John Lennon (1940 - 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who rose to worldwide fame as a co-founder of the Beatles, one of the most influential bands in the history of popular music. [1] With Paul McCartney he formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the twentieth century, and after the group disbanded he pursued a solo career marked by musical experimentation and political activism. [2] His 1971 song "Imagine" became an enduring anthem of the peace movement. [4] He was shot and killed outside his New York City home in December 1980. [1]
Early life and education
John Winston Lennon was born on 9 October 1940 in Liverpool, England, and was raised largely by his aunt Mary "Mimi" Smith after his parents separated. [1] He attended local schools, including Calderstones School, and later enrolled at the Liverpool College of Art. [1] Drawn to the American rock and roll and skiffle records of the 1950s, he formed a group called the Quarrymen in 1956, and in 1957 he met Paul McCartney, whom he invited to join the band. [2]
The Beatles
The Quarrymen evolved into the Beatles, with Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, and eventually Ringo Starr. [2] After honing their act in Liverpool and Hamburg, the group achieved unprecedented commercial success in the 1960s, igniting the phenomenon known as Beatlemania. [2] Lennon and McCartney wrote most of the band's material under a joint credit, producing songs such as "Help!", "Strawberry Fields Forever", and "A Day in the Life". [3] Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1965, Lennon later returned the insignia in protest of British foreign policy. [1]
Solo career and activism
As the Beatles moved toward their 1970 breakup, Lennon began recording independently, releasing the raw John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band in 1970 and Imagine in 1971. [4] Together with the artist Yoko Ono, whom he married in 1969, he became an outspoken peace campaigner, staging public "bed-ins" and releasing the single "Give Peace a Chance". [1] He settled in New York City in 1971 and, after a prolonged legal battle over his U.S. residency, stepped back from music in the mid-1970s to raise his son Sean before returning with the album Double Fantasy in 1980. [1]
Death and legacy
On 8 December 1980, Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota apartment building in New York City. [1] His death prompted worldwide mourning, and he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [1] Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his era, he is commemorated by the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park, and "Imagine" endures as a symbol of his commitment to peace. [4]
