John Lennon Biography

Fast Facts

• Met Paul McCartney in 1957, and, impressed with Paul's musical ability, invited him to join his band at the time, the Quarrymen
• Published two well-received, whimsical books, In His Own Write (1964) and A Spaniard in the Works (1965); Skywriting by Word of Mouth was posthumously released in 1986
• Joined Elton John on stage for three songs at New York's Madison Square Garden in November of 1974, his last public concert performance
• Shot dead in front of his New York home on December 8, 1980, by Mark David Chapman
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a Beatle, and in 1994 as a solo act
• Received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991