John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Winston Lennon, 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980), was a 20th-century English songwriter, singer and instrumentalist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founders of The Beatles. Lennon and Paul McCartney formed a critically acclaimed and commercially successful partnership writing songs for the Beatles and other artists .[1] Lennon, with his cynical edge and knack for introspection, and McCartney, with his storytelling optimism and gift for melody, complemented one another uniquely.[2] In his solo career, Lennon wrote and recorded songs such as "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance".Lennon revealed his rebellious nature and irreverent wit on television, in films such as A Hard Day's Night (1964), and in press conferences and interviews. He channelled his fame and penchant for controversy into his work as a peace activist, artist, and author.He had two sons: Julian, with his first wife Cynthia, and Sean, with his second wife, avant-garde artist Yoko Ono. Lennon was murdered in New York City on 8 December 1980 after he and Ono returned home after a recording session.In 2002, respondents to a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted Lennon into eighth place.
