JOHN LENNON
BIRTH: October 9, 1940,
Liverpool, England
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DEATH: December 8, 1980,
New York, U.S.
John Lennon was a British musician. He was a singer, songwriter and a graphic artist. He belonged to The Beatles, a British rock band.
John Winston Ono Lennon was born in Liver- pool, England during the German air raid in World War II. His parents were separated. John was brought up by his maternal aunt, Mimi Smith, at Woolton in Liverpool. His mother, Julia, had taught him the banjo and the piano. She bought him his first guitar. She died in a car accident in July 1958.
In the September of 1956, at the age of sixteen John Lennon started his skiffle band. It was named The Quarrymen, after Lennon’s school, the Quarry Bank High School. Lennon met Paul McCartney in July 1957 in a church fête. He soon joined Lennon’s band. In the following year, Paul introduced Lennon to George Harrison who also became a member of the band, along with his friend from art college, Stuart Sutcliffe. Pete Best joined their band as a drummer in 1960.
Their first recording was Buddy Holly’s “That’|| Be the Day” in 1958. They were even influenced to change the name of their band to The Beatles by Holly’s band, The Crickets. They got their first break when Brian Epstein saw them perform at Liverpool’s Cavern Club in 1961. With his help, they signed a contract with EMI and George Martin became their producer. Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey) replaced Pete Best as the drummer of the band soon after.
The Beatles first single was “Love Me Do”. It was released in October 1962. It hit the seventeenth position on the British charts. However, their second single, “Please Please Me”, topped the British charts.
They were the first band to break out big in the U.S. after their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Their first film, A Hard Day’s Night, also came out in 1964. In 1965, their second film, Help!, was released. The Beatles were named as Members of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in June 1965. In August of the same year, they gave a performance in front of 55,600 fans at New York’s Shea Stadium. It was a new record for the largest audience in musical history. Their album ‘Rubber Soul came out the same year. Their 1964 song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” sold millions of copies. They had a
U.S. tour in the same year. With their increasing popularity and support, the word “Beatlemania” began to be used in the common tongue.
On 27th August, 1967, Brian Epstein passed away. The Beatles were quite affected by this news. Hence, their 1967 Magical Mystery Tour did not gain much commercial success.
In the September of 1969, John Lennon left the band. McCartney left the group in April of the next year.
Lennon released his solo album titled John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band in 1970. In 1970, his album Imagine’ was also released. In the September of 1971, Lennon and Yoko Ono moved to the U.S. but shortly after Lennon was made to leave the country for his protest against the Vietnam War. His song “Give Peace a Chance is considered an anti-war song for the samne motive. However, after a long struggle, Lennon received permanent citizenship in 1976. Lennon also collaborated with David Bowie and Elton John during this period. His album Double Fantasy’ was released in 1980. The single “Just
Like) Starting Over” became a major hit.
Lennon was posthumously inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. John Lennon and Paul McCartney won Grammy Awards in 1967 for Michelle’. The Beatles were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 2014. They have AE Gold albums in the United States. In 1977, they were honored with The Brit Award for ‘Best British Group. In 1971, they won the Academy Award for ‘Best Music for the documentary Let It Be.
John Lennon married Cynthia Powell in the year 1962 when he was twenty-one years old. They had a son named Julian. They got divorced in 1968. A year later he married Yoko Ono, who he had met at the Indica gallery in 196. They married in the March of 1969. They also had a Son together named Sean in 1975.
On 8th December, 1980, Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman while in Dakota, New York. Shortly after, Lennon was pronounced dead at the Roosevelt Hospital. He was cremated at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. is ashes were scattered at the New York Central Park by his wife.