Remembering John Lennon

Around the world there are concerts and ceremonies marking the 70th birthday of the man who started the Beatles.

There was no entertainer like John Lennon. The music was great. But the commitment to the cause of others was never ending.

Beatles author Keith Elliott Greenberg says that John understood that public life demanded very public positions and he was not afraid to make them:

"John Lennon was convinced that he was a genius when he was a kid. But I think in reality he took his celebrity very seriously and he felt now that I am a celebrity I need to make an impact. And that's why he embraced causes. Not all of them the right causes but he embraced them nonetheless."

Area native, music historian Denny Somach is still amazed by Lennon's influence around the world:

"John's connection to the fans obviously worked both ways. His fans' connections with him as you well know. I've been to that John Lennon wall in Prague and we all read about that statue in Cuba, which just shows even today the magnitude of his influence."

Extended Interview:
Remembering John Lennon

Special Contributor Larry Kane, KYW Newsradio