Trivia

Has a stunning amount in common with Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney's late wife. Both women were raised in extremely wealthy environments. Both attempted to make it on their own (McCartney as a photographer, Ono as an actress and artist), only to later be accused of marrying their husbands for their money despite their families' wealth. Both attended Sarah Lawrence College (at different times) and left without finishing degrees. Both married a frontman for the Beatles, and these weddings took place eight days apart in March 1969 (the McCartneys were first). Both women were pregnant at their weddings (Ono later suffered a miscarriage, McCartney later gave birth to Mary McCartney). Both had a daughter from a previous marriage. Both had mentally unstable former husbands (Ono's later kidnapped their daughter and took her to a fundamentalist Christian commune; McCartney's committed suicide in 2000). Both were accused of playing a major role in the Beatles' breakup. Both suffered personal attacks by fans and by the press. Both suffered attacks on their musical talent (particularly vocal) by fans and the press. Both were older than their husbands. Both were activists.

The term "Yoko factor", referring to the influence of wives or girlfriends on a band's politics or business, comes from her constant presence (and kibitzing) at latter-day Beatles recording sessions. (Lennon broke the longstanding no-wives-or-girlfriends rule the Beatles had in the studio, to bring her there.).

Before meeting John Lennon, Yoko claimed that the only Beatle Ono knew by name was Ringo, as the word means "apple" in Japanese. In spite of this claim, there is a wealth of evidence that she was very familiar with the Beatles and fan. McCartney has said that she approached him before she ever met Lennon, and Lennon's wife's reported that Yoko pursued Lennon.

Elton John is the godfather of her son Sean Lennon

Her name translates into English as "Ocean Child." When John Lennon wrote the 1968 White Album song "Julia" about his mother Julia Lennon, he incorporated "ocean child" into the lyrics.

After her husband John Lennon was fatally shot, she took a photograph of his bloodstained eyeglasses laying on the pavement. In 2002, this photo sold for thousands of dollars.

Gave birth to her second child at age 42, a son, Sean Taro Ono Lennon,on October 9th, 1975. Child's father is her deceased husband John Lennon.

Took out a full-page ad in The New York Times that read simply "IMAGINE PEACE" (5 January 2008).

Gave birth to Kyoko Chan Cox (aka Kyoko Ono Cox) on 3 August 1963.

Won the Grammy Award in the Album of the Year category for "Double Fantasy" with John Lennon and Jack Douglas (1982).

As a child she attended the prestigious Jiyu-gakuen Music School in Japan, the training school for many Japanese composers. She was taught piano and composition, as well as voice training in both opera and German Lied singing.

Gave birth to Sean Taro Ono Lennon (aka Sean Lennon) on 9 October 1975.

Returned to music in 1995 with her son Sean Lennon and his band Ima Rising.

Gave birth to her first child at age 30, a daughter, Kyoko Chan Cox on August 3rd, 1963. Child's father is her ex-husband Anthony Cox.

Mother of Kyoko Ono Cox and Sean Lennon.

Played her first public concert at the age of four, and her first composition "Secret Piece" was in 1955.

Owns the copyrights and masters to her Apple Records releases, including "Two Virgins" and "Life With The Lions", recorded with John Lennon; with none of the records initially selling well, Lennon had to pay Apple for them, as part of the Beatles' partnership settlement. In the 1990s, with interest regenerated, Ono re-released her music through Ryko, after turning down another label that only wanted her albums with Lennon.

Appointed Honorary Ambassador of Peace for the Harvey Ball Foundation along with Jackie Chan, Brooke Shields, A.V.T. Shankardass, Jerry Lewis, Prince Albert of Monaco, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Phil Collins, Jimmy Buffett, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, Heather Mills, Patch Adams, Sergei Khrushchev and Winnie Mandela.

Has been good friends with many noted people in the New York art world including Peggy Guggenheim, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.

As of 2022, Yoko still resides with son Sean Lennon on the 7th floor of Manhattan's Dakota building, facing West 72nd Street and Central Park West, overlooking Lennon's "Strawberry Fields" memorial site.

Some time after her husband's murder, Ono began a relationship with antiques dealer Sam Havadtoy, which lasted until 2001. They were never legally married.

Is portrayed by Linda Ko in The Linda McCartney Story (2000).

Is portrayed by Mariko Takai in Chapter 27 (2007).

On December 8, 1980, Yoko appeared in the last professional photo of John Lennon as captured by photographer Annie Leibovitz for the cover of "Rolling Stone" (issue Jan. 22, 1981). Lennon was assassinated later that same day shortly after he was photographed by amateur Paul Goresh signing a copy of his "Double Fantasy" album for Mark David Chapman.

In 2003, at the age of 70, she topped the US dance music charts with a reworking of "Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him", a song she co-wrote with John Lennon, to support gay marriage: "Every Man Has A Man Who Loves Him". She also recorded a lesbian version of the song.

Longtime friend and next-door neighbor at Manhattan's Dakota apartment building is Roberta Flack.

Stepmother of Julian Lennon.

Avant-garde poet, performance artist, composer, and vocalist.

In 1959, she moved to join her family in Scarsdale, New York, where she attended Sarah Lawrence College.

Made her Carnegie Hall debut on 24 November 1961.

Release of her book, "Memories of John Lennon". (2005)

She is the subject of the Barenaked Ladies song "Be My Yoko Ono.".

Ranked #84 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll

Her banker father Eisuke Ono was Japanese Naval Intelligence's paymaster for their spies in LA leading up to WW2.

Born 5 days after Kim Novak, in the same month of the same year.