John's father rarely saw his son because he was away at sea. John's mother was also more of a friend to John than an actual mother. Julia felt like she couldn't care for the boy so she sent him off to live with his Aunt Mary "Mimi" Smith and Uncle George. In 1946 Fred Lennon returned to Liverpool and took his son to Blackpool where he made plans to emigrate to New Zealand with John. John's mother came to the rescue and return John to Aunt Mimi.

John's childhood was a very tough one. John went to Dovedale Primary School where he began to betray the streak of rebelliousness which was to remain with him the rest of his life. It was here were John first became interested in drawing. In 1955, while John was away visiting another Aunt, his Uncle George died. John was left to deal with more grief. Uncle George was the closest thing John every had as a father figure.

John began attending Quarry Bank Grammar School in September 1952. He quickly became friends with Peter Shotton and the two became inseparable. They always got into trouble by playing pranks on teachers, this didn't help their grades. John was displaying, however, great talent as a writer and an artist. He was always into books and started to read at an early age.

The major fad going though Britain in the mid-1950's was a thing called "skiffle groups". John quickly gathered some friends together in May 1955 and named the band "The Quarry Men". The Quarry Men's first major gig was at "The Woolton Parish Church Fete" on July 6, 1957. After John and The Quarry Men had finished their set, John met a young and talented guitar player by the name of Paul McCartney. John called Paul up and ask him, "Do you want to join me band?", and Paul said yes the next day. George Harrison was later introduced into the band by Paul McCartney. John at first put up him like a kid brother but then saw how much talent George really had.

John loved the music of Elvis Presley and it had a profound effect on The Quarry Men's performances. At one point they had been known as folkies but soon had developed into a rock 'n' roll group. As for John and Paul, their musical relationship grew stronger and soon they became a song writing team coming up with their now legendary vocal-harmony style. Around this time there was a lot of pressure for the group to change their name. At that time many bands had the leader's name in front of the group name. At one point they did change their name to "Johnny & The Moondogs" but they quickly changed their minds and went back to The Quarry Men. Soon John would come up with the legendary name "The Beatles" and kept it as the band's name.

In September 1957, John enrolled in "The Liverpool Art College." There he met, and would later marry, Cynthia Powell. He also met Stuart Sutcliffe, who became his best friend and the "Fifth Beatle." In 1960, with new band member Pete Best in tow, The Beatles traveled to Hamburg for the first time.

Stuart had little interest in music and could barely play the bass so after Hamburg he decided to go back to art college. John, although disappointed, remained good friends with Stuart and Paul took over as bass player. In 1961, The Beatles first met Brian Epstein in "The Cavern Club" after one of their many performances there. Later that year Brian Epstein became The Beatles manger and the following year they signed with Parlphone after George Martin suggested getting a new drummer. Brian and The Beatles decided on Ringo Starr. While all this was going on John found time to marry Cynthia on August 23, 1962 and she gave birth to their son Julian on April 8, 1963.

The Beatles were enjoying international success when John's first book "In His Own Write" was published on March 23, 1964 and became a best-seller. On June 24, 1965 his second book "A Spaniard In the Works" was published. During that same year The Beatles received their MBE's or "Members of the British Empire". John would later turn in his MBE in the late 60's because of Britain's support of the United States in Vietnam. Around the time when John got his MBE his father turned up in his life again. John slammed the door in his face and said, "Why should I look after a father who never really looked after me?".

In 1966 there was a degree of anti-Beatle fever in America following comments John had made in an interview with Maureen Cleave, in which he said that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus, and he reluctantly made a public apology. In November of that year The Beatles played their lasted live concert in August at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. In November John met a Japanese artist named Yoko Ono at the Indica Gallery in London.

The Beatles had been experimenting with various drugs since late 1964 when they first smoke marijuana with Bob Dylan and now in the mid-to-late 60's they began to experiment with LSD. John and George were into LSD more than Paul and Ringo. Paul felt that you would never be the same after you'd have taken it. In August 1967, The Beatles met the Marharishi Mahesh Yogi. During that same month their manager Brian Epstein was found dead from an accidental drug overdose. John's relationship with Yoko grew stronger and he sponsored an exhibition of her work call "Yoko and Me" in October 1967. Later that month "How I Won The War", in which he played his first solo feature film role, premiered.

After The Beatles went to Maharishi's ashram in India to learn transcendental meditation, John and Cynthia divorced and he began to live with Yoko. John and Yoko were raided by the police while staying at Ringo's flat in Montague Square and John was fined for possession of cannabis. John and Yoko's album "Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins" was issued in November and created international controversy due to the cover, which showed the couple in a full frontal nude pose. John also appeared on the un-shown "Rolling Stones Rock 'n' Roll Circus".

In 1969, The Beatles started their own company "Apple Corps." After many months of shuffling around responsibilities The Beatles chose Allen Klein to take control of Apple. In February 1969 Yoko divorce from Anthony Cox came through and John and Yoko were married in Gibraltar March 20. John and Yoko made a series of films together, "Apotheosis, Clock, Fly, Freedom Films, Imagine" just to name a few. In May 1969 they bought a mansion in Ascot called Tittenhurst Park and issued their second album "Unfinished Music No. 2: Life With The Lions". In September John first introduced the "Plastic Ono Band" on record. In November the couple issued their "Wedding Album".

After The Beatles officially broke up in April 1970 John went on to write and record many more albums with Yoko through out the early 70's. In 1972 John first fought to get his green card so he could be able to stay in the United States. He was finally successful in 1976. During this time John and Yoko had been trying to have a baby but were plagued by several miscarriages. Sean Lennon was born on John's 35th birthday. John would later say, "I felt higher than the empire state building!".

John didn't mind reversing roles at all with Yoko. John was staying home taking care of Sean while Yoko was out working. John described himself as a "house husband" during the period. He liked taking care of Sean and baking, particularly bread. "I took a Polaroid of my first loaf!", John once said.

In August 1980, John came out of retirement to record his first album in six years and agreed to a number of interviews prior to him becoming active in the music scene again. On December 8, 1980 around 11 p.m. tragedy stuck. While coming home from a late-night recording session with Yoko John was shot by David Mark Chapman outside his apartment building The Dakota. John was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

I like to remember the words of Sean Lennon in his farewell to his father, "Now Daddy is part of God. I guess when you die you become much more bigger because you're part of everything." We will all miss John Lennon and the legacy he left behind...his music.