On November 16, 1974, Jack Ford, the rock ‘n’ roll-loving son of President Gerald Ford and a student at Utah State University, encountered George Harrison backstage following a concert in Salt Lake City. A friendship quickly formed, leading Jack to extend an invitation for Harrison and several others to visit the White House.

On December 13, 1974, while in the midst of their North American tour (with a performance scheduled nearby in Landover, Maryland), Harrison arrived at the White House. He was accompanied by a group that included his father, Harry Harrison, keyboardist Billy Preston, sitarist Ravi Shankar, saxophonist Tommy Scott, manager Denis O’ Brien, and publicity agent Michael Sterling.

Their visit began with a meal in the Third Floor Solarium, where Jack hosted them for plates of beef, ham, and vegetables. During the dinner, the group chatted casually while listening to Harrison’s latest album, “Dark Horse.”

Jack and his sister, Susan, then guided the entourage through the White House rooms. In the historic East Room, Harrison and Preston took a moment to play a few notes on the 1938 Steinway piano. The climax of the visit was a brief, 15-minute meeting with President Ford in the Oval Office.

Notably, the conversation steered clear of serious policy. Harrison later confirmed his choice to avoid political topics, stating, “I didn’t ask him [Ford] about Bangladesh or anything else political . . . I didn’t want to bug him.” (George had famously organized the “Concert for Bangladesh” three years earlier in 1971, a groundbreaking charity event).

As the musician’s group departed, Jack reminded his father, “I promised George a WIN (Whip Inflation Now) button.” When one wasn’t immediately available, the President tasked appointments secretary Terry O’ Donnell with finding one. In a reciprocal gesture, George presented the President with an “Om” mantra pin, reflecting his deep interest in Eastern spirituality.

Following the visit, George expressed positive feelings about the experience, mentioning “Good vibes about the White House.” Having endured the intensity of Beatlemania, he was empathetic toward the First Family, noting that the President’s son is “constantly under the public eye.

Everyone watches what you do.” He did, however, admit that he doubted the President was familiar with his musical work. That evening, George was seen wearing the pin given to him by President Ford while performing at the Capital Centre.

George’s 1974 visit made him the first, but not the last, ex-Beatle to call on the White House; Paul McCartney later performed there in 2010 after being awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize.