John Winston Ono Lennon (1940–1980) was an English musician and activist who gained worldwide recognition as the founder, co‑lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles, forming with Paul McCartney the most successful songwriting partnership in modern music. Born in Liverpool, he began his career during the skiffle craze, forming the Quarrymen in 1956, which became the Beatles in 1960. Known for his innovative songwriting, including “Strawberry Fields Forever,” he also pursued film and literature, and from the late 1960s his music became a powerful voice for the anti‑war movement and the counterculture.
