Anniversary of John Lennon’s Death – December 8^th, 1980

Conversation Starters

• Today marks the 32^nd anniversary of the loss of John Lennon. Pay your respects to the late artist below.
• On this day in 1980, the world lost one of the greatest musical artists of all time. We remember, John Lennon.
• It’s been 32 years since John Lennon tragically died. Do you remember where you were when you heard the news?

Personal Information

• Date of Birth: October 9^th, 1940
• Location: Liverpool, England, UK
• Date of Death: December 8^th, 1980
• Full Name: John Winston Lennon
• Born to father Alfred Lennon and Mother Julia Stanley, his parents divorced and John lived with his mom’s sister or “Aunt Mimi”
• In 1962 John married Cynthia Powell and had one son, John Charles Julian Lennon; the two divorced in 1968
• John met Yoko Ono in 1966 and the two married in 1969 on the island of Gibraltar. Together they had one son – Sean Taro Ono Lennon

Fast Facts (Lennon Solo)

• At a young age John learned how to play the piano and banjo, he then bought his first guitar
• At 16, after learning about Elvis Presley, John went on to create a band called “Quarry Men”
•  Paul McCartney joined the group in 1957 after meeting John at a church concert; George Harrison joined the following year and Ringo Starr would join around two years later
• The Quarry Men later became The Beatles, a band Lennon would enjoy extreme success with from 1960 through their disbandment in 1969
• In 1966, Lennon famously said that the Beatles were “More popular than Jesus” which sparked tons of uproar and album burnings across the U.S.
• Lennon met Yoko Ono at a preview of her art show in London in 1966
• Lennon made his first appearance away from the band in the film “How I Won the War” which premiered in 1967; he also wrote “Strawberry Fields Forever” while filming
• The Plastic Ono Band was created with the partnership of Lennon and Ono; the two started peace rallies and protests
• Lennon and Ono were both arrested for possession of marijuana in 1968
• That same year the two released their first album Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins; the cover featured both of them posing naked and was banned from distribution
• Lennon and Ono were married in 1969, and John changed his name to John Ono Lennon
• In 1970, Lennon released first of his solo works:  Plastic Ono Band
• Imagine was released in 1971, which became Lennon’s most commercially successful work as a solo artist
• Lennon and Ono moved the U.S. in September of 1971 and were granted residency in 1976 after a long immigration battle
• In 1972, Lennon performed at Madison Square Garden to benefit Willowbrook School in NYC
• During the immigration battle, Lennon and Ono separated. Lennon went to Los Angeles, and released albums “Mind Games,” “Walls and Bridges” and “Rock and Roll”
• In 1975 Lennon and Ono got back together and had a son named Sean Taro Ono Lennon on Johns 35^th Birthday
• In 1980, John released “Just Like Starting Over”; his first single in over 5 years. The LP Double Fantasy was released that same year
• On December 8^th, 1980,Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman in front of his apartment in New York; he died at the age of 40
• In 1981, Lennon and Ono’s album Double Fantasy received the Grammy award for Album of the Year
• In 1984, New York City’s Central Park dedicated an area in the park to John Lennon named “Strawberry Fields”
• On John’s 50th birthday in 1990, “Imagine” was broadcast in over 120 countries simultaneously
• In 1992, Lennon received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys
• The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994; Yoko Ono accepted the award for John

Awards/Honors

• Grammys
  • 1992 – Lifetime Achievement award – John Lennon
  • 1981 – Album of the year – Double Fantasy
  • 1970 – Best Original score written for a motion picture or a T.V. special – Let it Be
  • 1967 – Album of the year – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
  • 1967 – Best Contemporary album - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
  • 1966 – Song of the year – Michelle
  • 1964 – Best performance by a vocal group – A Hard Day’s Night
  • 1964 -  Best new artist of 1964 – Beatles
  • In 2002, BBC named Lennon #8 in the list of “100 Greatest Britons”
  • Rolling Stone Magazine named Lennon #5 on the list of “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”
  • Rolling Stone Magazine named Lennon #38 on the list of “100 Greatest Artist of All Time”
  • Rolling Stone Magazine has a list of “100 Greatest Beatles Songs”
  • Rolling Stone Magazine listed Lennon’s album “Imagine” #80 and “Plastic Ono Band” #23 on the list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”
  • Inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987
  • Inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 with the Beatles

Discography (solo)

• Plastic Ono Band – 1970
• Imagine – 1971
• Some Time in New York City – 1972
• Mind Games -1973
• Wall & Bridges – 1974
• Rock ‘N Roll – 1975
• Shaved Fish – 1975
• Double Fantasy – 1980
• The John Lennon Collection – 1982
• Milk and Honey  - 1984
• Live in New York City – 1986
• Men love Ave. – 1986
• Imagine: John Lennon – 1988
• Lennon – 1990
• Lennon Legend The Very Best of John Lennon – 1997
• John Lennon Anthology – 1998
• Wonsaponatime – 1998
• Instant Karma: All Time Greatest Hits – 2001
• Acoustic – 2004
• Peace, Love & Truth – 2005
• Working Class Hero; The Definitive Lennon – 2005
• The U.S. vs. John Lennon – 2006
• Remember – 2006
• Gimme Some Truth – 2010
• Power to the People: The Hits -2010
• John Lennon Signature Box – 2010

Chart History (Billboard Hot 100/Billboard 200)

Billboard Hot 100 (singles)

• “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” - #1 – Nov. 16^th, 1974
• “Just Like Starting Over” - #1 – Dec. 27^th, 1980
• “Woman” - #2 – March 21^st, 1981
• “Imagine” - #3 – Nov. 13^th, 1971
• Nobody told me - #5 – March 3^rd, 1984
• “Dream” - #9 – Feb. 22^nd, 1975
• “Watching the Wheels” - #10 – May 23^rd, 1981
• “Power to the People” - #11 – May 1^st, 1971
• “Mind Games” - #18 – Dec. 29^th, 1973
• “Stand By Me” - #20 – April 26^th, 1975
• “Mother” - #43 – Jan. 30^th, 1971
• I’m Steppin’ Out” - #55 – April 21^st, 1984
• “Jealous Guy” - #80 – Oct. 22^nd, 1988

Billboard 200 (albums)

• Double Fantasy - #1 – Oct. 23^rd, 2010
• Imagine - #1 – Oct. 23^rd, 2010
• Power to the People: The Hits - #24 – Oct. 23^rd,2010
• Acoustic - #31 – Nov. 20^th, 2004
• Live in New York City - #41 – April 5^th, 1986
• John Lennon - #44 – Oct. 2^nd, 2010
• Lennon Legend the very best of John Lennon – #65 – March 21^st, 1998
• John Lennon Anthology - #99 – Nov. 21^st, 1998
• Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon - #135 – Oct. 22^nd, 2005

RIAA

• December 2^nd, 2008 – Lennon Legend The Very Best Of John Lennon – Platinum
• July 7^th, 2001 – Live in New York City – Gold
• July 20^th, 2001 – The John Lennon Collection – 3x Platinum
• December 7^th, 1998 – John Lennon Anthology – Gold
• November 27^th, 1991 – Shaved Fish  - Platinum
• November 26^th, 1991 – Imagine – 2x Platinum
• November 26^th, 1991 – Rock ‘N Roll – Gold
• October 22^nd, 1974 – Walls & Bridges – Gold
• November 30^th, 1973 – Mind Games – Gold
• January 28^th, 1971 – Plastic Ono Band – Gold
• December 14^th, 1970 – Instant Karma - Gold

Links

• Official Website:http://www.johnlennon.com/
• Official Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/#!/johnlennon?fref=ts

Videos:

• Imagine – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLgYAHHkPFs
• Jealous Guy – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lLs2dC9NaE
• Stand By Me – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4_ghOG9JQM

Sources

• http://www.johnlennon.com/
• http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/john-lennon
• http://rockhall.com/inductees/john-lennon/
• http://www.discogs.com/artist/John+Lennon
• http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/john-lennon/5052

Read more here

Check out the top 10 John Lennon songs at Ultimate Classic Rock