Cynthia Lennon Said Yoko Ono Spread an ‘Ugly Rumor’ That ‘Doomed’ a Planned Benefit Concert for John Lennon’s Birthday

Cynthia Lennon tried to set up a benefit concert for John Lennon. Her vision clashed with Yoko Ono's, and they canceled the event.

In 1990, Cynthia Lennon contacted Yoko Ono about setting up a benefit concert on what would have been John Lennon’s 50th birthday. She hoped to televise the show and donate the proceeds in her former husband’s name. While Cynthia said Ono seemed receptive to the idea, she refused to get involved. Before long, Ono publicly spoke about the concert in a way that completely derailed it.

Cynthia Lennon told Yoko Ono about a benefit concert on John Lennon’s birthday

Over two decades after The Beatles’ first charity concert, the organizer, Sidney Bernstein, came to Cynthia about putting on a benefit concert in Lennon’s memory. He intended to call it Come Together.

“The idea was to mark what would have been John’s fiftieth birthday, Oct. 9, 1990, with a rock symphony, to be performed in the States and televised around the world,” Cynthia wrote in her book John. “The funds raised would be used to support charitable ventures in John’s name … I thought long and hard about it, but in the end it seemed so fitting and so worthwhile that I had to say yes.”

Cynthia spent months helping organize the show. She believed that the best way to ensure its success was to get Ono’s endorsement. They met at her New York apartment to discuss it.

“As I explained about the planned concert the work and ideas that had gone into it, Yoko said nothing,” Cynthia recalled. “She didn’t smile. My heart sank but I plowed on, showing her the plans and suggesting that it would mean a great deal to our sons and to John’s fans if we could support the concert and honor John’s memory together. When I had finished, Yoko said she would consider it and get back to me.”

Cynthia Lennon said Yoko Ono derailed the event

Several days after the meeting, Cynthia received Ono’s decision.

“A few days after my meeting with Yoko, [Ono’s boyfriend] Sam Havadtoy phoned me. ‘Yoko doesn’t want to take part in your concert,’ he informed me. ‘In fact, she has been planning a concert for John for some time,’” Cynthia wrote. “I was speechless.”

Ono delivered a further blow to Cynthia’s plans when she talked about the concert in an interview. She said the organizers planned to rake in money for themselves. While Cynthia said this wasn’t true, she knew this would permanently damage their plans.

“Soon after Sam’s call Yoko gave an interview to the press, saying I planned to make millions from the concert, although I had explained to her that it was for charity,” she wrote. “When I read it, I knew our concert was doomed. Once the ugly rumor that we were not honest had started to circulate it would sow the seeds of doubt in potential performers.”

In the end, they decided to cancel the show.

Ono put on her own benefit show

Though Cynthia and Bernstein canceled, Ono went ahead with her planned benefit concert.

“Yoko went ahead with a concert, also called Come Together. It was held in May 1990 in Liverpool,” Cynthia wrote. “Only fifteen thousand people attended instead of the planned forty-five thousand, and none of John’s family was sent a ticket. I imagine Yoko was disappointed by the low turnout but I was just sorry that we hadn’t been able to do something together: I believed it might have been a real success.”

While Cynthia said Ono’s actions hurt her, they had a polite conversation at Lennon’s aunt’s funeral two years later.