Another Girl: Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono was born on February 18, 1933 to Eisuke and Isoko Ono in Tokyo, Japan. At the time of her birth, Eisuke was living in America as a banker- he didn't meet Yoko until she was three years old when her mother took her to San Francisco, California. Yoko has a brother Keisuke and sister Setsuko; they were mostly raised by the family's servants while their mother was a socialite. The Ono family moved constantly between Japan and America for a number of years until 1953 when they moved to New York (Eisuke and Isoko moved back to Japan for good in 1962). Yoko attended college and lived in New York City. In 1957, she married Toshi Ichiyanagi against her parents' wishes. Around this time, Yoko started her career in art. In 1962, Yoko started a new relationship with Anthony Cox while still married; she divorced Toshi in 1963 and quickly married Tony. They welcomed their daughter Kyoko Ono Cox on August 3, 1963 in Tokyo. With Tony primarily taking care of Kyoko, Yoko mostly focused on her art, putting on art exhibitions. They moved to New York City where Yoko would work in between projects as a waitress and cook to make ends meet; Tony and Kyoko would occasionally take an interactive part in her art displays. In 1966, they moved to London.

On November 9, 1966, John Lennon attended a preview of Yoko's exhibition before it was opened to the public. They became somewhat friends while Yoko wanted John to sponsor her as an artist. While John was in India in early 1968, Yoko would send him one-line letters. By the time he returned back to England, John wanted to get to know Yoko more and they fell in love. John divorced Cynthia and Yoko divorced Tony; they married on March 20, 1969. They moved to Ascot and partnered together in art, music, pulling publicity stunts and protests to promote peace during the Vietnam War. By 1972, tired of the bad press, John's fans poor treatment against Yoko, and her tense custody fight over Kyoko that resulted in long term estrangement, John and Yoko moved to New York City. In late 1973, they were in a rough patch: John cheated on Yoko while she felt she was losing her independent identity, so she decided they needed a separation. Knowing that John would date other women, Yoko set him up with their assistant May Pang. During their separation, Yoko focused on her music and toured in Japan. She and John were in daily contact; then, in January of 1975, they reunited and welcomed Sean Taro Ono Lennon on October 9, 1975 in New York City. John settled in the domestic routine while temporarily retiring from music to focus on Sean while Yoko settled in handling their business affairs. In 1980, John returned to music- they released Double Fantasy and were planning to tour and visit England. But, on December 8, 1980, while returning home late at night from recording, John was murdered. Yoko accompanied John to the hospital, however it was too late. After John's death, Yoko focused on raising Sean while maintaining John's estate as well as her own career in music and art. By 1997, Yoko was reunited with her daughter Kyoko and became a grandmother (Emi was born in 1997, Jack in 2000). Yoko lives in New York City.