Sir Paul McCartney last night led tributes to his "baby brother", George Harrison.
McCartney said he was devastated by the death of "a really beautiful guy whom I loved dearly".
Harrison died after a long fight with cancer. His wife, Olivia, and son, Dhani, 23, were at his side and his final thoughts were to "love one another".
A statement issued by the family said: "He left this world as he lived in it, conscious of God, fearless of death and at peace, surrounded by family and friends.
"He often said: 'Everything else can wait, but the search for God cannot wait and love one another'."
The 58-year-old lead guitarist died early yesterday morning at a friend's home.
"He died with one thought in mind - love one another," said long time associate Gavin de Becker.
It was unclear if there would be a public funeral for Harrison. A private family service has already taken place.
Harrison, who was overshadowed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for much of his career as one of the 'Fab Four', continued to thrive after the group split up.
Despite his prowess on lead guitar and his songwriting talents, he was considered the quiet one of the group.
Harrison suffered lung and throat tumours and recently underwent treatment in New York for a growth on his brain.
His death leaves just two surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, who visited him in hospital several weeks ago for an emotional goodbye. The fourth Beatle, John Lennon, was shot dead in 1980.
McCartney said last night he was "devastated and very, very sad".
"We knew he'd been ill for a long time," he said.
"He was a lovely guy and a very brave man and had a wonderful sense of humour. He is really just my baby brother."
"I remember all the beautiful time we had together and I'd like to remember him like that because I know he would like to be remembered like that."
"He was a great guy, full of love for humanity, but he didn't suffer fools gladly."
"He's a great man."
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, also paid tribute.
"My deep love and concern goes to Olivia and Dhani. The three of them were the closest, most loving family you can imagine," she said.
"George has given so much to us in his lifetime and continues to do so even after his passing, with his music, his wit and his wisdom."
"His life was magical and we all felt we had shared a little bit of it by knowing him."
"Thank you George, it was grand knowing you."
Former Boomtown Rat and close friend Sir Bob Geldof said he was "shocked and stunned" to hear of Harrison's death.
"He wasn't a reluctant Beatle. I mean, he knew that his place in popular culture was absolutely secure," he said.
Harrison, a long time smoker, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997.
In 1999, he survived an attack by an intruder at his mansion in Oxfordshire. He was stabbed several times before his wife attacked the intruder to save him.
Harrison, a devotee of the Hare Krishna faith, tried to scare off his intruder by screaming "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna". In private, he chanted Hare Krishna continuously for periods of up to 23 hours in the belief that the mantra cleanses the mind.
"It gets you feeling a bit invincible," he said of his chanting session.
In the Beatles Anthology, Harrison reflected on his search for religion saying: "When you've had all the experiences - met all the famous people, made some money, toured the world and got all the acclaim - you still think 'is that it?'"
"Some people might be satisfied with that, but I wasn't and I'm still not."
He led a reclusive life in his 120 room Gothic mansion in Oxfordshire, only leaving it in recent months in a desparate search across Europe and the States for treatment for his brain tumour.
Although he did not enjoy the fame of his bandmates, he was the first of the Beatles to achieve a No. 1 hit as a solo artist, with "My Sweet Lord" and the album All Things Must Pass which topped the charts in 1970.
Years later after a compilation of Beatles No. 1 singles sold millions of copies, he expressed his dismay at the path of modern music.
Born in Liverpool on 25 February, 1943, he was only 12 when he joined his brother in forming his first group, the Rebels.
Four years later, in 1959, he joined a local group called the Quarrymen, whose leading members, Lennon and McCartney, lived a few blocks from his home. A few changes later, notably the addition of Ringo Starr and the Beatles were born.
Manager Brian Epstein heard them playing in a dingy Liverpool club called the Cavern and, as the saying goes, the rest is history - the course of popular music was changed forever.
Harrison was an integral member of the group, holding his own both as performer and songwriter, but he was inevitably overshadowed despite producing such memorable numbers as "Something", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here Comes The Sun".
Divorced in 1973 from his first wife Patti Boyd, whom he had married in 1966, he married his former secretary Olivia in 1979.