Perhaps for the same reason, Lennon and Harrison followed suit and got their own, albeit identical, Epiphone Casinos in 1965. It should be noted that McCartney was the first of the group to acquire an Epiphone Casino in 1964, after an evening of listening to blues music with his friend John Mayall and got a liking to the guitar's sound. One of the more recognizable guitars that John was identified with was an Epiphone Casino which he got around 1966 and was first seen during the group's performance in British TV show 'Top of the Pops'. Though Lennon's career is defined largely by his contributions to songwriting and his larger-than-life persona, his role as a guitarist in The Beatles repertoire should not be ignored. And in 2008, Rolling Stone Magazine honored Lennon by ranking him the 5th greatest singer of all-time. In 1994, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was declared dead on arrival at the nearby hospital where he was taken after the tragic shooting.Īmong his numerous accolades, Lennon inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987. On December 8, 1980, Lennon was shot in the back four times by a deranged fan near his New York apartment, The Dakota. The Beatles went on to become the best-selling musical group in history, with an estimated sales of over a billion units and influenced scores of budding musicians over the years.Įven after the Beatles went their separate ways, Lennon continued writing and recording iconic songs, such as 'Imagine', 'Working Class Hero', and 'Give Peace A Chance', in the 70's which became anthems for a generation of socially-conscious individuals. It was on one of the band's performances that Lennon met Paul McCartney and asked him to join the group, which ultimately evolved into The Beatles. He then formed a band called The Quarrymen on the same year.

Got his first guitar, a Gallotone Champion acoustic given by his mother, in 1956. Lennon was born John Winston Lennon on Octoin Liverpool, England at the height of the Second World War. John Lennon was the other half of the incredible songwriting juggernaut, the famed Lennon-McCartney tandem with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, that produced one hit song after another during The Beatles' incredible run from their inception of the group's classic lineup, with George Harrison and Ringo Starr, in 1962 up to their break-up in 1970.

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