Yoko Ono wishes John Lennon happy birthday as next 'Imagine' search is launched

Liverpool marks occasion of late Beatle's 80th with new songwriting contest

John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool. An 8-year-old Lennon is pictured here in his school uniform. All photos unless otherwise stated: Getty Images

Lennon standing outside Paul McCartney's Liverpool home in 1960 with fellow Beatles George Harrison and McCartney. Ringo Starr was not to join the band for another two years.

Lennon performs at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1961.

The Beatles holding a silver disc in 1963.

The Beatles on stage at the London Palladium, performing in front of 2, 000 screaming fans in 1963.

Lennon at the London Palladium in 1963.

The Beatles wave to the crowd while in the US for their first concerts in the country, in February 1964.

American television host Ed Sullivan smiles as he meets the famous band in 1964.

Lennon, McCartney and Starr enjoy a few moments away from adoring fans after police smuggled them out of the side door of their hotel for a visit to Central Park, New York City, in 1964.

Heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali poses in the ring with The Beatles in 1964.

The Beatles perform at Shea Stadium, New York in August 1965.

The Beatles receive MBEs at Buckingham Palace in London in 1965.

The Beatles rehearse for 'Our World', the BBC's contribution to a two-hour live global television broadcast in 1967.

The Beatles and friends give an audience to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1967.

Lennon and McCartney arriving in London in 1968. They were both carrying apples to promote their new company Apple Corps.

Yoko Ono and her husband Lennon, with his son Julian on his lap, pose with Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Cream guitarist Eric Clapton and Roger Daltrey of The Who, in London, 1968.

The Beatles performing their final live public concert on the rooftop of the Apple Organisation building in Savile Row, London, 1969.

Lennon and Ono pose on the steps of the Apple building in London in 1969.

Lennon and Ono in their bed in the Presidential Suite of the Hilton Hotel, Amsterdam, in 1969. The couple staged a 'bed-in for peace' for seven days.

Ono and Lennon after having their hair cut in 1970.

A crowd gathers outside the Dakota apartments in New York after Lennon was shot hours earlier in front of the building in December 1980.

Fans of John Lennon hold a vigil after he was shot outside his home in New York, 1980.

The Empire State Building in New York is illuminated light blue, to mark what would have been Lennon's 80th birthday. AP

Yoko Ono paid tribute to her 'angels' on Twitter on what would have been Lennon's 80th birthday.

John Lennon would have been celebrating his 80th birthday on Friday, and wife Yoko Ono has paid an emotional tribute to both the late Beatle and their son Sean on Twitter.

Lennon was killed at the age of 40 in New York by Mark Chapman, who apologised to Ms Ono for the "despicable act" in a hearing in September where he was denied parole for the eleventh time.

Lennon's premature death has served only to enhance his legend, his influence on popular culture remaining undimmed.

Nowhere is this influence more keenly felt than in his home city of Liverpool which has launched a contest to find the next Imagine in tribute to the songwriter.

The Liverpool International Song For Kindness contest aims to find an anthem as hopeful as this evocation of a world "Living life in peace", providing a timely boost as the city reels from the effects of Covid-19 and the prospect of further lockdowns.

"This contest will help to unify the people of Liverpool, encourage acts of kindness in the city and inspire the songwriters of both here and around the world," said Liverpool's mayor Joe Anderson.

"It will encourage young people to learn an instrument and make music, and who knows what great songs could come out of this.

“It is fitting that we are launching this initiative on the 80th birthday of John Lennon, the songwriter who was one of this city’s greatest sons.

"The songs that John wrote with Paul in The Beatles, and the classics like Imagine that he created as a solo artist and with Yoko, changed the sound of music and uplifted the world.

“Now we need to be uplifted again.”

The occasion is also being marked by previously unseen black and white photographs of the icon going on display at The Beatles Story in Liverpool.

They were taken by freelancer Robert Deutsch on October 17 1974 at the Beacon Theatre in New York where Lennon was touring the Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road show.

One depicts Lennon sitting at an organ in a dark velvet suit with a hat and lapel badge featuring Elvis Presley. Another shows him changing the sign of West 74th street on Broadway to “Sgt Pepper Way".