Tag Archives JOHN LENNON

A signed John Lennon drawing during a 1969 visit to Sutherland is coming up for auction in Lichfield.

Autographed ‘To Derek Peace + Love John Lennon 1969’, the framed picture is a sketch of Lennon and Yoko Ono in John’s characteristic caricature style.
‘Derek’ was the uncle of vendor Frank Massie, who inherited the work from his late father, also called Frank, to whom it was passed when Derek died.

The work will go under the hammer in Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ Antiques & Home Sale on Monday, November 1

Mr Massie said: “My uncle Derek was given this autograph and sketch personally by John Lennon when he visited Durness with Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon and Yoko’s daughter Kyoko in 1969.

“My uncle lived and worked in Durness and met John while he was there.”

It was around this time that Lennon crashed his Austin Maxi near Loch Eriboll on the north coast of Scotland, cutting short their visit and landing John in hospital for five days.
Mr Massie added: “It was originally in an old frame but I have had it re-framed. I’m nearing the end of my life so I’ve decided to sell it and get the best possible price on behalf of my children.”

John Lennon took childhood summer holidays in Durness and the song In My Life from 1965 Beatles album Rubber Soul is said to be based on a poem about the village penned whilst holidaying in the area as a teenager.

The village of Durness has a memorial garden to Lennon featuring stones engraved with In My Life lyrics.

However, the house where he stayed as a boy has now been demolished and replaced with a modern dwelling.
Ephemera specialist Robert French said: “John Lennon was one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century.

“His work with The Beatles, peace activism, solo career and tragic untimely death in New York have been intricately documented and he remains a source of fascination and inspiration for millions of people worldwide.

“Lennon’s love of Scotland started in his childhood and he wanted to share these formative memories with Yoko when they first became a couple.
“This drawing links these great loves of Lennon’s life and demonstrates his affection to his personal friends and acquaintances.

“We’ve guided this cautiously at £500 to £800 but there’s a strong possibility it could fetch between £2,000 and £4,000.”
northern-times.co.uk

The estate of late singer George Michael has loaned the piano that John Lennon used to write Imagine to a museum in Liverpool, after it was bought by the former Wham star in 2000.
George Michael’s estate has continued the late singer’s wishes to put a piece of John Lennon music history owned by Michael on display.

On October 18 2000, George Michael bought the piano that John Lennon used to write the iconic song Imagine for an eye-watering £1.45 million, with the intention that it should be on display in Lennon’s home city of Liverpool.

George’s estate has now loaned the piano to Strawberry Field Museum in Liverpool, the site where a young Lennon used to play and the inspiration for The Beatles song Strawberry Fields Forever.

The late George Michael said to journalists at the time of purchase, “It’s not the type of thing that should be in storage somewhere or being protected, it should be seen by people.”

He toured the upright Steinway model Z piano as a symbol of peace in the early noughties, and also composed on and played the piano on the title song of his album Patience.

The former Wham star and Faith singer broke the record for the highest amount ever paid for a piece of music memorabilia in the early noughties, when he purchased the piano, used by Lennon to compose the 1971 song Imagine.
Imagine’s lyrics of peace, love and politics are well-known throughout the world, and also featured in the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.

This year marked the iconic song’s 50th anniversary, with a special event taking place at Strawberry Field Museum to commemorate the song’s anniversary.

A student from Paul McCartney’s performing arts school LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) played Imagine on the piano during the event.

They were joined by the Liverpool Signing Choir, along with John Lennon’s sister and Major Kathy Versfield, Mission Director of Strawberry Field, who signed the words to the song.

dailystar

The IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will be lighting in Iceland today – October 9th – in Tribute to John Lennon at 8pm Reykjavik time (9pm London, 4pm NY, 1pm LA).

IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will be illuminated in memory of John Lennon on Viðey Island in Reykjavík, Iceland following a speech by Mayor Dagurb. Watch the live streams at http://imaginepeacetower.com

8pm Reykjavík 9pm London/Liverpool 4pm NY 1pm LA 5am Tokyo.

The installation of the Imagine Peace Tower is a collaboration of Yoko Ono, Reykjavík City, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík City Museum and Reykjavík Energy.