To continue celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' landing in America in 1964… On this somber anniversary of John's assassination, can we agree that Paul, George, and Ringo offered unorthodox brilliance, and that's what made #FabFour Special? And John Lennon’s 1971 peaceful piano anthem offered an emotional reset through a hopeful message to the world.
RIP JOHN LENNON 12/8/80
As a producer, I edited the following audio content for NBC News, covering this tragic event. It was a profoundly impactful experience to be part of the news coverage of such a momentous and sorrowful crime.
Working on the media response to John Lennon's assassination placed me on the scene at one of the most significant news events of 1980. The shock and grief that rippled through New York City and around the world were immense.
John Lennon was killed on December 8, 1980, by Mark David Chapman. The assassination took place in New York City outside the Dakota building, where Lennon lived with his wife, Yoko Ono.
* Lennon was shot multiple times as he returned to his apartment following a recording session.
* Chapman, a fan who had gotten an autograph from Lennon that day, waited for him.
* Lennon was hit by four of the five bullets fired by Chapman.
* John was pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital.
The killer, Mark David Chapman, was arrested at the scene while reading The Catcher in the Rye. A disgruntled fan obsessed with Lennon, and motivated by perceived hypocrisy. The novel reportedly inspired the shooting.
John’s last words after being assassinated were "I'm shot!" as he collapsed, followed by a soft "Yeah" to a NYPD cop who asked if he was John Lennon before losing consciousness. His final words to Yoko Ono were "Let's go home because I want to see Sean before he goes to sleep".
https://cimages.me/sites/default/files/media/hear-and-now-and-second-sunday.mp3 StartS at 5:23
It's heartbreaking to think about what was lost 45 years ago today with John, and how George left us too soon as well. But what John, Paul, George, and Ringo have produced is immeasurable. Long live Paul and Ringo.
