Fans of John Lennon, a member of the iconic British band The Beatles, are holding tributes worldwide Wednesday to remember the late rock star on the 30th anniversary of his death.
Lennon was shot and killed Dec. 8, 1980 outside his New York apartment.
People are gathering to play Lennon's music and lay flowers at a memorial garden, known as Strawberry Fields, in New York's Central Park. The area honors the slain rock star and peace activist, and sits opposite the apartment where he was shot. The memorial is named after the Beatles' song "Strawberry Fields Forever." A plaque there lists more than 120 countries that have endorsed Strawberry Fields as a Garden of Peace.
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, marked the day with a memorial concert in Tokyo. She urged people to remember her late husband with "deep love and respect."
A vigil is being held in Liverpool, Lennon's home city, where fans are lighting candles and playing his music. A charity concert will take place Thursday in the British city, and will feature the musician's friends and former bandmates performing his most famous songs.
Rolling Stone magazine has released in full Lennon's final in-depth interview, conducted three days before he was shot. Lennon lashed out against critics, saying they want "dead heroes." The U.S. magazine previously released only excerpts of the interview following his 1980 death.
The Beatles rose to fame in the 1960s, releasing a string of number-one hits and becoming one of the most popular and influential bands in history. The band of four, composed of Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, inspired a phenomenon of unprecedented crowds and mass hysteria that became known as "Beatlemania."
