Many Views of Lennon on Death Anniversary

December 7 -- With the 20th anniversary of the death of former Beatle John Lennon approaching, many who knew the singer are reflecting on his life. And for those who didn't know him so well, photos of the musician are surfacing at auctions to show new views of the rock icon.

Lennon was shot outside his Manhattan, N.Y., apartment by Mark Chapman on Dec. 8, 1980.

His widow Yoko Ono has been most active in arranging speaking engagements on the event of the anniversary.

In an online chat at ABCNEWS.com, Ono said many fans felt close to Lennon, because "he was very honest about being human. He wasn't trying to put his best foot forward all the time." She also spoke about her recent projects to promote awareness of handgun violence, which have included billboards in New York and Los Angeles with pictures of the glasses her husband wore when he was shot.

When asked about the worldwide success of 1, the collection of Beatles hits that Apple Records says is the fastest-selling album ever, Ono said, "John was the one who put the band together and who named the band The Beatles. He was the leader of the band. I'm sure if he's watching all this, he'd be saying, 'Whoopee.'"

The singer's older son, Julian — born of Lennon's first marriage — posted his ruminations on his Web site. Julian, 37, said he "never really knew the man" and hoped to stop talking about him, "except to say that [The Beatles] were a great influence on my life musically." Julian Lennon enjoyed a brief run of hits in the mid-'80s, including the Top 10 album Valotte and the single "Too Late for Goodbyes."

The post did have bitter language for Ono, however, noting that his relationship with a living Lennon "would have depended on whether he was 'John Lennon' (Dad) or 'John Ono Lennon' (manipulated lost soul).

"Once he was a guiding light, a star that shone on all of us, until he was sucked into a black hole and all of his strength consumed. Although he was definitely afraid of fatherhood, the combination of that and his life with Yoko Ono led to the real breakdown of our relationship."