John Winston (later Ono) Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England. In the mid-1950s he formed his first band, The Quarrymen (after Quarry Bank High School, which he attended) who, with the addition of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, later became The Beatles. After some years of performing in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany, "Beatlemania" erupted in England and Europe in 1963 after the release of their singles "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me". The next year the Beatles flew to America to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show (aka The Ed Sullivan Show), and Beatlemania spread worldwide. Queen Elizabeth II granted all four Beatles M.B.E. medals in 1965, for import revenues from their record sales; John returned his four years later, as part of an antiwar statement. John and the Beatles continued to tour and perform live until 1966, when protests over his calling the Beatles phenomenon "more popular than Jesus" and the frustrations of touring made the band decide to quit the road. They devoted themselves to studio work, recording and releasing albums such as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Magical Mystery Tour" and the "White Album". Instead of appearing live, the band began making their own "pop clips" (an early term for music videos), which were featured on television programs of the time. In the late 1960s John began performing and making albums with his second wife Yoko Ono, as the Beatles began to break up. Their first two albums, "Two Virgins" and "Life With The Lions", were experimental and flops by Beatles standards, while their "Wedding Album" was almost a vanity work, but their live album "Live Peace In Toronto" became a Top Ten hit, at the end of the 1960s. In the early 1970s John and Yoko continued to record together, making television appearances and performing at charity concerts. After the release of John's biggest hit, "Imagine", they moved to the US, where John was nearly deported because of his political views (a late-'60s conviction for possession of hashish in the U.K. was the excuse given by the government), but after a four-year legal battle he won the right to stay. In the midst of this, John and Yoko separated for over a year; John lived in Los Angeles with personal assistant May Pang, while Yoko dated guitarist David Spinozza. When John made a guest appearance at Elton John's Thanksgiving 1974 concert, Yoko was in the audience, and surprised John backstage. They reconciled in early 1975, and Yoko soon became pregnant. After the birth of their son Sean Lennon, John settled into the roles of "househusband" and full-time daddy, while Yoko became his business manager; both appeared happy in their new life together. After a five-year break from music and the public eye, they made a comeback with their album "Double Fantasy", but within weeks of their re-emergence, Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman, a onetime Beatles fan angry and jealous over John's ongoing career.
Father, with Yoko Ono, of Sean Lennon. Father, with Cynthia Lennon, of Julian Lennon. An actor named Mark Lindsay Chapman was supposed to play the part of John Lennon in a TV-movie account of Lennon's life and death, but lost the part because he has the same name (Mark Chapman) as Lennon's killer. When "Rolling Stone" magazine was launched in November 1967, Lennon made the first cover, in a photo from How I Won the War. The first instrument he learned to play was the harmonica. He used a number of pseudonyms in his musical work. These include Dr. Winston O'Boogie, Booker Table, Dwarf McDougal, Rev. Fred Ghurkin, Mel Torment, Dr. Dream, The Honorable John St. John Johnson, John O'Cean, Joel Nohnn, Kaptain Kundalini, Dad and Winston Leg-Thigh. Inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beatles January 20, 1988. Added "Ono" to his name in honour of wife Yoko Ono (aka Yoko Ono Lennon); he wished to drop his middle name Winston, but couldn't under British law. While he never used "Winston" again, his U.S. Resident Alien card (aka "green card") was issued to "John Winston Ono Lennon." He was given his U.S. Resident Alien registration (his "green card") on the bicentennial of the American revolution: July 4, 1976. He was also informed that he would be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship in 1981. He wrote the song "Beautiful Boy" for his son Sean, who was born on his 35th birthday. His murder was first announced to the world by U.S. sportscaster Howard Cosell during "NFL Monday Night Football (1970)" . According to Frank Gifford, Lennon met Ronald Reagan when both were guests on "Monday Night Football" in the mid-1970s. After appearing on the show, he gave Gifford and Howard Cosell each a complete collection of Beatles albums, which he autographed. Assassinated as he returned from the recording studio Monday, December 8, 1980, outside the Dakota, his apartment building, by Mark David Chapman, a crazed fan. In 1974, he and singer Harry Nilsson were ejected from the Troubadour Club in Hollywood by the bouncers, after they both heckled 'The Smothers Brothers' onstage. Lennon and Nilsson both sent flowers and an apology to the Smothers Brothers the next day, and Lennon replied to a columnist's speculation that he might have been using drugs, with the confirmation that they'd simply had too many Brandy Alexanders. In 2001 the Liverpool Airport was renamed the John Lennon Airport after him. Widow Yoko Ono's photograph of John's spectacles, bloodstained from day he was fatally shot outside their apartment building in December 1980, sold at auction in London, April 2002 for about $13,000. At second Christie's auction later in April, 2 tape recordings of Lennon improvising songs and telling stories to his stepdaughter sold for $195,000. One tape, from summer of 1969, records Lennon making up tunes and telling 6-year-old Kyoko about a dwarf who lived in their garden. It sold for $110,000. Other tape, a 25-minute recording of Lennon working on melody and lyrics for "She Said She Said", contains lyrics never heard in the song's final "Revolver" version. It sold for $85,200. Posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a solo artist) in 1994. His "In my Life" was played at the funeral of Kurt Cobain. In 1989, the Republic of Abkhazia (in the former Soviet Georgia) proclaimed independence. To show the world they were rejecting their Communist past, they issued two postage stamps of Groucho Marx and Lennon (as opposed to Karl Marx and V.I. Lenin). He is one of several famous and tragic figures from history to be featured on the front and back sleeves of rock band Marillion's "Clutching at Straws" album (released 1987). His assassination is referred to in the lyrics of the Marillion song "Warm Wet Circles" (from their 1987 album "Clutching at Straws") and is the subject of the Chameleons' song "Here Today" (from their 1983 album "Script of the Bridge"). His voice was sampled for the Marillion song "Gazpacho" (from their 1995 album "Afraid of Sunlight"). In 2002 Paul McCartney changed the credits to many of the songs he wrote with Lennon to "McCartney & Lennon" (from "Lennon & McCartney") to a large public uproar. It is a misconception, however, that this was the first time McCartney had done this. MacCartney also reversed the "Lennon-MacCartney" credits on his 1976 live album "Wings Over America" to little or no public scrutiny, and no public comment from Lennon (who of course was still alive at the time). His death is referred to in the lyrics of the Badly Drawn Boy song "You Were Right". Was photographed for the cover of "Rolling Stone" magazine on the day he was assassinated. Had also just recorded an extensive interview for RKO Radio, and for the BBC the week before. He was preoccupied with the number nine: An avant-garde composition on the Beatles' "White Album" was "Revolution 9", while a solo recording of his was "#9 Dream", a term he gave to a state of enlightenment. He died at 11 p.m. on December 8, 1980 in New York, but in his native England (five hours ahead), it was already December 9. His neighbors at the Dakota included singer Roberta Flack, and actors Peter Boyle, Gloria Swanson, and Lauren Bacall. His mother Julia was killed by a drunk driver when John was seventeen; his stepfather broke down at the news, and John had to go with the police to identify her body. (He later named his first son Julian for her, and remembered his mother in the song "Julia", ten years after her death.) His best friend and former bandmate Stuart Sutcliffe died from a brain hemorrhage in 1962, when they were both 21; John asked Stuart's mother for the old scarf he'd worn to Art school, and kept it as a memento. In the days leading up to Lennon's murder, Chapman 'lived the life' of J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" narrator Holden Caulfield, and was calmly flipping through the book when he was arrested. Married first wife Cynthia at the Mount Pleasant Registry Office in Liverpool; married second wife Yoko on the Rock of Gibraltar. Cremated at a private ceremony the day after his death. Yoko Ono has never revealed the whereabouts of the ashes, or what happened to them. In lieu of a funeral for John, Yoko asked the public for ten minutes of silence and prayer at 2pm ET on the following Sunday, December 14th, and to contribute to charities in his memory. Besides re-releases of his music, his presence has remained in the marketplace and media through selections from his writings and drawings, including a line of children's products based on creations made for son Sean. He didn't spend every day of his five years' retirement at the Dakota; Yoko or one of their consultants would occasionally send him (or the family) to different spots around the globe, for vacations or good-luck trips, beginning with a flight around the world from west to east to "clear their karma". He had to visit Hong Kong alone, book his own room, and see to his own meals, which he'd never done in his life; after a nervous first day (spent mostly in the bath), he finally tried going out for a walk - and was surprised to find that nobody took him for more than a tourist, let alone one of the world-famous Beatles. Not getting the celebrity treatment for the first time since his early twenties, he felt like he'd rediscovered himself. Although his music with and after the Beatles usually featured the latest technical and sound innovations, he was all-thumbs when it came to most audio/visual equipment, and usually depended on a knowing technician or assistant to give him the sound or look he wanted. He also spent little time on remixing with his solo records; latter-day remasters of his solo albums have been carefully remixed, bringing out many subtleties in the music buried or lost in the original mixes. Former bandmate George Harrison remembered Lennon in 1981 with his song "All Those Years Ago" (featuring Ringo Starr on drums, and Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney on background vocals). Queen also recorded a tribute to Lennon (the song "Life Is Real", appearing on their "Hot Space" album), as did Paul McCartney with "Here Today", and later Elton John with "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)". His first girlfriend (at age fifteen) was named Barbara Baker; his girlfriend at Art school (before dating Cynthia Powell, later Cynthia Lennon) was named Thelma Pickles. The Cranberries' song "I Just Shot John Lennon" explored the day of his murder at the hands of Mark Chapman. Yoko Ono signed over the royalties of his song "Imagine", in perpetuity, to Amnesty International, a world-wide organization devoted to political prisoners. Shortly before his death, he declared The B-52's self-titled debut album to be his favourite album of all-time. He was voted as a solo artist as the 38th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist by "Rolling Stone". The Beatles were voted the Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artists of all time on the same list in the magazine. Was a bright child, but not much of a student from secondary school (akin to middle and high school) on; he found little to engage him, and failed his last round of final exams by just a few points. Was able to enter Art school on a headmaster's recommendation, but found it no more engaging, and slacked off, giving most of his energies to the Beatles, friends and girlfriends. Danish rock band Dizzy Mizz Lizzy is not only named after a famous Beatles song, included on their second album "Rotator" was the song "11.07pm" honoring the memory of lead singer, Tim Christensen's, greatest song writing inspiration. After his conviction for hashish possession in the fall of 1968 (he pled guilty on his lawyer's advice, to "get it behind him" and to keep Yoko from being prosecuted, and possibly deported from the U.K.), Lennon was denied entry into the United States during 1969 and 1970, at the height of his and Yoko's "peace campaign". Psychiatrist and Primal therapist Dr. Arthur Janov was able to arrange a medical visa for Lennon late in 1970, on the grounds that he and Yoko had come to Janov for treatment, and they were also allowed to return the next year for a series of custody hearings over Yoko's daughter Kyoko Ono Cox. Their decision to stay in America at the end of 1971 led to a four-year court battle, with the hashish conviction at its heart. (The conviction was eventually overturned by a U.S. court, clearing the way for him to apply for permanent resident status.) Kept his old bow-tie from Quarry Bank School, and wore it for special occasions as an adult. Also had a favorite necktie that he wore every day to court in the mid-1970s, during his immigration hearings, and later during a lawsuit brought against him by publisher Morris Levy. His "Mind Games" album came about because in 1973, the former Beatles were behind quota in their renegotiated contract with EMI. Neither George Harrison nor Ringo Starr had released albums in 1971 or 1972 (Harrison's The Concert for Bangladesh soundtrack didn't count under the contract, as a charity all-star album, co-distributed by EMI and Columbia Records), while Lee Eastman had brokered a separate deal for son-in-law Paul McCartney. Lennon was in no hurry to return to recording after the failure of 1972's "Some Time In New York City", but with legal action pending against the former band, he locked himself away in a bedroom for 48 hours, writing and polishing off an album's worth of songs, which he recorded quickly a couple weeks later. The album was only a modest hit, but it satisfied EMI's expectations. The Beatles experimented with names throughout 1959. At one point they were called "Johnny and the MoonDogs." Former band-mate George Harrison remembered Lennon in 1981 with his song "All Those Years Ago" (featuring Ringo Starr on drums, and Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney on background vocals). Queen also recorded a tribute to Lennon (the song "Life Is Real", appearing on their "Hot Space" album), as did Paul McCartney with "Here Today", and later Elton John with "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)". The cover of Rolling Stone magazine featuring a nude John Lennon hugging and kissing a fully clothed Yoko Ono taken by photographer Annie Liebovitz was voted the top magazine cover of the last 40 years by a panel of magazine editors, artists and designers chosen by the American Society of Magazine Editors. The photo was the cover of Rolling Stone's tribute to Lennon after his death. Ironically, the picture was taken on the last day of Lennon's life. Shares a birthday with fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members John Entwistle of the Who and singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. Moving to New York City in the early 1970s, John and Yoko first sublet a luxury apartment in the Dakota from actor Robert Ryan, then purchased it from Ryan's estate following his death. They later purchased several other apartments in the same building. The band O.A.R. (of a revolution) wrote "Dakota" off of their album "Stories of a Stranger" in memory of Lennon. His song "Jealous Guy" became a British number one single for Roxy Music in 1981. The band's lead singer, Bryan Ferry, later performed it at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in 1985. His song "Imagine" was performed by Peter Gabriel at the opening ceremony to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries in 2006, the Beatles are the biggest popular music act of all time, with 400 million albums sold (50 million more albums than their runner-up, Michael Jackson). In 1969 he recorded the song "Give Peace A Chance" in room 1742, Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montréal, Canada. Norman Mailer, Tom Smothers, and Timothy Leary can be heard as part of the chorus. Was the only Beatle to eat meat regularly. Starr was a vegetarian for life, due to health problems, Harrison converted in 1968, and McCartney became one in 1975. It was after hearing Paul McCartney's new single "Coming Up" that Lennon decided to get back to music in early 1980. His reported response was "Oh shit, I've got to get back." Lennon loved the song. Isolated himself from the other former Beatles after 1974. He had slammed Paul McCartney in the press (to which McCartney vehemently responded), he and George Harrison had stopped talking after an argument over The Concert For Bangladesh (Lennon wanted Yoko Ono to be an integral part of the show, and Harrison didn't want her to even perform), and he stayed away from Ringo Starr because he wanted to stay sober (and Starr was always drinking). He and McCartney McCartney visited in 1975 in New York, and again in 1980. Harrison agreed in later years that their disagreement was petty and that there was no real animosity between them. Was the first Beatle ever to appear solo, appearing in The Rolling Stones's The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (originally filmed in December 1968) and also doing a concert in Toronto later that year. Was also the only Beatle never to do a solo tour, with Ringo doing his annual All-Starr Band festivals, George going around the US in 1974 and Japan in 1992, and Paul touring England from 1971-1975, the US in 1976, a small world tour in 1980, and full world tours in 1989, 1993, 2001 and 2005. It was said that the birth of his son and his new fatherhood in 1975 made him much more sweet and mellow, even watching Beatles films and cartoons and listening to their records with Sean. Although he gave a rather biting interview to Playboy magazine in 1980, he was said by most of his associates to be much easier to work with in that part of his life. The only Beatle never to attend a Paul McCartney solo concert. Ringo went to one in 1976 and George went to one in 1993. Both preferred not to go on-stage. Elton John is the godfather of his son Sean Lennon Was best man at Peter Boyle's wedding to Loraine Alterman Boyle Felt that both "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Across the Universe" were poorly recorded. Posthumous winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for Outstanding Contribution in 1982. Is portrayed by Tim Piper in The Linda McCartney Story.