History of Julian Lennon in Timeline
Julian Lennon is an English musician, photographer, author, and philanthropist, known as the son of Beatles legend John Lennon and Cynthia Lennon. His name comes from his paternal grandmother, Julia Lennon. He is also known for having inspired three Beatles songs: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Hey Jude," and "Good Night."
April 1963: Julian Lennon's Birth
In April 1963, John Charles Julian Lennon was born in Liverpool to John Lennon and Cynthia Powell. He was named after his paternal grandmother, Julia Lennon.
1964: Moved to Kenwood
In 1964, Julian Lennon moved with his parents to Kenwood in Weybridge outside London.
1967: Inspiration for "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
In 1967, Julian Lennon inspired the Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" with a watercolour painting he had drawn.
1967: Attended Magical Mystery Tour Set
In 1967, at the age of four, Julian Lennon visited the set of the Beatles' film "Magical Mystery Tour".
1968: Inspiration for "Hey Jude" and "Good Night"
In 1968, Julian Lennon inspired two Beatles songs: "Hey Jude", written to console him during his parents' divorce, and "Good Night", a lullaby.
1968: Moved from Kenwood
In 1968, Julian Lennon moved from Kenwood outside London with his mother to a number of British locales.
1968: Filming of 'The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus'
In 1968, Julian Lennon was filmed appearing in 'The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus'.
1968: Parents' Divorce
In 1968, Julian Lennon's parents divorced following his father's affair with Yoko Ono.
1968: "Hey Jude" Reference
In 1968, Paul McCartney wrote the Beatles song "Hey Jude" to give Julian Lennon hope for the future.
March 1969: John Lennon's Marriage to Yoko Ono
In March 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono, after which Julian would later have a half-brother, Sean Lennon.
1970: Mother Married Roberto Bassanini
In 1970, Julian Lennon's mother married Roberto Bassanini, who became his first stepfather.
1973: Reconnection with Father and Musical Encouragement
In 1973, after a period of estrangement, Julian began visiting his father regularly. John Lennon bought him a Gibson Les Paul guitar and a drum machine for Christmas and encouraged his interest in music.
1974: Attended Kingsmead School
In 1974, Julian Lennon began his education at Kingsmead School in Hoylake.
1975: Attended Ruthin School
In 1975, after his mother remarried, Julian Lennon moved to Wales and attended Ruthin School, a private boarding school.
December 1980: Reaction to Father's Death
Following his father's murder in December 1980, Julian Lennon expressed anger and resentment towards him, reflecting on their strained relationship.
1984: Release of 'Valotte'
In 1984, Julian Lennon released his debut album, "Valotte", produced by Phil Ramone, which spawned two top 10 hits.
1984: Music Career Launch with 'Valotte'
In 1984, Julian Lennon started his music career with the release of his album "Valotte", which featured the hits "Too Late for Goodbyes" and the title track.
1985: First Solo Tour
In early 1985, Julian Lennon's first tour as a solo musician was documented in the film "Stand by Me: A Portrait of Julian Lennon".
1986: Grammy Nomination
In 1986, Julian Lennon earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist following the success of his album "Valotte".
1986: Release of 'The Secret Value of Daydreaming'
In 1986, Julian Lennon released his second album, "The Secret Value of Daydreaming", which reached number 32 on the Billboard 200 chart and featured the single "Stick Around".
April 1987: Performed in 'The Hunting of the Snark'
On April 1, 1987, Julian Lennon appeared as the Baker in Mike Batt's musical "The Hunting of the Snark" at London's Royal Albert Hall, in a benefit for the deaf.
1987: Appearance in 'Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll'
In 1987, Julian Lennon appeared in the film "Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll".
1988: Appearance in 'Imagine: John Lennon'
In 1988, Julian Lennon appeared in the film "Imagine: John Lennon".
1989: Release of 'Now You're in Heaven'
In 1989, Julian Lennon's single "Now You're in Heaven" peaked at number 5 in Australia and reached number 1 on the Album Rock Tracks chart in the US.
1990: Voice Role in 'The Real Story of I'm a Little Teapot'
In 1990, Julian Lennon voiced Toby the Teapot in the animated special "The Real Story of I'm a Little Teapot".
1991: Release of 'Help Yourself' and 'Saltwater'
In 1991, George Harrison contributed ideas to Julian Lennon's album "Help Yourself". The single "Saltwater" reached number 6 in the UK and topped the Australian singles charts for four weeks.
1991: Moved to Europe
In 1991, Julian Lennon relocated to Europe, residing primarily in Italy.
1993: Voice Role in 'David Copperfield'
In 1993, Julian Lennon provided the voice for the title role in the animated film "David Copperfield".
1995: Cameo in 'Leaving Las Vegas'
In 1995, Julian Lennon made a cameo appearance as a bartender in the film "Leaving Las Vegas".
1995: Beatles Reunion Speculation
In 1995, during the Beatles Anthology series, the surviving Beatles confirmed that there were no plans for Julian Lennon to sit in for his father as part of a Beatles reunion.
1996: Appearances in 'The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus' and 'Cannes Man'
In 1996, Julian Lennon appeared in 'The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus' and 'Cannes Man'.
1996: Settlement Agreement with Father's Estate
In 1996, Julian Lennon reached a settlement agreement with his father's estate, authorized by Yoko Ono, reportedly worth £20 million, after being excluded from his father's will.
May 1998: Release of 'Photograph Smile'
In May 1998, Julian Lennon released the album "Photograph Smile" on his own record label, receiving positive reviews.
1998: Dedicated Photograph Smile to Bassanini
In 1998, Julian Lennon dedicated Photograph Smile to his stepfather, Roberto Bassanini.
2002: Recording of 'When I'm Sixty-Four' for Commercial
In 2002, Julian Lennon recorded a version of "When I'm Sixty-Four" for an Allstate Insurance commercial.
November 2006: Saw Sean Lennon Perform Live
On November 12, 2006, Julian Lennon saw his half-brother, Sean Lennon, perform live for the first time in Paris at La Boule Noire.
2006: Production of 'Whaledreamers'
In 2006, Julian Lennon produced the environmental documentary film "Whaledreamers", which received eight international awards.
2006: Venturing into Internet Businesses
In 2006, Julian Lennon ventured into Internet businesses, including MyStore.com with Todd Meagher and Bebo founder Michael Birch.
2007: Founding of The White Feather Foundation
In 2007, Julian Lennon founded The White Feather Foundation (TWFF) to address environmental and humanitarian issues.
2007: Spent Time with Sean Lennon on Tour
In 2007, Julian Lennon spent time with his half-brother, Sean Lennon, while Sean was on tour.
2007: Interest in Photography
In 2007, after photographing his half-brother Sean's music tour, Julian Lennon developed a serious interest in photography.
2007: Showing of 'Whaledreamers' at Cannes Film Festival
In 2007, the documentary "Whaledreamers", produced by Julian Lennon, was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.
2009: Reflecting on Relationship with Father
In 2009, Julian Lennon recalled that in the mid-1970s he had a better relationship with his father, especially when his father was with May Pang, citing it as the happiest time he could remember with him.
2009: Release of 'Lucy' Tribute Song and EP
In 2009, Julian Lennon released a tribute song and EP, "Lucy", in honor of Lucy Vodden, who inspired "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", with proceeds going to Lupus research.
2009: Forgiveness and Acceptance
In 2009, Julian Lennon stated in an interview that he realized he needed to forgive his father to overcome the anger and bitterness he felt, allowing him to embrace his father and The Beatles.
September 2010: Exhibition of Photography
In September 2010, Julian Lennon opened an exhibition of 35 photographs called "Timeless: The Photography of Julian Lennon".
October 2010: Unveiled John Lennon Peace Monument
On October 9, 2010, Julian Lennon and his mother, Cynthia, unveiled the John Lennon Peace Monument in Liverpool to commemorate John Lennon's 70th birthday.
2010: Published Beatles Memorabilia Book
In 2010, Julian Lennon published a book titled "Beatles Memorabilia: The Julian Lennon Collection", describing his collection of Beatles memorabilia.
October 2011: Release of 'Everything Changes'
In October 2011, Julian Lennon released the album "Everything Changes".
2011: Experienced Falling Out With Paul McCartney
In 2011, Julian Lennon experienced a brief public falling out with Paul McCartney when he was not invited to McCartney's wedding.
2011: Discouraged From Having Children
In 2011, Julian Lennon revealed that his difficult relationship with his father had discouraged him from having children.
December 2012: "Alone" Collection at Art Basel Miami Beach Show
In December 2012, Julian Lennon's "Alone" collection was featured at the Art Basel Miami Beach Show to raise money for The White Feather Foundation.
2012: Release of 'Through the Picture Window'
In 2012, Julian Lennon worked with Dick Carruthers on the video documentary "Through the Picture Window", about the making of the album "Everything Changes".
March 2015: Horizon Series Featured in NYC
In March 2015, Julian Lennon's "Horizon" series was displayed at the Emmanuel Fremin Gallery in New York City.
May 2015: Horizon Series Featured in NYC
In May 2015, Julian Lennon's "Horizon" series was displayed at the Emmanuel Fremin Gallery in New York City; the exhibit ran until May 2nd.
2015: TWFF Contributed to Nepal Aid Fund
In 2015, following the Nepal earthquake, The White Feather Foundation (TWFF) contributed $106,347.52 to Music for Relief's Nepal aid fund to support the victims.
2016: Cycle Exhibit Featured at Leica Gallery
In 2016, Julian Lennon's "Cycle" exhibit was featured at the Leica Gallery in Los Angeles.
2017: Started New York Times Bestselling Trilogy
In 2017, Julian Lennon began a New York Times Bestselling trilogy titled "Touch the Earth", "Heal the Earth", and "Love the Earth".
2018: Executive Producer of 'Women of the White Buffalo'
In 2018, Julian Lennon was an executive producer of the documentary film "Women of the White Buffalo", which was released in 2022 and focuses on Lakota women from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
2019: Completed Earth Trilogy
In 2019, Julian Lennon completed his New York Times Bestselling trilogy, which included "Touch the Earth", "Heal the Earth", and "Love the Earth".
2019: Contributed to One Little Finger Soundtrack
In 2019, Julian Lennon lent his voice and music to the soundtrack of the narrative feature film "One Little Finger", which promotes awareness about 'ability in disability'.
September 2020: Honored with Philanthropy Award
In September 2020, Julian Lennon received the CC Forum Philanthropy Award in Monaco and was also named a UNESCO Center for Peace 2020 Cross-Cultural and Peace Crafter Award Laureate.
2020: Mole Removed
In 2020, Julian Lennon had a cancerous mole removed from his head.
2020: Legally Changed Name
In 2020, Julian Lennon legally changed his name from John Charles Julian Lennon to Julian Charles John Lennon.
2020: Executive Producer of 'Kiss the Ground'
In 2020, Julian Lennon was an executive producer of the award-winning documentary film "Kiss the Ground" about regenerative agriculture.
November 2021: Published Graphic Novel
On November 9, 2021, Julian Lennon, along with co-author Bart Davis, published a graphic novel for middle-grade children titled "The Morning Tribe".
2021: Featured at Aston Martin Residences Miami
In 2021, Julian Lennon was the first fine-arts photographer featured at the new gallery in Aston Martin Residences Miami.
September 9, 2022: Release of 'Jude' Album
On September 9, 2022, Julian Lennon's album "Jude" was released on BMG, featuring the singles "Freedom" and "Every Little Moment".
2022: Recorded "Imagine" to Support Ukraine
In 2022, Julian Lennon recorded his own rendition of his father's 1971 song "Imagine", with all proceeds dedicated to supporting Ukraine.
2022: Executive Producer of 'Women of the White Buffalo'
In 2022, Julian Lennon was executive producer of the documentary film "Women of the White Buffalo", which tells the stories of women living on the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
2022: Received 'Jude' Motif for Album
In 2022, Paul McCartney provided the handwritten "Jude" motif for Julian Lennon's album. He also remained friends with May Pang who provided the cover photo for "Jude".
2022: Release of 'Women of the White Buffalo'
In 2022, the documentary film "Women of the White Buffalo", for which Julian Lennon was executive producer, was released, focusing on Lakota women from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
2023: ATMOSPHERIA Exhibition in Santa Monica
In 2023, Julian Lennon showcased a series of photographs in an exhibition titled ATMOSPHERIA at the William Turner Gallery in Santa Monica, California.
August 2024: Release of "I Should Have Known" Remix
In August 2024, Julian Lennon released a remixed version of "I Should Have Known", remixed by Spike Stent, aiming to breathe new life into the song.
December 2024: Waiting for Biopsy Results
In December 2024, Julian Lennon revealed he was awaiting biopsy results from his arm.
