John Lennon's Abbey Road suit goes to auction at US gallery

Forget the high-street sales, there is only one purchase a truly dedicated fashionista should consider making tomorrow: the white suit worn by John Lennon on the cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road album. The off-white two-piece is up for auction at Braswell galleries in Connecticut, alongside the brown velvet embroidered fleur-de-lys jacket the musician wore during the film Imagine, made in 1971 with his wife Yoko Ono. Read More - The Guardian

'The Beatles will instill a dream

Music is already everything for you. The Beatles are your greatest love now, and they will remain so. They'll instill a dream in you that will inform everything that happens afterward. Over the years, you'll learn to trust your instincts and try as hard as you can to stay away from prejudice. It won't always be easy, of 'course, but stay open-minded about things. Life is a series of coincidences. [read more]

This Day in Music Spotlight: George Harrison Stabbed by Crazy Man

Harrison and his wife were woken by the sound of breaking glass and, after calling police, were attacked by a man brandishing a six-inch knife. Harrison later told the Oxford Crown Court in a statement: “He stopped in the center of the kitchen and started shouting and screaming. He was hysterical and frightening in his manner. [read more]

John Lennon Bermuda Rolling Stone magazine Double Fantasy

Former Beatle John Lennon said when he was inspired to write “Woman” in Bermuda, he wanted to create not just a love song to his wife Yoko Ono but also as an anthem to the female presence in the world, “Rolling Stone” magazine reported yesterday (Dec. 23). [read more/video]

Yoko Ono Lights 'Imagine Peace Tower' In Iceland

The tower, which Ono says “emanates wisdom, healing and joy,” can be viewed on a live feed on the official Imagine Peace Tower site. Ono is encouraging fans and well-wishers to send messages to the tower via Twitter, Facebook, email and regular old postcards. Read More - Rolling Stone Music

Candid Talk from Paul McCartney

From the streets of Liverpool, England to becoming one of the best-known performers of all-time and being knighted, Paul McCartney is now a Kennedy Center honoree. And, in an exclusive interview with CBS News Correspondent Jeff Glor, McCartney reflected on his legendary career, which continues full-throttle. McCartney's been called the most influential composer of the 20th century, and is also its most successful, Glor observes. Read More - CBS News

Vintage Flashback: Remembering John Lennon in Pics! 60 Years of Photos!

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the birth of music legend John Lennon, Oct. 9, 1940–Dec. 8, 1980. Born and raised in Liverpool, England, John Lennon first became involved with music when he joined the band The Quarrymen as a teen. In 1960, the band evolved into The Beatles, which went on to become one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. [read more/see photos]

Campaigners Slam Ruling On Starr's Home

A spokesman for Save Britain's Heritage tells architecture website BDOnline, "How is it possible to argue that (the) birthplace of Ringo Starr is less important than the Abbey Road crossing? Madryn Street, which Ringo frequently refers to in his own writings and lyrics, draws in thousands of visitors from across the globe. "It is in an area desperately trying to cling on to its historic identity in the face enforced blight and threatened destruction. The house and neighbourhood embody the romance of the Beatles story." Read More - Contactmusic

Paul McCartney celebrated on TV Tuesday: a Kennedy Center Honors preview

Paul McCartney is one of five distinguished artists paid tribute at "The 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors," broadcast at 9 p.m. Tuesday on CBS in the U.S. Also honored are Merle Haggard, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones and Oprah Winfrey. Read More - Examiner.com

John's Lennon Widow Yoko Ono: 'I didn't break up the Beatles. My small hand could not have broken these men up'

Already an acclaimed avant-garde artist and musician, Yoko Ono became infamous worldwide when she began a relationship with John Lennon.‘I had no idea when I met this man in my gallery how everything would change,’ she says. ‘Nothing was ever the same again.’ Born in Tokyo in 1933, Ono is used to hardship. Her family lost everything in World War II, and her father was incarcerated in a prisoner-of-war camp. [read more]

The Beatles might still be bigger than Jesus - Telegraph

How curious: the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios has become one of London's most popular attractions and, in recognition of this, has been awarded listed status, a first for a road marking. This follows the decision by the National Trust to preserve for the nation the Beatles' childhood homes. Where is all this going? Ironically, given what John Lennon said in 1966 about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus, the band does now seems to have a quasi-religious function. Can a Beatles Day be far away? Perhaps we could use Boxing Day, as no one is really sure what today is for anyway, and it does begin with a B. Read More - Telegraph

Lennon Christmas song is inspirational

The ballad seeks to tap the Christmas promise of "peace on Earth, good will to men" as a call for both individual and collective serenity. It ends with the lyrics, "War is over/If you want it/War is over/Now … "All of us wish America's wars over this Christmas. The lingering operations in Iraq and the fighting in Afghanistan keep us from fully rejoicing in the joy of the season, and remind us that "peace on Earth" remains a too elusive state. [read more]

John Lennon Remembered in Havana - Havana Times

With John Lennon’s murder having occurred 30 years ago, homage was paid in the Cuban capital to his life and work. The past December 8, the day of the death of one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century, Havana recalled him with an extended concert featuring his best known songs. [read more]

Pete Best helps celebrate The Beatles golden jubilee

Pete Best was on the drums for a special gig to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first time the band newly renamed "The Beatles" played their first performance. It was on 17th December 1960, that a crowd gathered at The Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool to hear what they thought was a German band: direct from Hamburg, called The Beatles. The line-up was John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison - who had last played there as The Quarrymen - along with Pete Best and Chas Newby from The Black jacks. [click here to read more]

Beatles' Abbey Road Crossing Wins Protected Status

The most famous pedestrian crossing in popular music, outside Abbey Road Studios in north London, was designated a site of national importance by the British government on Wednesday.Beatles fans from around the world flock to the road to pose for photographs imitating the picture on the "Abbey Road" album cover which shows Paul, John, George and Ringo strolling over the crossing. Read More - Billboard.com

Paul McCartney Plays Small London Venue To Save It From Closure

Paul McCartney recently took the time to play a small show at London's famed 100 Club. According to CBC News, the former Beatle played a two-hour lunch time set for a crowd of 300 lucky fans on Friday. Tickets were listed for $94.50, but some were being sold for significantly more over the Internet. [read more]

David Frownfelder: Beatles fanatic hits the motherlode

When I finally shut everything down for the night, I realized John Lennon did it to me again. He led me into something I did not expect to do. What started out as a trip down memory lane with fond thoughts of Lennon and The Beatles turned into something different — discovery and celebration of the music, which is as it should be and which he and other three preferred. Beatlemania is moving into a new generation with the group’s music finally available on iTunes. Read More - The Daily Telegram

Lost Pics of Beatles, Zeppelin and Other Legends Surface

A remarkable collection of vintage rock ‘n’ roll photographs has been rediscovered in the personal archives of the late, renowned photographer Chuck Boyd (1942-1991). Boyd began his career in the early ’60s, working in Los Angeles for fan magazines such as Tiger Beat, and quickly befriended enough artists, managers and publicists to gain some remarkable access to the top acts of the ’60s and ’70s. Among the newly rediscovered works are shots of The Beatles at their 1965 press conference at Dodger Stadium, one of Bob Dylan’s earliest Los Angeles press conferences, and shots from Led Zeppelin’s historic 1970 stand at the L.A. Forum. [read more]

Imagine there's no rebels

Is there a celebrity activist today who matches Lennon's impact and appeal? The closest counterpart to Lennon now is U2's Bono - another transcendent musical talent championing another cause: the battle against global poverty. But there is a fundamental difference between Lennon's activism and Bono's, and it underscores the sad evolution of celebrity activism in recent years. Lennon was a rebel. Bono is not. [read more]

Eric Pickles may save Ringo Starr’s birthplace from bulldozers

COMMUNITIES secretary Eric Pickles has pledged to “actively consider” a request to force the sale of Ringo Starr’s birthplace and 440 other homes in Toxteth which are due to be bulldozed for a regeneration scheme. Save Britain’s Heritage has written to Mr Pickles asking him to use a little-used piece of existing legislation known as a Public Request to Order Disposal (PROD). [read more]

Return to fantasy land

Thirty years to the day after Lennon’s death, Daragh Downes rounds up four guests to discuss John and Yoko’s Double Fantasy (Stripped Down) , a radical new remix commissioned by Ono - THEY CALL it the retrospective illusion. You watch a smiling JFK arriving at Dallas Love Field airport and your mind’s eye fast-forwards to the obscenities about to be captured on Abraham Zapruder’s Bell Howell camera. It’s no different with John and Yoko’s Double Fantasy . How can you hear him singing a lullaby to Sean, or her declaring that hard times are over, without your heart breaking at the deed of horror that lies just around the corner? Read More - The Irish Times

Yoko Donates Gold Lennon Coin

Lennon was chosen to accompany in the series such luminaries of history as Winston Churchill by choice of the British public. A Royal Mint public poll this summer nominated Lennon as the historical figure most deserving of a place in coin history. The poll saw over 30,000 votes cast and just over 92 percent of them nominated the Beatle. The gold Lennon coin will be sold by Bonhams auction house in June 2011. [read more]

Yoko Ono Recreates John Lennon's 'War Is Over' Poster in 100 Languages - Spinner

With the recent 30th anniversary of John Lennon's murder, many of his fans chose to mark the occasion by focusing on his dream for world peace. His Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney did the same when he performed Lennon's 'Give Peace a Chance' on 'Saturday Night Live.' Now, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono is continuing to spread the message by recreating their "War Is Over" poster in 100 languages. Read More - Spinner

Yoko Ono reveals feeling of guilt over John Lennons death - Monsters and Critics

Yoko Ono admits to feeling “guilt” that she couldn’t prevent John Lennon’s death, and says she will not rule out conspiracy theories about his murder. Thirty years after the former Beatle died, the 77-year-old makes her surprising admission in the January issue of US Esquire. Read More - Monsters and Critics

Revolutionary Hall of Fame: The Beatles

“Revolution” was more than a song title to The Beatles. It was the way they created music and the way they lived. As a group they made Time magazine’s list of the Most Important People of the 20th Century. And, indeed, they were. Collectively John, Paul, George and Ringo changed ideas about technology, marketing, corporate identity, songwriting, performance and a host of other areas while embodying the zeitgeist of the mid-through-late 1960s and early ’70s. [read more]

John Lennon Lives On

Last week saw an incredible celebration of the life of English musician and songwriter and founding member of the famous Beatles - John Lennon who was sadly gunned down in his prime 30 years ago. No one can really know what he could have accomplished but millions celebrated what he did accomplish. In his brief life, he left behind a legacy - his music and his writings, His political activism with his criticism of the Vietnam War which nearly resulted in him being deported by the Nixon Administration. [read more]

Who Could Judge the Art of the Beatles?

Let’s face it — if the Beatles did it, then it must be good. So when I found paintings by Paul, John and Ringo in my inbox last week, it was hard to be critical. McCartney once said in an interview that he only writes songs for the fun of it. He no longer judges his music on the basis of whether it is good or bad, whether or not someone else will like it or if it will sell, but instead on whether or not he, the artist, enjoys the creative process of his work. [read more]

Paul McCartney Plays Beatles Classics, Marvin Gaye Cover at the Apollo - Spinner

Once again, Paul McCartney has conquered New York, this time as a part of Sirius XM's 20 millionth subscriber bash, held Monday night at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem. The former Beatle cruised through a career-spanning set list, treating lucky contest winners and a host of celebrities to one of his more intimate shows in recent memory. Click For More - Spinner

John Lennon's white Abbey Road suit goes to auction

John Lennon's white suit from the iconic Abbey Road album cover is to go up for auction New Year's Day, along with his Chrysler station wagon and other artefacts, Braswell's Auction House said Monday. The suit last sold for 120,000 dollars in 2005, the Norwalk, Connecticut, auction house said. Read More - Monsters and Critics

Julian Lennon Lends Support to Fight Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means the body’s immune system attacks and destroys healthy tissue because it cannot tell the difference between harmful invaders and healthy tissue. This damage can occur anywhere in the body, including the skin, joints, and any of the internal organs. It is a chronic condition, as signs and symptoms last longer than six weeks and often for many years. [read more]

SNL: Paul McCartney does “Give Peace A Chance” John Lennon tribute

Give Peace A Chance, sang Paul McCartney as he quoted old pal John Lennon in a live performance for the ages on Saturday Night Live. After starting off with a Wings-themed night, in his third SNL performance stint of the night, Paul McCartney finally turned his sights on The Beatles. After performing Wings classics Jet and Band On The Run during his traditional two Saturday Night Live sets, McCartney returned for a rare third set at the end of the show to perform the Beatles classic A Day In The Life, on which he sang both his vocals and that of the late John Lennon. [read more]

Viktor Mitic 'paints' pictures of gun victims John Lennon, JFK and Gandhi with bullet holes

Two days ago it was the thirtieth anniversary of a solemn event: the death of John Lennon, one of the most famous and pioneering musicians of the 20th Century. The Beatles legend was only 40-years old when he was brutally gunned down outside his New York apartment by Mark David Chapman, a man who had asked for Lennon's autograph only hours before. [read more]

Found My Way Upstairs and Had a Vape

I've been so lucky when it comes to being in the right place at the right time with most of the technological break throughs raining down on us in droves. The latest being the personal vaporizer (or e-cigarette). I've been eyeing this 'contraption' for at least a year, wondering what's it like and if it would really replace the urge for a real cigaratte (called analogs by vapors). Well I finally took the plunge and since Nov 4th 2010 I've been vaping my nicotine fix quite happily. I've tried the gum, patch, lozenges and even Chantix. They just added to my misery. Part of the problem for me was so many places to buy e-cigs and so many models to choose from. Well, I got lucky again by buying the Vapor King Ultimate start up kit from http://vapor4life.com. Vapor 4 Life: Remember that name! This company, I've since learned, is well known for it's fast delivery and super excellent customer service.

When the kit arrived (3 days later) I was in awe with the items in the kit, like a kid on christmas morning. Two regular length batteries, I chose black with a blue LED tip, a carrying case (again, your choice of color), wall charger, USB charger and a USB pass through for endless vaping without worrying about battery life. Oh, and my choice of 5 cartridges (cartomizers to be specific) of my flavor and strength, all refillable with their oustanding choice of bottled e-juice. They have around 40 flavors, including a line of 'Wow' flavors for more vapor, and the strength of nicotine is zero to 36mg. I'm working on trying all the flavors because it's sooooooo good. I started with tobacco flavors and am working on some wonderful coffee flavors.

I was also in awe with the amount of vapor created by the Vapor King, the feel of it in my throat (just like smoking) and the taste. Being 99% water with some food safe flavoring and nictoine it leaves no foul odor in the area and unless a person standing next to you sees you using it they'd never know you were using it. No more bothering others, stinking up my own house or going outside in freezing weather to enjoy my 40+ year smoking habit WITHOUT SMOKING. No more 'cancer sticks' for me. If only some of my family, friends (and I always think of George Harrison) would have had this option. I can't say enough good things about it, and trust me, I could go on and on. What a great gift for your loved ones, and for yourself. There's plenty to learn and talk about. I'd recommend visiting the V4L Forum - which is part of ECF, the world's largest e-cigarette forum at http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/. Feel free to email me any questions also. I only want to share my excitement and encourage smokers to try this alternative. Just take the plunge! Then you'll understand my excitement and hopefully have the desire to pass this fabulous information to others as well. It's just the way we Beatle people are. ~ Dave Holmes / Beatlesnumber9.com

McCartney thankful for renewed Lennon friendship

But McCartney is thankful for one thing - making the effort to rebuild the close friendship they had shared during their youth in the months before Lennon's passing. The pair was estranged for years following the bitter break-up of The Beatles in 1970, and McCartney admits they bonded again over their love for their kids - and bread. He says, "I think the nice thing about it though, was that we got our friendship back together. Read More - Yahoo! News UK

Paul McCartney and Jimmy Fallon Sing of Scrambled Eggs on "Late Night"

Speaking of "Yesterday," Fallon asked McCartney is he would like to perform the original version of the song, called "Scrambled Eggs." Apparently, to remember the timing of the words, McCartney recalled the phrase, "scrambled eggs." The duo then hit the stage and broke into it..."Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs/but not as much as I love scrambled eggs/oh we should eat some scrambled eggs/waffle fries/oh my darling how I love your thighs/not as much as I love waffle fries/oh have you tried the waffle fries." read more- NBC

Song of the Day: 'The Ballad of John and Yoko,'

The worst thing about these commemorations of John Lennon's Anything is that many of us feel the need to mark the day by heaping scorn on Yoko Ono. Can we cut this out, please? It blows my mind that people who ought to know better continue to blame Ono for the breakup of the biggest band in the world. [read more]

John Lennon Quotes Help Us Remember Rock Icon John Lennon | ThirdAge

John Lennon quotes are being recalled today as the World recalls John Lennon's untimely passing thirty years ago today. John Lennon, who's legal name was John Winston Ono Lennon, was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles and, with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved as a teenager in the skiffle craze; his first band, The Quarrymen, evolved into The Beatles in 1960. [read more]

Dec. 8, 1980: John Lennon Murdered

John Lennon, a former member of the Beatles, the rock group that transformed popular music in the 1960s, was shot and killed by an obsessed fan in New York City on this date in 1980. The 40-year-old artist was entering his luxury Manhattan apartment building when Mark David Chapman shot him four times at close range with a .38-caliber revolver. [read more]

John Lennon, The Beatles changed the world with music

A strong statement? Perhaps. The Beatles themselves always insisted that they embodied a generation rather than led one. Yet before the Beatles, popular music was about puppy love. After them, it was about everything from philosophy to war, from poverty to politics. The Beatles were the first pop artists to introduce world music to Western audiences. They were the first to print their song lyrics on an album cover. The Beatles questioned society’s assumptions and exploded its preconceptions. They inspired a generation of baby boomers emerging from the buttoned-down 1950s to embrace a far wider view of life and experience. “When the rain comes, they run and hide their heads. They might as well be dead,” sang Lennon. [read more]

John Lennon and Julian Assange: The Faces of Peace and Truth

Sometimes, in order to galvanize a movement, an individual must be sacrificed to the cult of personality. For all the negative connotations there are to this phenomena, the personification of an idea can be a devastating force. While the danger exists that the individual may eclipse the issues -or be used by the media and those on the defensive to distract from the issues- the identification of, and with, a singular voice and identifiable face provides substance to an otherwise amorphous, and therefore ineffectual, campaign of resistance. Creating a singular focus is a very powerful thing. [read more]

Sean Lennon remembers his dad through song "The Dead Don’t Speak, They Listen"

Sean Lennon's song "The Dead Don't Speak, They Listen" is in memory of his father, John Lennon, who was killed 30 years ago, December 8, 1980. Sean was just five when his dad was killed. John was pioneering the art of being a house-husband and stay-at-home daddy, when he died, making his loss even harder for Sean, who had come to know John as the "primary caregiver." Read More - Examiner.com

The Tea Maker

It was nice to be up in the middle of the night, when there was no sound in the house, and sip the tea John would make. One night, however, John said: “I was talking to Aunt Mimi this afternoon and she says you are supposed to put the hot water in first. Then the tea bag. I could swear she taught me to put the tea bag in first, but ...” Read More - NYTimes.com

John Lennon: The day the music died?

Since John Lennon’s assassination 30 years ago, a few things have changed. Teens who danced around record players to I Want to Hold Your Hand have been replaced by a generation who has the entire Beatles archive on their iPods. Beatlemania is now superficially rivaled by Bieber Fever and anyone can experience what its like to be one of the Fab Four by playing Rock Band. [read more]

Sean Lennon on John Lennon: 'My dad was one of a kind'

n Lennon's son Sean has told NME he considers his dad "one of a kind", as fans remember him in the build-up to the 30th anniversary of his death. [read more]

30 years later, it's still hard to fathom Lennon's killing

Dec. 8, 1980. That's a date every Beatles fan over 40 remembers: the day John Lennon was shot and killed. We all know where we were and what we were doing when we found out. It's hard to believe it's been 30 years - harder still to believe it happened at all. [read more]

Remember Lennon with deep love - Ono

John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono gave a heartfelt plea for the Liverpool legend and former Beatle to be remembered "with deep love and respect" on the 30th anniversary of his murder. As she spoke of her continued love for the star, she said the world was still learning from his messages of peace. She said on Tuesday: "On this tragic anniversary, please join me in remembering John with deep love and respect. "In his short-lived life of 40 years, he has given so much to the world. The world was lucky to have known him. We still learn so much from him today. John, I love you!" [read more]

Sharing the Dakota With John Lennon

Before he was gunned down in front of the building 30 years ago Wednesday, he was the seventh-floor resident who brought sushi to the building’s October potluck. He was known as a protective father and an enterprising real estate collector, irking a few neighbors by buying up five apartments in the building. One of the many quirks and privileges of living in Manhattan is finding neighbors who are famous poets, celebrated scientists and aging jazz musicians. Read More - NYTimes.com

We're Getting All Of The Beatles Together Again

My mailbox fills up with this rumor daily, so I'll pass it along for what it's worth. It should be noted that so far there is no official information about the upcoming Los Angeles event. Are the reports about ‘unification’ of The Beatles true or rumors, fans of the group will probably learn a little later. It must be recalled that The Beatles performed twice in Hollywood Bowl, once in 1964, and later in 1965. [read more]

Sean Lennon admits he is scared of fame

John Lennon's son Sean has admitted he is scared of fame thirty years after his father was shot dead. Sean, 35, has followed in his father's footsteps and made a career in music but said fame frightens him. [read more]

Seven Wonderful Songs of John Lennon on the 30th Anniversary of His Death!

I still remember when a friend awakened me from a dream and told me John was Dead. I knew he was telling the truth, but I wished that I was merely under the spell of a mischievous Sandman. It will eventually sink in, but not just yet; maybe only my own death will awaken within me the full scope of this misfortune? I avoided these current specials that care to recall the tragedy of John`s death in terms of the movements and thoughts of his killer. To dwell on this is madness! ]click to read more]

Celluloid Heroes: Frank Zappa and 200 Motels

Surrealistic insanity is what you’ll get from 200 Motels, a 1971 American-British musical documentary featuring Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Both directed and written by Zappa and Tony Palmer, and produced at the Pinewood Studios in England, the films features the likes of Ringo Starr (who plays a Zappa lookalike named Larry the Dwarf), Theodore Bikel, Flo and Eddie, Jimmy Carl Black, and Keith Moon in drag playing a nun. As an ironic twist, Zappa is often seen on screen, but never says a single word. [read more]

Who Was The Real John Lennon?

This week marks the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's assassination. While some wonder what Lennon's next 30 years would have produced, others are focusing more on the day of his death. Discussion has also predictably turned to the legacy that the musician left behind, and how we remember him today. Here's a sampling of different takes on Lennon: [read more]

David Faustino On Viral 'Let It Be' Video: Told 'It Was For Charity'

Handlers, beware: next time you walk a client down the red carpet and get accosted by a Norwegian TV crew asking him/her to sing, run for the doors! That has to be what a few dozen celebrities and their publicists are thinking right now, as the viral video sensation known as the Norwegian “Let It Be,” featuring some 40 random actors and personalities singing snippets of The Beatles classic against an idyllic ocean background -- everyone from Glenn Close to Jason Alexander, Philip Michael Thomas to Tonya Harding -- makes its way around the online universe. [read more/watch video]

How to Invest in the Beatles

If you never saw the PBS program 'How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin,' you have to watch it; it has been appearing fairly regularly on the network. It shows how the Beatles had a major influence on the fall of communism in the USSR during the early sixties, and how Beatlemania lead to entrepreneurship, free enterprise, capitalism, and free thinking. You can see the preview in the YouTube video below. [read more]

Steve Tyler to perform McCartney tribute

Sir Paul McCartney has reportedly asked Steve Tyler to perform a selection of Beatles tracks at an awards ceremony this weekend. McCartney will be recognised at the Kennedy Centre Honors tomorrow for his contribution to American culture. Tyler told radio station 95.9 Watd-FM: "I also got called up by Sir Paul McCartney and he asked me to sing the last four songs of Abbey Road, so I said 'Umm, OK'. [I'm] doing it. So I'm headed down to the Kennedy Honors in Washington." Other celebrities to be honoured at the ceremony include Merle Haggard and Oprah Winfrey. source digital spy