John Lennon, one of the founding members of the rock band, The Beatles, was a legendary musician and songwriter. Hailing from Liverpool, England, he went on to achieve great fame and success not just in his native country, but throughout the world. The Beatles, which also had Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in its line-up, became the greatest and most influential band of the rock era, and also the most commercially successful one. Already a well-known musician by the time he formed the Beatles, Lennon was catapulted to even greater heights of stardom as a member of this band. To become a famous musician was a dream Lennon held close to his heart from his childhood which was marred by domestic instabilities. His parents broke up when he was very young and he lost his mother as a teenager. The painful experiences of his early life made their way into his poignant and evocative lyrics which have entertained generations of music lovers. He found great success with The Beatles and after its disbanding went on to enjoy a thriving solo career. Rebellious by nature, he was a pacifist at heart and was also actively involved in political and peace activism. His life was tragically cut short by a deranged man who shot him to death when he was just 40.