1997
February 26: The Beatles are honored with three Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group and Best Music Video: Short Form, both for "Free As a Bird" (the song and video, respectively) and Best Music Video: Long Form, for "The Beatles Anthology" video set, all three categories they were nominated in. In a statement, Paul McCartney says, "It's great news and it's great that we can get these awards so long after the records were made," while George Harrison comments, "What a nice surprise! It's good to know that people still like The Beatles."
April 28: Ringo opens a tour with the fourth version of his All-Starr Band. The group includes Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, Simon Kirke from Free and Bad Company, guitarist Peter Frampton and bass player Jack Bruce. Dave Mason was also scheduled, but drops out at the last minute. A CD, sold exclusively through Blockbuster stores, is made from a Japanese stop.
Early summer: Sir Paul McCartney releases a new album, "Flaming Pie." The title song comes from a statement by John Lennon on where the name of the Beatles came from, reportedly provoking a minor dispute with Yoko Ono.
August: George Harrison has some lumps removed from his neck. News of the procedure provokes fear that George might have cancer, but subsequent tests reveal the lumps are not cancerous.
Oct. 14: Sir Paul McCartney's newest classical work, a symphony called "Standing Stone," is given its world live premiere at London's Royal Albert Hall. Though critics are mixed in their feelings, the audience loves it and brings him back for six curtain calls. The week is a busy one for Sir Paul, who also attends daughter Stella's first fashion show in Paris the following day, and signs autographs at a crowded HMV department store in London the day after. "Standing Stone" places 10th on the most popular classical albums of the year, according to Billboard, after spending successive weeks at the top spot on the magazine's classical charts.