Ex-Beatle Harrison Dead at 58

George Harrison, the Beatles’ quiet lead guitarist and spiritual explorer who added both rock ’n’ roll flash and a touch of the mystic to the band’s magic, died in Los Angeles Thursday afternoon, a longtime family friend told the Associated Press. He was 58.

Harrison died at 1:30 p.m. at the home of a friend following a lengthy battle with cancer, Harrison friend Gavin De Becker said late Thursday.

“He died with one thought in mind--love one another,” he said.

With Harrison when he died were his wife, Olivia Harrison, and son, Dhani, 24.

The exact nature of the cancer wasn’t disclosed.

“This is a very private thing. They are very private,” De Becker said of the family.

It wasn’t immediately known if there would be a public funeral for Harrison. A private ceremony had already taken place, De Becker said.

He would only say Harrison died “at the home of a dear friend.”

A full obituary will appear in Saturday’s editions.