**1980**

January 16
Paul McCartney arrested in Japan . He is jailed for 10 days for possession of marijuana

March 24
RARITIES (lp) is released (Capitol Records)

November 28
John Lennon legally supports
"The Long and Winding Road project"

Keith Badman's book entitled: "The Beatles After The Breakup: 1970-1980" states that John Lennon, just shortly before the fateful day of December 8, submitted a sworn deposition against the producers of "Beatlemania" citing his personal interest regarding his future plans to involve himself with a Beatles documentary entitled "The Long And Winding Road" (later renamed as: "The Anthology" as suggested by George Harrison) along with a reunion concert as a tie-in to that project. Keith Badman reports that on Friday, November 28, 1980: "As part of a legal deposition for Apple Corps against the producers of the 'Beatlemania' stage show, John states today that: 'I and the three other former Beatles have plans to stage a reunion concert', an event to be filmed and included as the finale to The Long and Winding Road, an official Beatles produced documentary to be released in the mid-Eighties. (John's deposition will not be made public until the case is settled on June 4, 1986-see entry)."

December 8
John Lennon is tragically gunned downed by a deranged fan
(sentenced to life imprisonment on August 21, 1981)

WHAT THE IMMEDIATE BEATLE FAMILY SAID:

YOKO ONO: "Sean cried. He also said, "Now Daddy is part of God. I guess when you die you become bigger, a part of everything." "John loved and prayed for the human race. Please do the same for him."

CYNTHIA LENNON TWIST: "I would like to say how terribly upset we are at the sudden and tragic death of John Lennon. I have always had the deepest affection for John since the divorce and have always encouraged his relationship with Julian, which I thought was the best. Julian, of course, is particularly upset about it. It came so suddenly. Julian remained very close to his father in recent years and is hoping to follow a career in music. He was looking to his father for guidance. Julian was hoping to see his father shortly. We don't know what will happen now."

PAUL McCARTNEY: "I can't take it at the moment. John was a great guy. He's going to be missed by the whole world."

GEORGE HARRISON: (George was incommunicado, but used a spokesperson) - "We are deeply shocked here and I imagine George is, too."

RINGO STARR: (Too upset to talk to the press, he too, used a spokesperson) - "He is extremely shocked. He doesn't want to say anymore."

WHAT THE FAMOUS SAID ABOUT JOHN:

CHUCK BERRY: "He had a white face but a black man's soul".

MICK JAGGER: "...shattered...I knew and liked John for eighteen years. But I don't want to make a casual remark now at such an awful time for his family, millions of fans and friends."

SID BERNSTEIN: "...so brilliant, so gifted, so giving. He was Bach, Beethoven, the Rachmaninoff of our time."

DAVID GEFFEN: "This is a great loss in every possible way. John Lennon was a great artist, a wonderful father and a wonderful husband."

PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: "John Lennon helped create the mood and the music of the time...I am saddened by his death and distressed by the senseless manner of it."

MAYOR EDWARD KOCH OF NEW YORK : "John Lennon profoundly affected his generation. His music and that of the Beatles was worldwide in importance. Every death of someone of John Lennon's stature intensifies this trauma. We mourn his loss."

ELLIE GREENWICH (who wrote "Be My Baby"): "It's a sin he was taken away from us. He was a tremendous talent. What he gave to the world can't be comprehended."

NORMAN MAILER: "We have lost a genius of the spirit."

FRANK SINATRA: "It was a staggering moment when I heard the news. Lennon was a most talented man and, above all, a gentle soul."

MURRAY THE "K": "The thing that impressed me about John Lennon in particular was his honesty. He was truthful. He told you what you felt. The man also had a tremendous amount of empathy. I remember when I was having a few problems. I had been Murray the K, a celebrity in my own right, for years before the Beatles came along. Now it seemed that everyone identified me only with them. John and I had a long talk about it. He encouraged me a lot. I also remember John's courage. He came out against the Vietnam War before most other entertainers. He also fought a deportation hearing because he wanted to stay in America . I was proud to be with him in that battle."

HOWARD COSELL: "I'll tell you something that no one should forget about John Lennon: he was never, ever a hypocrite about anything he ever did or said or believed. With his family, his music, his ideals and his opinions, he was a man of conviction and commitment. I am proud to have known him."