John Lennon was a member of The Beatles, one of the world’s most famous bands. The
other band members were Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Lennon was born in Liverpool, England, on October 9, 1940. His first band was called The Quarrymen. Lennon played the guitar and the keyboard and sang vocals. In 1957, Paul McCartney joined Lennon’s band as a guitarist and singer. Later that year, George Harrison, another guitarist, joined. In 1960, Pete Best became the band’s drummer. The band changed its name two more times before it was called The Beatles.
In 1962, The Beatles got a record contract with a British recording company. Lennon and McCartney wrote the songs that the band recorded. Just before they made their first record, Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best on the drums.
The Beatles’ records and albums were instant best-sellers in Britain and Europe, and the group became a sensation. In 1964, they performed on U.S. television and were a huge hit. After that, they were followed everywhere by screaming fans. It was known as Beatlemania.
The Beatles performed together for the last time in San Francisco on August 29, 1966. The band later broke up.
John Lennon married Cynthia Powell, an art student, in 1962. They had a son, John Julian, in 1963 and divorced in 1968. In 1969, Lennon married Yoko Ono, an artist and a musician. Their son, Sean, was born in 1975.
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon recorded his own music. He had hit records in 1970 and 1973. He formed a band with Yoko Ono and a record album they made in 1980 was a big success. They also became active in the peace movement.
On December 8, 1980, Lennon was killed by a crazed fan in front of his New York City apartment building. Millions of people around the world grieved his death. After he died, his records became even more popular. His music is still popular today.
