Biography:Founding member of The Beatles, Lennon formed a songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney that became one of the most successful and famous in the history of music. Born in Liverpool, Lennon was in the group the Quarrymen which eventually developed into the Beatles in 1960.
As part of the best-selling group in music history, Lennon wrote or co-wrote many of the band's biggest hits. His rebellious nature gave his writings, interviews and work a notably acerbic and sardonic wit. After the group broke up in 1970, Lennon embarked on a successful solo career with his wife Yoko Ono. This included the hit 1971 single "Imagine".
His political activism, particularly in protesting against the Vietnam War, made him a controversial figure; the White House under Richard Nixon engaged in lengthy attempts to deport him.
In 1975 he withdrew from the music business to raise his son, Sean, but returned in 1980 to release the album Double Fantasy, with Yoko Ono. Three weeks after its release he was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside his Manhattan apartment. His death triggered an outpouring of grief on an unprecedented scale throughout the world.
Born:October 9, 1940 Birthplace:Liverpool, United Kingdom
1962-08-23 British "Beatles" musician John Lennon (21) weds British art school girlfriend Cynthia Powell (22); divorce in 1968
1968-08-22 Cynthia Lennon sues Beatle member John Lennon for divorce on grounds of adultery
1968-11-08 Cynthia Lennon is granted a divorce from The Beatles member John Lennon
1969-03-20 British Beatle John Lennon (28) weds Japanese artist Yoko Ono (36) in Gibraltar, near Spain (his second marriage, her third), until his death in 1980
Historical Events
1957-07-06 John Lennon (16) & Paul McCartney (15) meet for 1st time as Lennon's rock group Quarrymen perform at St. Peter's, Woolton's Parish Church in Liverpool, introduced by mutual friend Ivan Vaughn
1963-03-12 Beatles perform as a trio, at Granada Cinema, in Bedford, England, as John Lennon is ill with a cold
1963-11-04 John Lennon utters his famous quip at a Royal Variety Performance "For our last number, I'd like to ask your help. The people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And for the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry…" at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London
1964-03-23 "In His Own Write", a book of short stories, poems and drawings by John Lennon is published
1964-04-01 John Lennon is reunited with his father Freddie after 17 years
1964-04-27 John Lennon's book of poetry and sketches "In His Own Write" is published in US
1965-06-14 John Lennon's second book "A Spaniard in the Works" is published
1966-03-04 John Lennon says "We (the Beatles) are more popular than Jesus"
1966-07-31 Two Alabama radio hosts, Tommy Charles and Doug Layton of WAQY in Birmingham ask listeners to send in Beatles albums and merchandise to burn in response to John Lennon's anti-Jesus remark that "Christianity will go"
1966-08-08 South African Broadcasting bans the playing of all Beatles songs due to John Lennon's remark that the band was "more popular than Jesus"
1966-08-12 The Beatles hold press conference at the Astor Tower Hotel, in Chicago, Illinois; John Lennon apologizes for his "more popular than Jesus" remark
1966-11-07 John Lennon meets Yoko Ono at an avante-garde art exposition at Indica Gallery in London
1967-05-25 John Lennon takes delivery of his psychedelically painted Rolls Royce
1967-08-18The Rolling Stones release music single "We Love You", written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richard as a message of thanks to fans for their support after the duo's recent drug arrests; recording features backing vocals by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
1967-10-11 "Yoko Plus Me" art exhibition by Yoko Ono opens in London (the "Me" is John Lennon)
1968-06-15 John Lennon and Yoko Ono plant two acorns for peace, at Coventry Cathedral, Conventry, England
1968-07-01 John Lennon's 1st full art exhibition (You Are Here) opens at Robert Fraser Gallery in London
1968-07-05 John Lennon sells his psychedelic painted Rolls-Royce
1968-08-31 Private Eye magazine reports a John Lennon and Yoko Ono album will have a picture of them nude on the cover
1968-10-18 Police find 219 grains of cannabis resin in John Lennon and Yoko Ono's apartment, they are fined £150 for marijuana possession
1968-10-25Yoko Ono announces she is having John Lennon's baby; she later suffers a miscarriage
1968-11-11 John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear nude on cover of "Two Virgins" album
1968-11-28 John Lennon is fined £150 for unauthorized drug possession
1968-11-29 John Lennon and Yoko Ono release their 1st album "Two Virgins" in UK
1968-12-12 Rolling Stones film TV show "Rock and Roll Circus"- guest performers include The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono; the program never airs aired
1969-01-03 John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Two Virgins" album declared pornographic in New Jersey
1969-03-25 Beatle John Lennon and new wife Yoko Ono stage their 1st bed-in for peace, at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands
1969-05-26 John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin their 2nd bed-in for peace at Hotel La Reine Elizabeth, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1969-05-31 John Lennon and Yoko Ono record "Give Peace a Chance" in a Montreal hotel, during their second 'bed-in' for peace; other performers include Tommy Smothers, Petula Clark, Timothy Leary, and Dick Gregory
1969-06-11 "The Ballad Of John & Yoko" by The Beatles hits #1 in UK; recording involved only John (guitars, vocals, percussion) and Paul (bass, drums, piano, backing voice)
1969-07-01 John Lennon and Yoko Ono are admitted to hospital after he crashes his car near Durness in the Scottish Highlands
1969-07-04 "Give Peace a Chance" single by John Lennon & Plastic Ono Band is released in UK
1969-09-13 Plastic Ono Band's 1st live performance, featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Eric Clapton, at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival
1969-09-20 John Lennon privately announces to Paul and Ringo (George was not there) that he is leaving "The Beatles" at a London business meeting
1969-11-07 John Lennon and Yoko Ono release their second album "Wedding Album" in UK
1969-11-25 John Lennon returns MBE to protest "against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts."
1969-12-15 John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band, play their only European gig - appearing in UNICEF charity concert at London's Lyceum Ballroom, band is augmented by Bonnie & Delaney Bramlett, guitarists George Harrison and Eric Clapton, and keyboardist Billy Preston
1970-01-04 Beatles last recording session at Abbey Road studios, completing George Harrison's tune "I Me Mine"; John Lennon was on vacation and did not participate
1970-01-05 John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono give a press conference in Aalborg, Denmark, revealing that they were only visiting
1970-02-11 John Lennon pays £1,344 fines for 96 protesting South African rugby team playing in Scotland
1970-04-01 John Lennon and Yoko Ono release hoax they are having dual sex change operations
1971-09-09 Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album, "Imagine" in US; it tops the charts in US, UK, Australia, and 3 other countries
1971-10-08 John Lennon releases his megahit single "Imagine"
1971-10-08 Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album, "Imagine" in UK; it tops the charts in US, UK, Australia, and 3 other countries
1972-02-18 John Lennon and Yoko Ono end a week of co-hosting the syndicated "The Mike Douglas Show", in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1972-03-16 John Lennon and Yoko Ono are served with deportation papers by US Immigration Department
1972-04-27 NYC Mayor John Lindsey appeals that John Lennon not be deported
1972-05-11 John Lennon says his phone is tapped by FBI on "The Dick Cavett Show"
1972-06-12 Apple Records releases John Lennon and Yoko Ono's political album "Sometime in NYC" in US; includes studio recordings of songs "Woman is the Nigger of the World", "Attica State" and "Luck of the Irish"; and some live tracks from 1971 concert with Frank Zappa
1972-08-30 John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "One on One" benefit shows (matinee and evening) for children at Madison Square Garden, New York, his final full concert performance
1972-09-04 John Lennon and Yoko Ono perform three songs ("Imagine"; "Now Or Never"; "Give Peace A Chance") on Jerry Lewis' 7th Muscular Dystrophy telethon at the Americana Hotel, NYC
1972-09-15 Apple Records releases John Lennon and Yoko Ono's political album "Sometime in NYC" in UK, delayed by publishing rights dispute; includes some live tracks from 1971 concert with Frank Zappa
1973-04-01 John Lennon and Yoko Ono form a new country with no laws or boundaries, called Nutopia, its national anthem is silence
1973-10-24 John Lennon sues US government to admit FBI is tapping his phone, they deny doing so
1973-10-29 Apple Records releases John Lennon's fourth studio album, "Mind Games" in US
1973-11-16 Apple Records releases John Lennon's fourth studio album, "Mind Games" in UK
1974-07-17 John Lennon is (again) ordered to leave US in 60 days, due to a 1968 marijuana charge in the UK (he doesn't)
1974-08-19 RCA records releases "Pussy Cats", the tenth album by American singer Harry Nilsson in the US; album was produced by John Lennon and Nilsson worked through a serious vocal chord injury which diminished his vaunted range
1974-08-23 John Lennon reports seeing a UFO in NYC
1974-09-23 John Lennon's single "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night", featuring Elton John, released in US; it was Lennon's only solo No. 1 single during his lifetime
1974-09-26 Apple Records releases John Lennon's fifth studio album, "Walls & Bridges" in US; features No. 1 single "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" (with Elton John) and "#9 Dream"
1974-09-28 John Lennon appears as guest DJ on WNEW-FM (NYC)
1974-10-04 Apple Records releases John Lennon's fifth studio album, "Walls & Bridges" in UK; features No. 1 single "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" (with Elton John) and "#9 Dream"
1974-11-16 John Lennon's single "Whatever Gets You Through the Night", featuring Elton John, goes to #1 in US; the last of the Beatles with a solo chart-topper, it was the only one during his lifetime
1974-11-28 John Lennon's last concert appearance, as a guest of Elton John, Madison Square Garden, New York City NYC; they perform "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night"; "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"; and "I Saw Her Standing There"
1975-02-17 A&M Records releases John Lennon's sixth studio album, "Rock 'n' Roll" album, cover songs of early rock numbers
1975-03-07 RCA releases "Young Americans", David Bowie's 9th studio album, recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City; featuring appearances by John Lennon on two tracks, it peaks in the U.S. charts at No. 9, and No. 2 in the U.K.
1975-03-10 John Lennon releases single "Stand By Me", a cover of Ben E. King's song from 1961
1975-04-18 John Lennon gives what becomes his final public performance at a gala salute to British media mogul Lew Grade at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel, NYC; he performed 3 songs - Little Richard’s “Slippin’ and Slidin’”, Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me”, and closed with his own “Imagine”
1975-04-28Ringo Starr appears on "The Smothers Brothers Show", singing Hoyt Axton's "No No Song", and John Lennon is the guest on Tom Snyder's "Tomorrow" program, in what turns out to be his final television interview; both on NBC-TV
1975-07-25 RCA releases David Bowie single "Fame", with cameo appearance by John Lennon
1975-10-07 US decides John Lennon won't be deported due to UK pot conviction
1976-07-27 Former Beatle John Lennon is granted a green card for permanent residence in US
1980-08-07 John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin recording sessions for their "Double Fantasy" album at the Hit Factory, NYC
1980-09-22 John Lennon and Yoko Ono sign a recording contract with Geffen Records
1980-10-24 John Lennon releases single "(Just Like) Starting Over" in UK
1980-11-17 Geffen Records releases John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album "Double Fantasy"
1980-11-21 John Lennon and Yoko Ono pose nude for photographer Allan Tannenbaum
1980-12-08Annie Leibovitz has a photo-shoot with John Lennon, the last person to professionally photograph him before he is murdered on the same day
1980-12-14 At 2 PM EST there is 10 minutes of silence in memory of John Lennon
1981-01-16 John Lennon's single "Woman" is posthumously released in the UK
1981-06-05George Harrison releases "Somewhere in England", his ninth studio album, includes John Lennon tribute "All Those Years Ago" (Featuring Paul and Ringo)
1981-06-22 Mark David Chapman pleads guilty to killing former Beatle John Lennon
1981-08-24 Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 yrs to life for John Lennon's murder
1982-05-10 WABC radio (NYC) plays its last record - John Lennon's "Imagine" - and switches to all-talk format
1984-01-09 John Lennon single "Nobody Told Me" released posthumously
1984-01-27 Geffen Records releases "Milk & Honey" album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, featuring un-released recordings made during the 1980 "Double Fantasy" sessions, including "Grow Old With Me"
1984-03-09 John Lennon single "Borrowed Time" released posthumously
1984-03-21 Part of Central Park in New York City is named "Strawberry Fields" honoring John Lennon
1984-07-15 John Lennon's single "I'm Stepping Out" released posthumously
1984-11-16 John Lennon's 'Every Man has a Woman Who Loves Him' released posthumously
1985-10-09 "Strawberry Fields" memorial to John Lennon in Central Park, NYC is dedicated by mayor Ed Koch
1986-02-10 "John Lennon: Live in NYC" album is released posthumously
1986-11-03 John Lennon's "Menlove Avenue" album released posthumously
1990-10-09 Radio stations around world play "Imagine" honoring John Lennon on what would have been his 50th birthday
1994-01-19 9th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: The Animals; The Band; Duane Eddy; The Grateful Dead; Elton John; John Lennon; Bob Marley; Rod Stewart; Willie Dixon; and Johnny Otis
1995-03-20 Beatles release single, a cover of Shirelles song, "Baby It's You" (written by Burt Bacharach & Mack David), with late John Lennon as lead singer; 1st Fab Four single in nearly 10 years
1995-11-20 Apple Records releases The Beatles "Anthology 1" (double CD/triple LP), the first of a 3-part series of rare recordings and outtakes by the Beatles; set covers the years 1955-64, as well as new collaboration "Free as a Bird" - a John Lennon demo augmented by additional lyrics and performances by the surviving three; album tops Billboard chart in US and peaks at no. 2 in UK
1996-03-18 Apple Records releases The Beatles "Anthology 2" (double CD/triple LP)", the second of 3-part series of rare recordings and outtakes by the Beatles; set covers the years 1965-68, as well as new collaboration "Real Love" - a John Lennon demo augmented by additional lyrics and performances by the surviving three; album tops record charts in US and UK
2016-02-20 4-inch lock of John Lennon's hair sells for $35,000 to a memorabilia collector at an auction in Dallas, Texas
2023-11-02 Apple Records release the last Beatles song "Now and Then" as a double A-sided single, backed with their first "From Me To You"; the new song was built from an unfinished 1978 John Lennon demo and 1995 attempt to complete it that had been abandoned due to technical issues, resolved by new technology
Quotes by John Lennon
"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
- Dreams, Peace
"Love, Love, Love. All you need is love. Love is all you need."
- Love
Carlos Santana
Daniel Johns
Jerry Garcia
Paul McCartney
Ray Charles
Tim McGraw