Pics: Remembering John Lennon, 31 Years Later

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Vintage Flashback: Remembering John Lennon in Pics! 60 Years of Photos!

Imagine, Revolution, Strawberry Fields Forever and the list goes on ...

Today marks the 31st anniversary of the death of music legend John Lennon (Oct. 9, 1940–Dec. 8, 1980). Born and raised in Liverpool, England, Lennon first became involved with music when he joined the band The Quarrymen as a teen. In 1960, the band evolved into The Beatles, which went on to become one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music.

Known for his acerbic wit and rebellious nature, John garnered worldwide fame through his music, writing, his drawings, films and interviews. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the '60s, Lennon became heavily involved in political activism with wife Yoko Ono, in which they used their music and influence to criticize the Vietnam War. The singer/songwriter also embarked on a solo career that produced iconic songs such as Give Peace a Chance and Imagine. In 1975, Lennon disconnected himself from the music business to devote time to his family, but re-emerged in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy. Three weeks after the album's release, Mark David Chapman shot the beloved Beatle in the back four times in front of the musician's New York apartment.

Thirty-one years after the death of John Lennon, The Beatles are still one of the most dearly loved bands of all time. Take a look through over 60 years of rare photos of John as a child, The Beatles before they were rock 'n' roll superstars and John and Yoko on their psychedelic ride!