Abbey Road is a special album for Beatles fans, but it also makes them feel a little sad. It’s one of their best works, but it was the last album the Fab Four ever made together. Because of that, they didn’t play its songs live very often.
That makes it extra exciting that Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins, and lots of other famous musicians came together in September 1997 to perform part of the Abbey Road Medley! They played “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End” in a way no one had heard before, with George Martin, who was like the Beatles’ extra helper, leading the group. This special moment happened at London’s big Royal Albert Hall to raise money for Montserrat, a tiny Caribbean island that was in trouble because of a huge volcano eruption.
George Martin, who some call the Fifth Beatle, planned the event and invited super big music stars like Sting, Elton John, Jimmy Buffett, and Carl Perkins (who sang just four months before he passed away). The big finish featured Paul McCartney and all these amazing friends playing some of the Beatles’ best songs.
Paul came on stage with an incredible team. Besides Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Phil Collins on drums, other great musicians joined in. Paul showed everyone how talented he is, singing and leading the group like a pro. At that time, his wife Linda was very sick with breast cancer, and Paul was taking care of her every day. But he still wanted to help Montserrat, so he smiled humbly and gave an amazing performance.
Paul started with his sad but beautiful song “Yesterday,” then surprised everyone with a rare live version of the Abbey Road Medley. Phil Collins played the drums super strong, and Eric Clapton added cool guitar sounds. Paul guided everyone with little smiles and nods, showing how kind and smart he is as a leader. The show ended with “Hey Jude” alongside Elton John and “Kansas City,” and the crowd clapped and cheered like crazy!
You can watch the video below to see Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and Phil Collins perform the Abbey Road Medley from 1997. It’s a happy and touching moment that helped a lot of people!
