Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney at the Cavern Club c 1960.

John Lennon (1940-1980) formed the Beatles in 1960 with Paul McCartney (1942-), George Harrison (1943-2001) and Ringo Starr (1940-) in Liverpool, England. Before being signed to Parlophone in 1962 The Beatles were found playing in the Cavern Club in Liverpool and venues in Hamburg, Germany. They went on to become the most succesful pop group of all time and finally split in 1970. In 1965 Lennon, along with the other Beatles, was awarded the MBE although Lennon later returned his as a protest about British involvement in the Vietnam War. Lennon was murdered on 8 December 1980 in New York by Mark Chapman.