John Lennon
John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England.
Lennon's parents separated when John was four and he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle - Mimi Smith and George Smith at 251 Menlove Avenue in Liverpool.
As a teenager, Lennon became closer to his mother, Julia Lennon, who taught him to play banjo. John convinced his aunt to buy him a guitar and he spent hours teaching himself to play the instrument prompting his aunt to remark, "The guitar's all very well, John, but you'll never make a living out of it."
Returning home from a visit to see Mimi, Julia was struck by a car and killed. Just 17 years old, John was devastated.
Inspired by rock and roll music from America, and England's Skiffle craze, Lennon formed a band which he named after his school, Quarry Bank High School. In 1957, the Quarry Men played at the Woolton Parish Church Garden Fete. In the audience was a young man named Paul McCartney. After the show, Paul and John were introduced and Paul impressed John by playing the song "Twenty Flight Rock" on guitar.
McCartney joined the band. Later a younger friend of Paul's, George Harrison, also joined the group which later became the Beatles.
After the breakup of the Beatles, Lennon moved, with his wife Yoko Ono, to New York, New York.
John Lennon was murdered in front of his wife and his home on December 8, 1980. Links:
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