Dylan and John Lennon first met in 1964 and their paths crossed a number of times between then and Lennon's murder in 1980. It is likely, however, that the specific origins of "Roll On John" came from a public minibus tour that Dylan took of Lennon's childhood home in Liverpool in 2009. A spokeswoman for the National Trust-owned home said in an interview that Dylan "could have booked a private tour but he was happy to go on the bus with everyone else". She also noted that Dylan, who apparently went unrecognized by the other 13 tourists on the bus, "appeared to enjoy himself". Dylan himself mentioned the visit and what he had learned about Lennon's life from it in a 2012 "Rolling Stone" interview to promote "Tempest". In the same interview, Dylan also recalled that he and his band had "started practicing" the song during soundchecks in late 2011.