pete Best came to the AROTR festival, but I didn't get to meet him. But, when he came 

to the first year of AROTR in Washington, D.C. 2010, I set about to meet him, too. He was lovely 

and kind and, when I told him my set of hugs would never be complete unless I had his hug, too, he 

enthusiastically gave me a big warm wonderful hug to complete my set. 

 

 http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6622143&l=5abb23f927&id=546292291

 http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6559835&l=6b5e59ce8f&id=546292291 

 

The rest of the weekend when we saw one another he would hug himself and say the number that 

made of hugs he had given me "so far." 

 

Because I so love the community of Beatle Fans created by Gary at Abbey Road on the River, in 

2009 I began a Beatles Fans & Bands email network to keep us all connected between festivals and 

to let us know where the wonderful bands were playing throughout the year. It started simply 

enough and has grown so that we frequently are snagged as spammers because we have such a large 

network of Beatles lovers. I ask everyone I meet if they wish to be included & I don't remember 

being turned down by anyone. Gary Jacob now calls me one of AROTR's "uber" fans! 

 

So, when Gretsch Guitars first came to Abbey Road on the River as sponsors you can imagine how 

excited I was to see the wares of the makers of "George's" favorite Guitars. At the beautiful Gretsch 

Guitar booth, I found some of the loveliest people I ever have met, along with the fabulous 

guitars– Joe Carducci, Product Specialist Gretsch Guitars, and Dinah and Fred Gretsch, the 4th of six 

generations of Gretsch. Joe kindly asked to be included in my BeaLetter distribution list. 

 

The next AROTR festival was in Washington, D.C. on Labor Day Weekend. Gretsch Guitars, Joe 

Carducci, and Fred and Dinah Gretsch, with the beautiful guitars were there with Tim Harman of 

Gretsch Forum Pages. Those pages are updated by fans of Gretsch Guitars; sort of what I do for 

Beatle People they do for Gretsch Guitar People. Tim was the maestro of the Gretsch Guitar 

sponsored Main Stage for the video feed of the Bands which went out Across the Universe. I was 

given a link to send out to all our Beatle People on my list and to my Facebook friends. 

 

Joe Carducci of Gretsch Guitars told me that they had identified that of all sources to their video 

feed the unique link they had given to me accounted for 75% of their traffic. I was amazed; they 

were glad. Soon after, Mr. Gretsch told me he wished to lend the Gretsch name to what I was doing 

to bring our community together and to let all the musicians know how much all their fans 

appreciate their music (Joe had shared my eletter with him.) Joe Carducci and Fred Gretsch then 

told me that they planned to give me a world exclusive on an exciting piece of news which would 

be of great interest to the entire Beatles universe; they did not promise when or for how long, but 

they told me that I should expect to hear from them soon and gave me enticing bits of information 

about what was to come. But the news itself I could not then share with anyone. 

 

On December 9, 2010, Joe sent me the exclusive with a link to the Gretsch Guitar web site in which 

they announced the George Harrison Gretsch Old Black Duo Jet Tribute Guitar.  

 

The news spread like wild in the Beatles world. There were more bits and pieces of fascinating 

news about the Duo Jet, but not the entire story. Just before Winter NAMM 2011 started in 

Anaheim, CA., on Jan. 12, 2011, Joe invited me to come to NAMM as a guest of Gretsch 

Guitars and to attend a Private Gretsch Guitars event regarding the Old Black Gretsch Duo Jet. He 

said I could bring a guest; my dear friend Keri Clingan Butcher rearranged her life, too, to come 

with me. 

 

Of all the plans I made in a flash, the most difficult was deciding what to wear to the private event 

where I hoped Dhani Harrison would be in attendance–The I Dig Love shirt which came with the 

reissue of George's magnificent All Things Must Pass album, or the Fistful of Mercy Goat shirt 

which came with Dhani's band's new album. I wanted Dhani to know I value his contribution to the 

world of music, as I do love his songs, too. So I wore Fistful of Mercy's Goat shirt with my "I Am 

a Beatles Fan" 1964 era pin, my Fun Meter, my Beatles bracelet, my two George bracelets, and the 

special George Harrison Gretsch lanyards and badges. 

 

When I first saw Joe at NAMM, he explained that Dhani would not be interacting with anyone and 

would not be available for me to meet. I was happy to assure him that I was delighted to be in 

attendance at an event that forever would be a part of Beatles history–I would be a part of Beatles 

history, too! 

 

When Dhani came to the Gretsch Guitar Stage at the FMIC Booth at NAMM, I noticed him 

gesturing toward my Goat shirt and speaking to his aide. I stood within a foot of him while he 

addressed the gathering. He was as warm and engaging as I had hoped, and as I learned to expect 

of George throughout his inspiring life. Such a strong, passionate, caring, loving man, and his 

son–and I having an experience of a lifetime. 

 

(Here's the link to the Gretsch site story: Custom Shop Harrison Duo Jet Tribute Presentation and the video.) 

 

Tim Harman and Joe had told Dhani of my lifetime devotion to George and to his music, and about 

the Hugs. Apparently, Dhani was interested in hearing my story, like I was interested in being with 

him. When finally I was invited to come in to spend some time with Dhani, and to bring Keri along, 

I found us in the green room with Dhani on a Fender double banquette and his friends on all the 

others in the room. 

 

Dhani rose to greet me, Keri remembers that he first said "Nice Shirt" to me, and then he invited me 

to sit next to him on the "flaming sofa." He moved us to another spot and commented on my "I Am 

a Beatles Fan" pin with "Very Old School." He asked "Did you wear that when you met 'My Dad'?" 

I told him I had. He smiled, rather wistfully I thought. My Fun Meter pin was at "Max;" Dhani 

tapped it a couple of times and asked if it could go higher–I told him it just had, and he laughed 

easily. 

 

We chatted a bit about my meeting his dad on September 3, 1964, with his other lads in 

Indianapolis. It was sweet. His driver came to retrieve him in the midst of our conversation and he 

seemed hesitant to leave. He asked if we should hug and then gave me a wonderful, warm, strong 

hug. He realized that he was hidden from Tim's camera and he changed positions to hug again so 

Tim could get the shot. Lovely, and even more so when I saw his intriguing smile in Tim's photo. 

He stood and gave Keri such a hug that she ended up patting his back as you would with someone 

you knew and loved well; we sort of do, you know. That was just lovely, too. Then we all sat again 

and had our photo snapped. He asked me for my contact information and said that he wanted to send 

me some Traveling Wilbury's "stuff." I invited him to Come Together in Louisville in our new arena and he asked his aide to "look into it." 

 

Then, Dhani left us. Such a terrifically lovely time with amazing people, a treasure I will cherish 

all my days–An Excellent Time Was Guaranteed for All! 

 

© Olivia Anne Morris Fuchs, 1/27/11 Louisville, Kentucky 

Winter NAMM 2011 » News & Updates 

Full Circle; 6:47 a.m. Jan. 13 

 

Olivia Anne and Kerissa (Keri) are avid Beatle fans and active members of the worldwide Beatle 

community – particularly of the extended Abbey Road on the River family. Olivia Anne is from 

Louisville, and Keri from Knoxville, TN. 

 

Olivia Anne maintains an extensive Beatle email news list and has been instrumental in spreading 

the Gretsch word among "her people" (many of whom we met at the two Abbey Road events last 

summer). She flew to NAMM at Joe's invitation, with Keri as her guest, to be part of the Tribute Jet 

event. 

 

Then a pen was needed for Dhani and Fred to sign the proclamation – and Kerissa loaned them her 

"Hard Days' Night Hotel - Liverpool" pen. She got it back, its value much enhanced. 

 

Olivia Anne began hearing about the Beatles in 1963 from a British pen pal (coincidentally the same 

way I first heard of them), when she was an early teenager. She says that from the first time she saw 

a picture of the group, she had eyes only for George. (He was "dreamy," as she says, and - as the 

youngest Beatle - nearer her age.) She saw The Beatles at their first Indianapolis show in 1964 and 

though she had press credentials and a plan to meet them – it was only through a wild chain of 

circumstances that she found herself alone in the elevator lobby of their hotel with all four of the 

lads. She got hugs all around in the process. 

 

She was already an avid Beatles fan – but that surely sealed it. Later she was president of the 

Kentucky Beatle fan club. What I'm saying is that she's a Beatle lifer, and as knowledgeable about 

and dedicated to George, his memory, and his family as anyone could be. 

 

Olivia Anne adds that she had a crisis of sorts deciding whether to wear the George tee from the 

reissue of All Things Must Pass or Dhani's Fistful of Mercy goat shirt. She went the Dhani, as you 

see in the photos, adding the pins from George's reissue. Dhani commented on both, as well as her 

original "I Am a Beatles Fan" pin, which he called "very old school," and asked for her address to 

send her some "surprises." 

 

She had a pretty good night.