Pictures: John Lennon through the years

A young John Lennon wearing a school uniform and cap in 1948. (Pictorial Press/Getty Images)

Tribune Interactive

Dec. 9, 2010 7:34 AM PT

30 years ago John Lennon was shot to death outside his New York apartment. These pictures look at his life through the years.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon as ‘The Quarrymen’ onstage at their first concert at the Casbah Coffee House on August 29, 1959 in Liverpool, England. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The Silver Beatles (L-R Stu Sutcliffe, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Johnny Hutch and George Harrison) on stage in 1960 in Liverpool England. The drummer Johnny Hutch was sitting in as they did not have a regular drummer that day. (Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)

’ The Beatles’ perform at the Cavern Club in February 1961 in Liverpool, England. (L-R) George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Pete Best, John Lennon. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

’ The Beatles’ pose for a portrait in early 1962. (L-R) Pete Best, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Ringo joins the band. ‘ The Beatles’ pose for a portrait in circa 1962. (L-R) Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The Beatles run down an alley in a still from the film, ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ directed by Richard Lester, 1964. L-R: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon. (United Artists/Courtesy of Getty Image)

John Lennon strums his Gibson guitar in 1964. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

“Meet The Beatles” was the first Beatles record released in the United States on Capitol Records on January 20, 1964. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

“Introducing... The Beatles,” their first release in the UK, came out January 10, 1964. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Ed Sullivan smiles while standing with The Beatles on the set of his television variety series, February 9, 1964. (Express Newspapers/Getty Images)

John Lennon and his then wife Cynthia Lennon visit The Playboy Club on February 9, 1964 in New York City, New York. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

John Lennon plays harmonica and acoustic guitar onstage in 1965. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

John Lennon in January 1965. (Duffy/Getty Images)

John Lennon performing in 1966. (Keystone/Getty Images)

John Lennon plays the harmonica, his guitar rested on his knee in 1966. (Keystone Features/Getty Images)

John Lennon at manager Brian Epstein’s west London home for a photocall for the launch of the Beatles’ new album ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, May 19, 1967. (John Downing/Getty Images)

John Lennon in a still from the movie ‘How I Won The War’ released on October 23, 1967. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Yoko Ono and John Lennon in December 1968. (Susan Wood/Getty Images)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono pose for photographers in Amsterdam, March 27, 1969. The honeymoon couple spent a week in bed to protest against world violence. (AFP/Getty Images)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono pose on the steps of the Apple building in London, holding one of the posters that they distributed to the world’s major cities as part of a peace campaign protesting against the Vietnam War. ‘War Is Over, If You Want It’. (Frank Barratt/Getty Images)

John Lennon (with his wife Yoko Ono at their home, Tittenhurst Park, near Ascot, Berkshire, 1971. (Michael Putland/Getty Images)

John Lennon performs at the Chrysler Arena on December 10, 1971 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Tom Copi/Getty Images)

Performing at Yoko Ono‘s “One to One” Concert on August 30, 1972. (Ron Galella/WireImage)

John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Andy Williams on February 28, 1975. (Ron Galella/WireImage)

John Lennon and David Bowie during The 17th Annual Grammy Awards at Uris Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Ron Galella/WireImage)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono walk down the street in circa 1979 in New York City, New York. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The summer of 1980. John Lennon standing with his wife Yoko Ono outside the Dakota Apartments in New York city where he was shot to death 12 November 1980. This photo appears on Lennon’s last album “Double Fantasy.” (AFP/Getty Images)

The hearse carrying the body of John Lennon parked outside the Frank E. Campbell funeral home, New York City, December 1980. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)