Video: 'The Life and Career of John Lennon'

(Wednesday, October 9, 1940) — English singer, songwriter, record producer and peace activist John Lennon, who gained worldwide fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of The Beatles, was born John Winston Lennon today in the Liverpool Maternity Hospital in Liverpool, England.

Lennon was named after his paternal grandfather, John “Jack” Lennon, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Tegarded as the most influential band of all time, The Beatles were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music’s recognition as an art form.

As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, The Beatles revolutionized many aspects of the music industry and were often publicized as leaders of the era’s youth and sociocultural movements.