The late John Lennon is best known as a member of the Beatles, whose hit songs include “Here Comes the Sun,” “All You Need Is Love” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” there were. John Lennon was murdered in New York City and died in 1980, but the singer-songwriter left behind not only a legacy of chart-topping hits but also his two children.
Lennon has two sons, his eldest son Julian Charles John with his ex-wife Cynthia Lennon, and his second son Sean Tara Ono with his widow Yoko Ono.
The brothers often look back fondly on their father's life. Julian watched the 2021 documentary series, The Beatles: Get Back He was able to revisit his childhood memories with his deceased father.
“I remembered him as a kid: goofy, funny, sarcastic, charming,” he told PEOPLE after watching the documentary. “I fell in love with him again because he was the guy I remember before everything went pear-shaped.”
On the 39th anniversary of his father's death in 2019, Sean posted a family photo on Instagram. The photo showed Lennon with his arm around Ax and a young Sean posing in the foreground.
Here's everything you need to know about John Lennon's two children, Julian and Sean.
Julian Charles John Lennon, 61 years old
Lennon's eldest son Julian was born on April 8, 1963 in Liverpool, England.
Julian's real name was John Charles Julian Lennon, but in 2020 he decided to change his name to Julian Charles John Lennon. words in your ears On the podcast, Julian talked about why he felt the name change was best for him.
“In 2020, right before we were all locked in a cage, I finally decided to legally change my name by default,” he said. “Originally my name was John Charles Julian Lennon, so I had to go through all the hassle of traveling and working for a security company.”
He added: “Whenever you have to provide your name, especially on something like a boarding pass, you know they only use your first name, so you always say, 'John Lennon, John Lennon. Lennon.'' Julian continued: “I was very scared and anxious about that scenario because there are always jokes and jokes going on.”
Julian follows in his father's footsteps and is a successful musician. He has released seven studio albums to date, including his 2022 album. judea reference to the Beatles classic “Hey Jude”, written by Paul McCartney as a means of comforting young Julian after his parents divorced in 1968.
“I was very introspective, looking deep in the mirror and trying to find a place of peace,” Julianne told PEOPLE. jude. “I had found it once or twice before, but lost it in the chaos of life. Making the album was about getting in touch with myself and who I am.”
In a 2020 interview with his brother on BBC Radio, Julian spoke about the last conversation John Lennon had with his father before his death.
“My dad and I got along over the phone and started talking a lot when I was 15, 16, 17,” he said. “At the time I was living in North Wales and I remember spending six months or a year in boarding houses as well and then finally coming home. We were about to finish, and I remember him playing “Starting Over.” [Lennon’s final song before his death] He just mixed it up on the phone.”
He added, “I remember times when he was in his happy place, very happy, doing what he loved, and listening to the music he played me at that particular point, starting over, etc. All I remember is that it was the last moment.” I was very happy to hear the songs from the other albums, and I was looking forward to seeing them again in a different dimension…”
In addition to his music career, Julian also embarked on other creative endeavors such as filmmaking, photography, and writing. In 2017, he published the first in a trilogy of children's books aimed at teaching children environmental awareness. In a book titled touch the earthJulian pays a subtle tribute to his rock star father.
“I hope these books serve as a gentle reminder of how beautiful the world we live in and the issues we face every day,” he tells PEOPLE. “We also hope it fosters parent-child relationships and encourages conversations about life and love.”
Sean Tallow Ono Lennon, 48 years old
Lennon has a second son, Sean Lennon, and his wife, Yoko Ono. Sean was born on October 9, 1975, which also happened to be John Lennon's 35th birthday.
Sean posted a sweet tribute on what would have been his father's 78th birthday and his own 43rd birthday, posting a snap of the pair blowing out the candles on a cake.
“Happy birthday to us…” he captioned the throwback photo.
Sean grew up in New York City and lived next door to singer Roberta Flack. The two had a decades-long friendship, Sean recalled. robertaa documentary chronicling Flack's life.
“I was very lucky to grow up with the coolest neighbors in the world,” he says in the film. “At first I didn't think of Roberta as such a great artist or musician. She was just a really cool neighbor. We called her Aunt Roberta and we were very close. .”
Like his father and half-brother, Sean is also a talented musician. He has a huge discography and so far he has released 3 solo albums, 5 of which are with his mother Ono and 3 with his psychedelic rock band. Claypool's Lennon and his Delirium albums and more. Additionally, he is credited as a producer on many albums, including Lana Del Rey's 2017 release. desire to live.
Sean also has a strong bond with his half-brother Julian, who is 12 years older. In 2021, the two attended a movie screening. The Beatles: Get Backdespite Julian's reservations.
“I was like, 'You don't have to do that,'” Julian told PEOPLE at the time. “But I felt that Sean was resolute and committed. And since we were both in L.A., I said, 'Listen, I'll go with you. Let’s go together, let’s go as a team.’” And I’m so glad we did that. ”
Speaking about his relationship with his brother, Julian called Sean his “best mate,” adding, “We're brothers and we deeply love each other on that level.” “We just talk every day, like everyone else.”
In 2020, Sean hosted a special program on BBC Radio to celebrate his father's 80th birthday. Guests included John Lennon's family and friends, and the likes of McCartney and Elton John spoke.
“Honestly, I'm worried about crying because I think I can get really emotional talking about certain songs that my dad wrote,” Sean said in an interview. “There are so many memories they made that it's hard to even think about, let alone listen to, some of them, especially the later songs.” double fantasy And some of them just break my heart, because it's like a time machine, taking me to previous moments. [his death]. ”
Since 2007, Sean has been in a long-term relationship with musician and model Charlotte Kemp Mule, known as Kemp Mule in his professional life. The pair met at Coachella in 2005 and have worked on many music projects together. , the band “The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger'' and others.
