Yoko Ono will fairly or unfairly be cast as the woman that came between the greatest band of all-time, the Beatles. But beneath the surface, Yoko is so much more.

Born into a wealthy aristocratic family on February 18, 1933, in Tokyo, Japan, Yoko Ono is the eldest of three children. With a degree in philosophy from Tokyo's Gakushuin University, Ono -- whose first name means "ocean child" -- crossed the ocean and pursued philosophy and music at Sarah Lawrence College after her father was appointed president of a bank in New York. Soon afterwards, she married Japanese composer Toshi Ichiyanagi in 1956.

Ono not only influenced Lennon, but also an entire generation of bands, from Talking Heads and Blondie to The B-52's. Lennon and Ono's agenda crossed over from music to social commentary, as evidenced by their numerous "bed-ins" -- most notably during their honeymoon in Amsterdam in 1969. In the years that followed, Ono has been busy with everything from films and concerts, to albums of her own. 


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