List of Plastic Ono Band line-ups

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
	John Lennon	1969–1974	vocals rhythm guitar keyboards	all releases
	Yoko Ono		vocals keyboards percussion
	Tom Smothers	June 1969	acoustic guitar backing vocals	"Give Peace a Chance" (1969)
	Timothy Leary		backing vocals handclaps
	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	lead guitar backing vocals	Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969) "Cold Turkey"/"Don't Worry Kyoko" (1969) Some Time in New York City (1972)
	Klaus Voormann ("Raus Doorman")	September 1969–January 1970 September 1970–August 1971 1974	bass electric piano backing vocals guitar percussion	Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969) "Cold Turkey"/"Don't Worry Kyoko" (1969) Some Time in New York City (1972) "Instant Karma!" (1970) John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band (1970) "Open Your Box" (1971) "Power to the People" (1971) Fly (1971) "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" (1971) Walls and Bridges (1974)
	Alan White ("Dallas White")	September 1969 December 1969 February, May–July 1971	drums percussion piano backing vocals	Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (1969) "Instant Karma!" (1970) Imagine (1971) Some Time in New York City (1972)
	Ringo Starr	September 1969 September–November 1970	drums	"Cold Turkey"/"Don't Worry Kyoko" (1969) John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
	George Harrison ("George Harrisong")	December 1969–January 1970 October–November 1970 February, May–July 1971	guitar piano sitar dobro backing vocals	"Instant Karma!" (1970) Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Some Time in New York City (1972) Imagine (1971)
	Billy Preston ("Billy Presstud")	December 1969–January 1970 September–October 1970 January–February 1971	organ piano keyboards backing vocals	"Instant Karma!" (1970) John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) "Power to the People" (1971) Some Time in New York City (1972)
	Jim Gordon ("Jim Bordom")	December 1969 January–August 1971,	drums tabla	Some Time in New York City (1972) "Open Your Box" (1971) "Power to the People" (1971) Imagine (1971) Fly (1971)
	Bobby Keys ("Robbie Knees")	December 1969 January–February 1971 August 1971 1974	saxophone percussion	Some Time in New York City (1972) "Power to the People" (1971) Fly (1971) Walls and Bridges (1974)
	Nicky Hopkins ("Sticky Topkins")	December 1969 February, May–October 1971 1974	electric piano piano keyboards	Imagine (1971) Some Time in New York City (1972) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971) "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" (1971) Walls and Bridges (1974)
	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	chimes handclaps backing vocals	"Instant Karma!" (1970)
	John Barham	January 1970 February, May–July 1971	harpsichord keyboards	"Who Has Seen the Wind?" (1970) Imagine (1971)
	Phil Spector	September–October 1970 February, May–July 1971	piano backing vocals	John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970) Imagine (1971)
	Jim Keltner	February, May–October 1971 1971–1973 1974	drums tabla percussion	Imagine (1971) Fly (1971) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971) "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" (1971) Some Time in New York City (1972) Approximately Infinite Universe (1973) Live in New York City (1986) Walls and Bridges (1974)
	Joey Molland	February, May–July 1971	acoustic guitar	Imagine (1971)
	Tom Evans
	Ted Turner
	Rod Linton
	Andy Davis
	John Tout		piano
	Steve Brendell		double bass percussion
	Mike Pinder		percussion
	Chris Osborne	February, August–October 1971	dobro guitar	Fly (1971) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971)
	Frank Zappa	June 1971	guitar vocals	Some Time in New York City (1972)
	Aynsley Dunbar		drums
	Bob Harris		keyboards vocals
	Howard Kaylan		vocals
	Mark Volman
	Jim Pons		bass guitar vocals
	Don Preston		Mini-Moog
	Ian Underwood		keyboard vocals woodwinds
	Hugh McCracken	October 1971	guitar	"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971) "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" (1971)
	Stuart Scharf			"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (1971)
	Teddy Irwin
	Wayne 'Tex' Gabriel	1971–1973	guitar	Some Time in New York City (1972) Approximately Infinite Universe (1973) Live in New York City (1986)
	Gary Van Scyoc		bass
	John Ward
	Stan Bronstein		saxophone flute
	Adam Ippolito		piano organ
	John La Boosca		piano
	Richard Frank Jr.		drums percussion
	Kenneth Ascher	1973 1974	piano organ mellotron	Feeling the Space (1973) Mind Games (1973) Walls and Bridges (1974)
	Arthur Jenkins		percussion
	Rick Marotta		drums	Feeling the Space (1973) Mind Games (1973)
	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	acoustic guitar lead guitar	Walls and Bridges (1974)
	Eddie Mottau		acoustic guitar
	Andy Muson		bass	none
	Steve Gadd		drums
	Randy Brecker		trumpet
	Dan Grolnick		electric piano clavinet Mellotron
	Steve Khan		guitar

Timeline

Classic 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) [6]	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] [19]	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) [6] [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

References

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3. Blaney 2005, p. 35
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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.
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25. Bocaro, Madeline (2019-08-09). "Let's Have A Dream!". madelinex.com. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
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