George Harrison's sister appears at Beatles exhibit in Bonita Springs

More than 40 years after her brother, George, and his three band mates struck it big, Beatlemania shows no signs of slowing. At scores of events held around the globe every year, thousands of fans pay tribute to their favorite band.

Harrison carves out a weekend's worth of her time every month to make appearances at these events, to keep the band's music -- and message -- alive. And that, she says, keeps her alive, too.

"I'm always amongst people who look at me with love of the Beatles in their eyes," Harrison said Thursday morning in Bonita Springs. "How can someone not be energized by that and not feel good? Even on my worst days, I feel good."

The 72-year-old Beatle sibling was in town to help promote a traveling exhibit of exclusive photos of the filming of the band's first film, "A Hard Day's Night." The 125 photos end their three-day stay today at the Northern Trust Bank at the Promenade off U.S. 41.

The exhibit, which is underwritten by Northern Trust, moves to the bank's Fort Myers office next week from Monday through Friday.

A Beatles historian discovered the photos among a stash of 4,000 candid shots taken by Bert Cann. The photos had been hidden for years in the California office of one of the film's producers, Walter Shenson.

George Harrison, the band's guitarist, was widely regarded as the band's most spiritual member. He was as well known for his influential slide guitar as he was for his devotion to Oriental mysticism.

Thursday, Louise Harrison, surrounded by the colorful display of pictures with the raucous movie playing on a television nearby, said her family has always welcomed Beatle fans with open arms. At first, her parents would respond to every letter they received.

"When the whole thing first started, Mum and Dad were friendly, warm, compassionate people. They became the mum and dad of the whole Beatle community, and now that they're gone, I'm the mum," she said with a laugh.

After battling cancer, George Harrison died in November 2001. His sister, while open to talking about her brother in almost every other way, declines to say much about her last meeting with him two weeks before he died.

They "chatted about the usual things." The rest, she said, is personal.

Above all, Harrison said, she loves to share with others the things her brother taught her. Once, when she and her brother were hugging, he whispered in her ear, "Pass it on." Now, she tries to end every meeting with what she calls a "Harrison hug."

"It's part of what my job is," she said.