List of Plastic Ono Band line-ups explained

This is a list of the line-ups of the Plastic Ono Band, the backing band established by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It was active in various incarnations from 1969 to 1974, and was revived by Ono from 2009 until 2015. The group had a constantly shifting line-up, so this page reflects each individual incarnation under the name.

Members

Original era

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
		1969–1974		all releases
	Yoko Ono
	Tom Smothers	June 1969		"Give Peace a Chance" (1969)
	Timothy Leary
	Rabbi Abraham Feinberg
	Joseph Schwartz
	Rosemary Woodruff Leary
	Petula Clark
	Dick Gregory
	Allen Ginsberg
	Murray the K
	Derek Taylor
	Eric Clapton ("Derek Claptoe")	September 1969–December 1969
	Klaus Voormann ("Raus Doorman")
	Alan White ("Dallas White")
	Ringo Starr		drums
	George Harrison ("George Harrisong")
	Billy Preston ("Billy Presstud")
	Jim Gordon ("Jim Bordom")
	Bobby Keys ("Robbie Knees")
	Nicky Hopkins ("Sticky Topkins")
	Keith Moon ("Kief Spoon")	December 1969	drums	Some Time in New York City (1972)
	Delaney Bramlett ("Bilanie")		guitar
	Bonnie Bramlett ("Donnie")		percussion
	Jim Price		trumpet
	Mal Evans	January 1970		"Instant Karma!" (1970)
	John Barham
	Phil Spector
	Jim Keltner
	Joey Molland	February, May–July 1971	acoustic guitar	Imagine (1971)
	Tom Evans
	Ted Turner
	Rod Linton
	Andy Davis
	John Tout		piano
	Steve Brendell
	Mike Pinder		percussion
	Chris Osborne	February, August–October 1971
	Frank Zappa	June 1971		Some Time in New York City (1972)
	Aynsley Dunbar		drums
	Bob Harris
	Howard Kaylan		vocals
	Mark Volman
	Jim Pons
	Don Preston		Mini-Moog
	Ian Underwood
	Hugh McCracken	October 1971	guitar
	Stuart Scharf			"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971)
	Teddy Irwin
	Wayne 'Tex' Gabriel	1971–1973	guitar
	Gary Van Scyoc		bass
	John Ward
	Stan Bronstein
	Adam Ippolito
	John La Boosca		piano
	Richard Frank Jr.
	Kenneth Ascher
	Arthur Jenkins		percussion
	Rick Marotta		drums
	Michael Brecker	1973	saxophone
	David Spinozza		guitar
	Gordon Edwards		bass
	Sneaky Pete Kleinow		pedal steel guitar
	Robert Kreiner		bass	Feeling the Space (1973)
	David Friedman		vibes
	Don Brooks		harmonica
	Jeremy Steig		flute
	Andrew Smith		drums
	Jesse Ed Davis	1974		Walls and Bridges (1974)
	Eddie Mottau		acoustic guitar
	Andy Muson		bass	none
	Steve Gadd		drums
	Randy Brecker		trumpet
	Dan Grolnick
	Steve Khan		guitar

Timeline

Recent timeline

Line-ups

Band	Members	Release contributions and live performances
Plastic Ono Band (June 1969)^[1]	John Lennon – vocals, acoustic guitar Yoko Ono – handclaps, tambourines, backing vocals Tom Smothers – acoustic guitar, backing vocals Timothy Leary, Rabbi Abraham Feinberg, Joseph Schwartz, Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Petula Clark, Dick Gregory, Allen Ginsberg, Murray the K, Derek Taylor – backing vocals, handclaps	"Give Peace a Chance"
Plastic Ono Band (June 1969)^[2]	John Lennon – acoustic guitar Yoko Ono – vocals	"Remember Love"
Plastic Ono Band (September 1969)^[3]	John Lennon – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Yoko Ono – vocals Eric Clapton – lead guitar, backing vocals Klaus Voormann – bass Alan White – drums	Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival (later released as Live Peace in Toronto 1969)
Plastic Ono Band (September 1969)^[4] ^[5]	John Lennon – vocals, rhythm guitar Yoko Ono – vocals Eric Clapton – lead guitar, backing vocals Klaus Voormann – bass Ringo Starr – drums	"Cold Turkey"/"Don't Worry Kyoko"
Plastic Ono Supergroup (December 1969)^[6]	John Lennon – vocals, guitar Yoko Ono – vocals Eric Clapton ("Derek Claptoe") – guitar Delaney Bramlett ("Bilanie") – guitar Bonnie Bramlett ("Donnie") – percussion Jim Gordon ("Jim Bordom") – drums George Harrison ("George Harrisong") – guitar Nicky Hopkins ("Sticky Topkins") – electric piano Bobby Keys ("Robbie Knees") – sax Keith Moon ("Kief Spoon") – drums Billy Preston ("Billy Presstud") – organ Klaus Voormann ("Raus Doorman") – bass Alan White ("Dallas White") – drums Jim Price – trumpet	UNICEF Peace for Christmas Concert (later released on Some Time in New York City as Live Jam)
Plastic Ono Band (January 1970)^[7]	John Lennon – lead vocal, acoustic guitar, piano, backing vocal George Harrison – electric guitar, piano, backing vocal Klaus Voormann – bass guitar, electric piano, backing vocal Alan White – drums, piano, backing vocal Billy Preston – organ, backing vocal Yoko Ono – backing vocal Mal Evans – chimes, handclaps, backing vocal	"Instant Karma!"
Plastic Ono Band (January 1970)^[8] ^[9]	Yoko Ono – vocals, recorder John Lennon – guitar John Barham – harpsichord	"Who Has Seen the Wind?"
Plastic Ono Band (September–October 1970)^[10] ^[11]	John Lennon – vocals, guitar, piano, organ Klaus Voormann – bass Ringo Starr – drums Billy Preston – piano Phil Spector – piano	John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Plastic Ono Band (October–November 1970)^[12]	Yoko Ono – vocals John Lennon – guitar Klaus Voormann – bass Ringo Starr – drums George Harrison – sitar	Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band
Plastic Ono Band (January–March 1971)^[13]	Yoko Ono – vocals John Lennon – guitar Klaus Voormann – bass guitar Jim Gordon – drums	"Open Your Box"
Plastic Ono Band (January–February 1971)^[14]	John Lennon – vocals, guitar Yoko Ono – backing vocals, piano Bobby Keys – saxophone Billy Preston – piano, keyboards Klaus Voormann – bass Jim Gordon – drums	"Power to the People"
Plastic Ono Band (February, May–July 1971)^[15] ^[16]	John Lennon – vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica George Harrison – lead guitar, dobro Nicky Hopkins – piano Klaus Voormann – bass Alan White – drums, percussion Jim Keltner – drums Jim Gordon – drums John Barham – keyboards Phil Spector – backing vocal Joey Molland – acoustic guitar Tom Evans – acoustic guitar Ted Turner – acoustic guitar Rod Linton – acoustic guitar Andy Davis – acoustic guitar John Tout – piano Steve Brendell – double bass, percussion Mike Pinder – percussion	Imagine
Plastic Ono Band (February and August 1971)^[17]	Yoko Ono – vocals, percussion John Lennon – guitar, piano, organ Klaus Voormann – bass, guitar, percussion Jim Keltner – drums, tabla, percussion Jim Gordon – tabla Bobby Keys – percussion Chris Osborne – dobro	Fly
Plastic Ono Band with the Mothers of Invention (June 1971)	John Lennon – guitar, vocals Yoko Ono – bag, vocals Klaus Voormann – bass guitar, vocals Frank Zappa – guitar, vocals Aynsley Dunbar – drums Bob Harris – keyboards, vocals Howard Kaylan – vocals Jim Pons – bass guitar, vocals Don Preston – Mini-Moog Ian Underwood – keyboard, vocals, woodwinds Mark Volman – vocals	6 June 1971 concert at the Fillmore East (later released on Some Time in New York City as Live Jam)
Plastic Ono Band (October 1971)^[18] ^[19]	John Lennon – guitars, vocals Yoko Ono – vocals Jim Keltner – drums Nicky Hopkins – keyboards Hugh McCracken – guitar Chris Osbourne – guitar Stuart Scharf – guitar Teddy Irwin – guitar	"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
Plastic Ono Band (October 1971)^[20]	Yoko Ono – vocals John Lennon – guitars Jim Keltner – drums Nicky Hopkins – keyboards Hugh McCracken – guitar Klaus Voormann – bass	"Listen, the Snow Is Falling"
Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory (1971-1973)^[21]	John Lennon – guitars, vocals, piano Yoko Ono – vocals, piano Jim Keltner – drums, percussion Wayne 'Tex' Gabriel – guitar Gary Van Scyoc – bass Stan Bronstein – saxophone, flute Adam Ippolito – piano, organ John La Boosca – piano Richard Frank Jr. – drums, percussion John Ward – bass	Some Time in New York City One to One Concerts (later released as Live in New York City) 1972 MDA Show of Strength Approximately Infinite Universe
Plastic Ono Band (1973)^[22]	Yoko Ono – vocals John Lennon ("John O'Cean") – guitar Jim Keltner – drums David Spinozza – guitar Kenneth Ascher – piano, organ, mellotron Gordon Edwards – bass Michael Brecker – saxophone Arthur Jenkins – percussion David Friedman – vibes Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar Don Brooks – harmonica Jeremy Steig – flute Something Different – chorus Andrew Smith – drums Robert Kreiner – bass Rick Marotta – drums	Feeling the Space
Plastic U.F.Ono Band (1973)^[23]	John Lennon – vocals, rhythm guitar, slide guitar, percussion Jim Keltner – drums David Spinozza – lead guitar Kenneth Ascher – piano, organ Gordon Edwards – bass Arthur Jenkins – percussion Michael Brecker – saxophone Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar. Rick Marotta – drums Something Different – chorus	Mind Games
Plastic Ono Nuclear Band (1974)^[24]	John Lennon – vocals, guitar, piano Klaus Voormann – bass Jim Keltner – drums Nicky Hopkins – piano Bobby Keys – tenor saxophone Kenneth Ascher – electric piano, clavinet, Mellotron Arthur Jenkins – percussion Jesse Ed Davis – acoustic guitar, lead guitar Eddie Mottau – acoustic guitar	Walls and Bridges
Plastic Ono Super Band (1974)^[25]	Yoko Ono – vocals Andy Muson – bass Rick Marotta – drums Steve Gadd – drums Randy Brecker – trumpet Michael Brecker – saxophone Dan Grolnick – electric piano, clavinet, Mellotron Steve Khan – guitar	Yoko Ono tour of Japan
Disbanded.
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band (2009)^[26]	Yoko Ono – vocals Sean Lennon – acoustic and electric guitars, piano, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion Cornelius – guitars, bass, Tenorion, programming, percussion Yuka Honda – piano, organ, percussion Hirotaka Shimizu – guitars, percussion Yuko Araki – drums, percussion Shahzad Ismaily – guitars, bass, drums, percussion Michael Leonhart – trumpet, vibraphone, percussion Erik Friedlander – cello Daniel Carter – tenor saxophone, flute Indigo Street – guitar	Don't Stop Me! Between My Head and the Sky
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band (2009–Present)^[27]	Yoko Ono – vocals Sean Lennon – guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards, drums Yuka Honda – keyboards Keigo Oyamada – guitar Hirotaka Shimizu – guitar, bass Yuko Araka – drums Michael Leonhart – trumpet Erik Friedlander – cello	We Are Plastic Ono Band" Tour
Plastic Ono Band (February 2010)^[28]	Yoko Ono – vocals Eric Clapton – guitar Klaus Voormann – bass Jim Keltner – drums Sean Lennon – vocals, guitar	16 February 2010 concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
The Flaming Lips with Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band (2011)^[29]	Yoko Ono – vocals Sean Lennon – guitar Wayne Coyne – vocals, guitar, keyboards Michael Ivins – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Steven Drozd – vocals, drums, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Kliph Scurlock – drums, percussion Derek Brown – guitar, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals	The Flaming Lips 2011 #11: The Flaming Lips with Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band (2013)^[30]	Yoko Ono – vocals Sean Lennon – guitar, piano, bass, synthesizer, percussion Cornelius – remixing Yuka Honda – keyboards, synthesizer Lenny Kravitz – drums Nels Cline – guitar Questlove – drums Bill Dobrow – drums Hirotaka Shimizu – guitar Keigo Oyamada – bass, guitar Julian Lage – guitar	Take Me to the Land of Hell

Notes and References

1. Web site: Year One . 2014-02-23 . Beatles.ncf.ca.
2. Book: Blaney, J. . Lennon and McCartney: Together Alone – A critical discography of their solo work . Jawbone Press . 2007 . 9781906002022 . 17.
3. Blaney 2005, p. 35
4. Noyer, Paul Du (2010). "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band". John Lennon: The Stories Behind Every Song 1970–1980 (Rev. ed.). London: Carlton Books Ltd. p. 27. .
5. Blaney, J. (2005). John Lennon: Listen to This Book. Paper Jukebox. pp. 24–29.
6. Some Time in New York City (Inner sleeve). John Lennon and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory & Invisible Strings. Apple, EMI. 1972.
7. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 171.
8. Book: Blaney, John . John Lennon: Listen To This Book . Biddles Ltd. . 2005 . 0-9544528-1-X . Guildford, Great Britain . 52.
9. Book: Blaney, John . Lennon and McCartney: Together Alone . Jawbone Press . 2007 . 9781906002022 . 28–29.
10. Norman, Philip (2009). John Lennon: The Life. HarperCollins UK. . Retrieved 2 December 2011.
11. Irvin, Jim, ed. (2009). The Mojo Collection the Ultimate Music Companion. Edinburgh: Canongate. p. 228. .
12. Book: Spizer, Bruce . The Beatles Solo on Apple Records . 498 Productions . 2005 . 0-9662649-5-9 . New Orleans, LA . 343 . Bruce Spizer.
13. Book: Blaney, John . John Lennon: Listen To This Book . Biddles Ltd. . 2005 . 0-9544528-1-X . Guildford, Great Britain . 71–72.
14. Book: Blaney, John . John Lennon: Listen to This Book . Biddles . 2005 . 0-9544528-1-X . Guildford, UK . 66–70.
15. Book: Castleman . Harry . All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975 . Podrazik . Walter J. . Ballantine Books . 1976 . 0-345-25680-8 . New York, NY . 104.
16. Book: Spizer, Bruce . The Beatles Solo on Apple Records . 498 Productions . 2005 . 0-9662649-5-9 . New Orleans, LA . 53–57 . John's second solo album, Imagine ... was credited to John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (with The Flux Fiddlers)..
17. Book: Castleman . Harry . All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975 . Podrazik . Walter J. . Ballantine Books . 1976 . 0-345-25680-8 . New York, NY . 104, 178–81.
18. Book: Blaney, John . John Lennon: Listen To This Book . Biddles Ltd. . 2005 . 0-9544528-1-X . Guildford, Great Britain . 96–101.
19. Book: Blaney, John . Lennon and McCartney: Together Alone . Jawbone Press . 2007 . 9781906002022 . 71–72.
20. Book: Blaney, John . John Lennon: Listen to This Book . Biddles Ltd. . 2005 . 0-9544528-1-X . Guildford, Great Britain . 101.
21. Web site: Live in New York City – John Lennon | Credits . 2014-02-23 . AllMusic.
22. Web site: Feeling the Space – Yoko Ono | Credits . 2014-02-23 . AllMusic.
23. Mind Games (Booklet). John Lennon. Apple, EMI. 1973.
24. Walls and Bridges (Booklet). John Lennon. Apple, EMI. 1974.
25. Web site: Bocaro . Madeline . 2019-08-09 . Let's Have A Dream! . 2022-09-17 . madelinex.com .
26. Web site: 2009-09-21 . Between My Head and the Sky – Yoko Ono,Plastic Ono Band | Credits . 2014-02-23 . AllMusic.
27. Web site: 16 February 2010 - Plastic Ono Band .
28. Web site: 2010-02-20 . BAM! by Yoko Ono: We Are Plastic Ono Band: Yoko + incredible special guests: Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY 16 Feb . 2014-02-23 . Imaginepeace.com.
29. Web site: 2012-12-31 . The Flaming Lips 2011 #9: The Flaming Lips with Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band – The Flaming Lips,Yoko Ono | Credits . 2014-02-23 . AllMusic.
30. Web site: 2013-09-24 . Take Me to the Land of Hell – Yoko Ono,Plastic Ono Band | Credits . 2014-02-23 . AllMusic.