May Pang, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, grew up in New York with her parents and adopted brother. After graduating high school in the early 1970s, May decided against college and instead aimed to get a foothold in the music industry.
May was hired as an assistant at ABKCO, Allen Klein's artist management company, which represented John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. When John Lennon called, May recognized his voice and was charmed by his warm demeanor.
May's work with John and Yoko Ono led to a stint as their personal assistant, and she eventually moved to England with them. However, their relationship began to deteriorate due to John's immigration and business problems, as well as Yoko's frustration with being accepted in the public eye.
Yoko suggested May as a "mistress" to John, who was initially hesitant but eventually agreed. May and John moved to Los Angeles in 1973 to record an album with Phil Spector, and they began a romantic relationship.
May stayed with John for two years, working on his recording projects and spending her free time with him. However, their relationship was marked by John's heavy drinking and occasional violence, which caused problems in their relationship.
May and John returned to New York in 1974 to work on John's album Walls and Bridges, but their relationship was eventually over when John reconciled with Yoko and became pregnant with their son Sean.
After her relationship with John ended, May struggled to find work in the music industry, but eventually found her way back through new jobs at Island Records and RKO Radio. She continued to work in the industry and eventually married record producer Tony Visconti.
May wrote a book about her experiences with John and Yoko, titled Loving John, and still occasionally appears in the media to recount their relationship.
