Fans Pay Respects at Strawberry Fields in NYC on 41st Anniversary of John Lennon's Murder

Fans gathered at the Strawberry Fields memorial in New York's Central Park on Wednesday to pay respect to John Lennon on the 41st anniversary of the singer's death.

Strawberry Fields, a 2.5 acre landscaped section in the park, was dedicated to Lennon in 1985 by his widow Yoko Ono and is named after one of The Beatles' most iconic songs.

Fans can often be found placing candles and flowers on a tiled mosaic that serves as the memorial's centerpiece. Gatherings are especially commonplace both on the anniversary of Lennon's death, December 8, and on his birthday, October 9.

Small crowds formed throughout the day in tribute to the slain musical icon. Many people could be seen with musical instruments like drums and guitars, and singing eventually broke out.

One short clip posted on Twitter by Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan showed a group of fans surrounding the mosaic. The fans, many of whom appeared to be wearing masks, could be heard singing The Beatles classic "I Should Have Known Better."

Fans also sang "Give Peace a Chance," one of Lennon and Ono's original compositions.

Tributes also poured in across social media from a variety of musical and artistic heavyweights.

The official Twitter account for the estate of deceased Beatles' guitarist George Harrison posted a quote from their namesake that said Lennon "saw that we are not just in the material world."

"He saw beyond death, that this life is just a little play that is going on. And he understood that," Harrison once said.

Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr posted a photo of himself and Lennon practicing, writing, "Peace and love my friend."

Lennon's estate also posted pictures of the singer and songwriter throughout the day, as well as a variety of quotes and song lyrics attributed to the star.

Born in Liverpool, England, in 1940, Lennon, along with Harrison, Starr, and Paul McCartney, helped make The Beatles one of the most iconic acts of the 1960s. Many musical experts consider the quartet to be the greatest band of all time, and The Beatles continue to have a massive fanbase half a century after their breakup.

Lennon was often known for his songwriting partnership with McCartney, and both of the men went on to have distinguished solo careers after The Beatles' split.

In partnership with his eventual wife Ono, Lennon released a number of solo hits throughout the early 1970s. His single "Imagine" was ranked as the third-greatest song of all time in a 2004 list from Rolling Stone.

At the height of his popularity, Lennon was shot and killed in New York in 1980 by Mark David Chapman, who ambushed the singer outside of his apartment building.

Chapman was reportedly angered by a number of previous statements that Lennon had made, and was allegedly inspired by the 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye. Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison and had his parole denied for the eleventh time in 2020.

Newsweek has reached out to The Beatles and the estate of John Lennon for comment.