John Lennon was a British musician, songwriter, composer, and cultural figure, best known as a founding member of The Beatles. His full name was John Winston Ono Lennon. As one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Lennon helped redefine popular music, songwriting, and the role of the musician as a social and political voice.

John Lennon was born on 9 October 1940 in Liverpool, England. His parents, Alfred Lennon and Julia Lennon, were working-class. When Lennon was just two years old, his parents separated, and he was raised primarily by his maternal aunt, Mary “Mimi” Smith, whom he affectionately called Mimi. His father, a sailor, was largely absent from his life and was seen only twice over a span of twenty years.

At the age of seventeen, Lennon experienced a profound trauma when his mother Julia was struck and killed by a police car while crossing the street. This loss deeply shaped his emotional world and artistic voice. Lennon’s lifelong sense of loneliness found resonance in his close friendship with Paul McCartney, who had also lost his mother at a young age. Years later, Lennon would name his first son Julian Lennon and compose the song Julia in memory of his mother.

In 1956, while still in high school, Lennon met Paul McCartney. Their musical partnership would become one of the most important in popular music history. In February 1958, McCartney introduced Lennon to George Harrison. Soon after, Stuart Sutcliffe joined as bassist and suggested the group name “The Silver Beetles.” The band initially consisted of five members. In July 1960, the name was shortened to The Beatles. After Sutcliffe left the band, McCartney took over bass duties. With the arrival of Richard Starkey, known as Ringo Starr, the group reached its final and iconic lineup.

The band’s first single, Love Me Do, was released in October 1962. The lineup consisted of Ringo Starr on drums, George Harrison on lead guitar, Paul McCartney on bass and vocals, and John Lennon on rhythm guitar and vocals. The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership became the driving force behind the group’s success, blending Paul’s optimism with John’s pain, hope, and sharp wit.

After graduating from high school, Lennon attended art school, where he met his first wife, Cynthia Powell. They married in 1962, and their son Julian was born in 1963. In 1968, Lennon fell in love with Japanese avant-garde artist and conceptual performer Yoko Ono, leading to his divorce from Cynthia the same year.

In 1968, Lennon and Ono released the experimental album Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins. The album caused widespread controversy due to its avant-garde content and the nude photographs of Lennon and Ono on the cover. Despite criticism, the project marked the beginning of Lennon’s artistic and personal partnership with Ono.

With The Beatles, Lennon achieved global success. The band was hailed by many critics as the greatest group in music history, winning countless awards and reshaping popular culture. Lennon became not only a rock star but a global phenomenon.

Fame and controversy went hand in hand. In 1966, during a visit to the Philippines, the band declined an official invitation from the country’s leadership. As a result, they were denied security and attacked at the airport while leaving the country.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono married on 20 March 1969. Shortly afterward, they released the avant-garde albums Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions and The Wedding Album. During this period, Lennon wrote Give Peace a Chance, which became an anthem of the global peace movement.

In September 1969, Lennon returned to live performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival, backed by the Plastic Ono Band, featuring Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, and Alan White.

On 31 December 1970, Lennon publicly announced his departure from The Beatles, comparing the breakup to ending a marriage that had become too painful to continue. While “Beatlemania” had ended, the cultural impact of the band endured.

As a solo artist, Lennon released eleven albums, six of them with Yoko Ono. Among them was Imagine, the album that earned him the enduring nickname “the dreamer.” Lennon’s political activism, outspoken views, and anti-war stance led to conflict with U.S. authorities, and he was temporarily barred from entering the United States on drug-related charges. After years of legal struggle, he obtained a green card in 1976.

In late 1973, Lennon released Mind Games, reflecting the tensions in his relationship with Ono. In early 1974, he moved to Los Angeles, entering a turbulent period marked by substance abuse and excess. During this time, his album Walls and Bridges featured the hit Whatever Gets You Thru the Night, written by Elton John, which reached number one on U.S. charts. Lennon’s final live performance took place at Madison Square Garden, where he performed with Elton John. Shortly afterward, he reunited with Yoko Ono.

In 1975, Lennon and Ono welcomed their son Sean Lennon. Lennon then withdrew from public life to focus on family. After a five-year hiatus, he returned to music, completing his final album, Double Fantasy, released one month before his death. The album reflected a renewed embrace of life and personal happiness.

On 8 December 1980, John Lennon was shot from behind by Mark David Chapman outside his residence in New York City. He was struck by five bullets and died at the age of 40. His death shocked the world and marked the loss of one of modern culture’s most powerful voices.

Marriages
• First marriage: In 1962, Lennon married Cynthia Powell. Their son Julian Lennon was born in 1963. They divorced in 1968.
• Second marriage: Lennon married Yoko Ono on 20 March 1969. Their son Sean Lennon was born in 1975.

John Lennon Albums
1968 – Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins
1969 – Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions
1969 – Wedding Album
1969 – Live Peace in Toronto
1970 – John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band
1971 – Imagine
1972 – Some Time in New York City
1973 – Mind Games
1974 – Walls and Bridges
1975 – Rock ’n’ Roll
1980 – Double Fantasy

“When I was a child, I really had dreams. I read comic books and imagined myself as the hero. I watched movies and identified with the hero. All my dreams came true—many times over. I learned one thing as a child: a day without a song is a day not lived.”

Source: Biyografiler.com