John Winston Ono Lennon was best known as a singer, songwriter, poet and guitarist for the British rock band The Beatles. His creative career also included the roles of solo musician, political activist, artist, actor and author. In 2002, the BBC conducted a vote to discover the 100 Greatest Britons of all time, and the British public voted Lennon into 8th place.Lennon was born in Liverpool on 9 October, 1940. Both of his parents had musical backgrounds. After his parents' divorce Lennon lived with his aunt and her husband throughout the rest of his childhood and adolescence.John Lennon was accepted into the Liverpool College of Art. He didn't enjoy studying there and ultimately dropped out. He instead devoted himself to music, inspired by American Rock 'n' Roll and singers like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. Lennon started playing rock 'n' roll in a band, which was later called The Beatles.Lennon had a profound influence on rock and roll and in expanding the genre's boundaries during the 1960s. He is widely considered, along with songwriting partner Paul McCartney, as one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians of the 20th century.John Lennon decided to quit the Beatles in 1970. Of the four former Beatles, Lennon had perhaps the most varied recording career.Lennon was tragically killed in 1980 by the obsessed fan named Chapman. He fired five bullets. One bullet missed, but four bullets entered Lennon's back and shoulder.When asked once in the 1960s how he expected to die, Lennon's offhand answer was «I'll probably be popped off by some loony.» Although Lennon might have meant it as a joke and did not expect it to happen, the comment turned out to be chillingly accurate.