Where were you when you heard that John Lennon had been killed?
(For me, it was the next morning. I can’t remember if I heard it first on a Good Morning America kind of show or not, but I remember that my father drove me to school that morning for some reason, and that the news was on the radio. At the time, I honestly didn’t know anything at all about the Beatles.)
I was at a 2 week class for my job, at IBM in Rochester, NY, learning how to use their computer (at the time, the computer at my place of employment was bigger than my sign shop is!). I was there with a fellow employee. We were both very upset. I believe I was a little more so than she. I was 26 and she was 40. I couldnt believe someone would kill my beloved John!
I had broken up the previous Monday with my girlfriend. So I took the opportunity to watch Monday Night Football, something I tended not to do when she was around; reason enough to watch it. So I got the news from Howard Cosell.
I was in my living room, watching TV and ironing the clothes I planned to wear to work the next day.
I was at boarding school in Chapel and the Chapel speaker, a student, announced it.
Sixth grade homeroom, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Radie, announced it.
I think he was more affected by it than the students were, most of us weren't that familiar with Lennon. I didn't really know the full impact of the Beatles on music until I was older.