He has an extraordinary eye, announcing his arrival in the fine art photography space in 2010 with a beautiful and triumphant debut exhibition, ‘Timeless’, at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York. It was a take-notice moment, since then he has exhibited his visual work all over the world.

As the author of a children’s book trilogy, Touch the Earth, and its follow-up, The Morning Tribe, he is the recipient of the World Literacy Award for his significant contribution to the promotion of literacy and the protection of the environment.

Julian founded the White Feather Foundation in 2007 to help preserve and protect indigenous cultures, a vision which has now expanded to support projects worldwide in the areas of education, health and clean water, work that contributed to his being named a Peace Laureate by UNESCO in 2020. Like his father, he has done work to be proud of.

I am extremely fortunate to have met John Lennon. My producer Mike Appleton and I got to spend a couple of days with him in 1975, filming an interview with him for our BBC television music show The Old Grey Whistle Test. He had the Rock ’n’ Roll album coming out and we filmed a wonderful, relaxed conversation, in which he talked about his family, his life and the songs on the record, one of which was a great cover of ‘Peggy Sue’. 

John was a massive Buddy Holly fan. He’d recorded ‘That’ll Be the Day’ during his first ever recording session with Paul McCartney and George Harrison in a little studio in Liverpool in 1958 and had carried his love of Buddy’s records into The Beatles, making sure that every one of the band’s new singles sounded slightly different from all the others – a true Buddy Holly trademark.

Because of his green card issues at the time, John was unable to leave America and he was missing Julian. The interview between us was part of a postcard he was sending to his lad back in Blighty.

It is fabulous and fitting that Julian has received his Buddy Holly guitar. It’s an important moment and a circle completed. He and his dad embody a brave and caring spirit. Truly they are a force for good in the world.

Bob Harris