Legends of Rock & Roll - John Lennon (Before, During & After the Beatles)

Welcome to another in the Legends of Rock & Roll series.

This is, like the others, a mini-biography of one the greatest performers in the music world. This time, I highlight a British performer who was 1/4 of the great group, The Beatles, John Lennon.

However, this book is not about the Beatles.

While I know that you can’t write about John Lennon without considering the Beatles, the emphasis of this book is not the Beatles, but instead, the life and music of John Lennon, himself.

In this particular volume, I will discuss John’s early life and his joining up with three other lads to create what is probably the greatest rock and roll group in the history of the world.

But it all ended at one point and John had a solo career which came to a tragic end in 1980.

Come with me for a walk down memory lane as I review the life of John Lennon, and especially, the music that he produced. We'll visit each of his hits and find out how they came to be written or how they were recorded; and discuss any trivia that might be associated with the music. This book is about the man but even more importantly, it's about the music. This series is my way of honoring the people that have brought so much joy to our lives over the years.

It is an unauthorized fan tribute.

The Chapters include:

Introduction - A general introduction and a kick-off for the book.
Growing Up - A brief summary of his life before the music started.
The School Years - Attending school and going to college where he met his first wife.
The Quarrymen - This was the group John created that evolved into the Beatles. Which member of the Beatles was not a Quarrymen?
The Birth of the Beatles - The final steps that resulted in the Beatles.
Personal Notes During This Period - Was John a romantic? How did he meet his first wife?
"Help!" - Some notes behind a couple famous Beatles songs.
"More Popular Than Jesus" - Why did John make this remark that caused a furor across the United States?
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - The group gets into drugs and transcendental meditation.
Yoko Ono - How did John meet the love of his life? Read two versions.
John and Yoko -John's solo career actually began with Yoko before the Beatles broke up.
Going Solo - The actual breakup and John's first solo records.
"Imagine" - Some thoughts about his most famous song.
Trouble with the Law - Why would President Nixon try to deport John?
Lost Weekend - Yoko left John for some 18 months. How he coped.
"Walls and Bridges" - John finally gets his own number one song.
Paul, George & Ringo - What was John's relationship with the other guys after the breakup?
Retirement for Awhile - Yoko is pregnant, so John retires from performing to stay home and care for his family for 5 years.
December 8, 1980 - The fateful day. John is murdered by what is called a "crazed fan".
The Days After - The aftermath of the killing.
Legacy of John Lennon - Every Legends book has a Legacy section where we review the awards and contributions of the artist.
Afterword - My closing thoughts.
Selected Discography - A list of the major albums and singles by John Lennon.