JOHN LENNON

"You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one."

In the early stages of World War II, John Lennon was born in Liverpool, England. That birth went unnoticed and unheralded by most people outside of his immediate family, but some twenty years later almost everyone his age in the English-speaking world would know his birthday: October 9, 1940.

The same is true, sadly, about his death on December 8, 1980, a day that shook millions and forty years later still reverberates. But to recall one date, you must remember the other. So let’s start at the beginning.

Lennon was raised mainly by his Aunt Mimi Smith and her husband, Uncle George. As Lennon grew up, he became more interested in the arts – particularly in drawing and in music. Aunt Mimi famously told him, “The guitar’s alright, John, but you’ll never earn a living by it.” Lennon’s mother, Julia, was an important part of his teenage life, introducing him to rock-and-roll records and encouraging his creative side. By the time she was struck and killed by a car in 1958, her son had already formed his first band and was on his way to creating the Beatles – the band that would hold one of the most influential forces in the