Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon FRAM, FRCM (born 18 June 1942) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles (1960–1970) and Wings (1971–1981), McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the “most successful musician and composer in popular music history”, with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million singles in the United Kingdom alone.

He is one of Britain’s wealthiest men: according to the High Court judgment Sir Paul’s total fortune comes to £387,012,000.
Still plays his 1964 Epiphone acoustic guitar which he used to compose “Yesterday”.
Although all his songs for The Beatles are still credited as “Lennon – McCartney” he individually wrote almost half of all 200 songs for The Beatles, such as “Yesterday”, “Let it Be”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “Helter Skelter”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “Yellow Submarine”, “Hey Jude” and many more. Only songs in earlier albums are really joint efforts with John Lennon. The co-credit was because of a handshake deal the two had made in their teens.
His song “Yesterday” is one of the most popular songs of all time. Whilst he was looking for the right lyrics, he was temporarily using the line “Scrambled Eggs” until he came up with “Yesterday” in the final version of the song, as it is now known to the world. It became one of the most recorded songs of all time, with more than 3,000 known versions.
Awarded for classical compositions of choral and orchestral music.
During his engagement to Jane Asher, Paul (with John Lennon) wrote several songs for Jane’s older brother, Peter Asher, of the singing duo Peter and Gordon, including their #1 hit “World Without Love”. He also wrote the song “Woman” for them, under the pseudonym of Bernard Webb.
He was respected by The Beatles producer, George Martin for his superior musicianship, musical inventiveness, and multi-instrumental abilities. Martin said that Paul McCartney was the one with enough attention span to sit at the piano, or in the studio as long as it takes to compose the best melody and harmony for their songs.
Plays piano on the song “Let it be.” Performed “Let It Be” at Live Aid in 1985. During this performance, Bob Geldof, David Bowie, Alison Moyet and Pete Townshend (of The Who) all came on stage towards the end to sing backup vocals.
His four children with Linda McCartney are Heather McCartney (adopted from her previous marriage), photographer Mary McCartney, top fashion designer Stella McCartney and musician/sculptor James McCartney. Paul was married to rock photographer Linda Eastman on March 12, 1969 at the Marylebone Register Office.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Beatles January 20, 1988. Citing business differences, he did not attend the induction ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City with his former bandmates George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Awarded the Polar Music Prize, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Award, in 1992.
His later musical compositions have included classical works, such as the acclaimed ‘Liverpool Oratorio’ and ‘Standing Stone’.
He is in the Guinness Book of World Records with 60 gold discs and sales of over 100 million singles.
Owns the double bass that once belonged to Elvis Presley’s bassist Bill Black. He plays the instrument on his solo sessions at his studio.
Played over 40 various instruments on two of his solo albums, ‘McCartney’ (1970) and ‘McCartney II’ (1980).
According to McCartney, the name of the rock group Wings was inspired by daughter Stella McCartney’s birth, which was premature and traumatic; Stella and her mother both almost died. As his daughter was being born by emergency cesarean section, Paul sat outside the operating room and prayed that she be born “on the wings of an angel.”

Had wanted The Beatles to do a club tour shortly before they broke up. John Lennon disagreed, thinking that if they did tour again, it should have been in stadium-sized venues.
Named one of E!’s “top 20 entertainers of 2001.”
Animal-rights activist, vegetarian, and anti-landmine activist. Created Paul and Linda McCartney charity foundation and several other charities. Donated millions to humanitarian causes across the world, and has been involved in charity recordings and concert performances.
Owns the copyrights to Buddy Holly’s song catalogue, and also numerous other compositions, including “Ramblin’ Wreck From Georgia Tech”.
Owns a Steinway concert piano model B made in Hamburg. He takes the piano along on his concert tours around the world.
Claims his nights in a Japanese prison in 1980 were the only time he had been separated from then-wife, Linda McCartney.
Has written several songs about his former bandmate John Lennon, including “Dear Boy”, “Too Many People”, “Dear Friend”, “Let Me Roll It” and “Here Today.”
Holds a record with 29 #1 singles on the American charts with The Beatles, Paul McCartney & Wings, and as a solo artist (including one duet with Stevie Wonder).
Fined $200 in 1973 for growing marijuana on his Scotland farm. Arrested and jailed briefly in Japan in 1980 for carrying same substance.
Made an honorary detective by the New York City Police Department for the benefit concert he gave for 9/11 victims, April 2002.
Won last-minute court order preventing Christie’s from auctioning his handwritten lyrics to the song “Hey Jude.” Paper with lyrics scrawled on it had been expected to bring up to $116,000 at auction scheduled for April 30, but England’s High Court, ruled for Sir Paul the day before, deciding that the valuable artifact from The Beatles will remain at auction house until ownership is finally determined by agreement or trial.
Won prize for drawing of a church at age 11. In 2002, from May-August, over 70 of his paintings from past 20 years on view at Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, England.
Daughter, Stella McCartney, was born on September 13, 1971.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 (as a solo artist).
His first guitar was a Zenith archtop f-hole acoustic. He got it at the Rushworth and Drapers Music Store in Liverpool when he was 14, as a gift from his father (brother Mike McGear got a banjo at the same time, but broke his arm at Boy Scout camp a few weeks later).
His song “When I’m 64″ was written for his father Jim’s 64th birthday.
He wrote his first song, “I Lost My Little Girl”, when he was 14. It was never recorded by the Beatles, and was not one of the songs McCartney and Lennon lost in 1969, when their publishing company Northern Songs was sold.
His father, Jim, was a musician, and had a band called Jim Mac’s Jazz Band. Paul has fond memories of lying on his bedroom floor and listening to his father play piano.
Along with writing “Hey Jude” for Julian Lennon the summer his parents broke up, Paul also jokingly proposed to Cynthia Lennon, in the wake of his own breakup with Jane Asher. Cynthia appreciated the laugh they both shared– and the single red rose that Paul had brought.
Was the only member of The Beatles to graduate from Britain’s equivalent of high-school; he majored in Art.
Usually considered the most “conventional” of The Beatles, but Paul has had his share of far-out ideas, including the germ of the TV-movie Magical Mystery Tour (1967) (TV), and a “self-portrait” published as a 1960s magazine cover, a psychedelic painting a la Pablo Picasso.
Set up John Lennon’s “home studio” for him at Kenwood, with its chain of tape decks; Lennon used this setup to make song demos for the Beatles, and later the infamous ‘Two Virgins’ album with Yoko Ono (which Paul gave its cover quote).
A lyric sheet to his song “Yesterday” is featured on the front cover of the Marillion album “Script for a Jester’s Tear” (released 1983).
In 2002 he changed the writing credits to many of the songs he made with The Beatles to “McCartney & Lennon”, to a large public outrage. It is a common misconception, however that this was the first time he had done this. He made the same credit change on his 1976 live album “Wings Over America” to little or no public scrutiny, and to no public comment from John Lennon (who was still alive at the time). Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984) also listed the credit “Songs Composed by Paul McCartney” – including the Beatles songs performed in the movie.
Has homes in London, New York and Beverly Hills, an estate in Scotland, and a ranch in Arizona.
Eleven years after the breakup of The Beatles, along with Ringo Starr he played on George Harrison’s, “All Those Years Ago”, about the death of his singing partner, John Lennon. The last Harrison song he and Starr played on was “When We Was Fab”, which takes a look back at The Beatle years.
The three surviving members of The Beatles appeared on three separate episodes of “The Simpsons” (1989). Starr appeared in a 1991 episode of “Brush with Greatness,” Harrison appeared in a 1993 episode of “Homer’s Barbershop Quartet,” and McCartney appeared in a 1995 episode of “Lisa The Vegetarian”.
Contributes “Calico Skies” to the “Warchild Hope” album (released 21 April 2003).
Met his first wife Linda McCartney in a London nightclub called the Bag O’Nails.
Cousin of Kate Robbins and Ted Robbins.
In 1998, his song “Blackbird” was covered by Marillion for their live album “Unplugged at the Walls”.
Is half of the techno duo The Fireman.
In 1971, he produced (but did not perform on) “Thrillington”, an instrumental version of the album “Ram” he recorded with his wife Linda. The songs were presented in orchestral versions, and Paul’s work as producer and director was pseudonymously credited to “Percy ‘Thrills’ Thrillington”. The album was not well received by the critics, but is now a much sought-after collectable.
First used the pseudonym “Apollo C. Vermouth” when producing an album for the novelty musical group, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (later known as The Bonzos). He used the pseudonym because record contract obligations prevented him from using his real name on a rival record label. The band repaid McCartney’s efforts with a composition entitled “Mister Apollo”, a song about an impossibly perfect body builder.
The only member of The Beatles to have been nominated for an Academy Award in his own right.
Favorite singers were Little Richard and Elvis Presley.
Met George Harrison on a bus to school, and asked him to join the band that eventually became The Beatles.
Born on the same day as film critic Roger Ebert, and two days before fellow musician and composer Brian Wilson.
Owned a ranch in Tucson, Arizona; this was where first wife Linda McCartney died.
Owns a Hollywood Hills manor property purchased from Courtney Love, and Ellen DeGeneres.
The Beatles were voted the Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Artists of all time by Rolling Stone. They also topped a similar list complied by VH1.
Played bass on the Band Aid 20 re-recording of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. [November 2004]
At 5′ 11″, he was the tallest member of The Beatles, being about half an inch taller than the late George Harrison.
Several of his solo albums (and those with Wings) featured cover photos by first wife Linda McCartney, including “Ram”, with a picture of him handling a ram at his Scottish farm (John Lennon later parodied this picture in his “Imagine” album, grasping the ears of a pig). The back cover included a photo of bugs mating; while it was unintentional, several fans thought this illustrated a negative attitude towards the Beatles.
Born at 2:00pm-BDST.
Showed his paintings at Concert at HP Pavilion in San Jose (November 8th) leading up to his performance as apart of his US Tour
One of the guitars he used in his US tour (2005) was the one he used on The Beatles’ appearance on “Toast of the Town” (1948) (aka The Ed Sullian Show) in the early 1960s.
Though a huge fan of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic’s work, turned down his request to parody Paul’s James Bond song “Live and Let Die” as “Chicken Pot Pie” for vegetarian reasons.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries in 2006, The Beatles are the biggest popular music act of all time, with over 400 million albums sold officially, while the total number of all Beatles’ records sold was over 1 billion copies.
Released his new album ‘Memory almost full’ in 2007.
Created a collection of oil paintings, and had a one man art show in London.
He still owns an interest in Apple Corps, the Beatles’s company. His own company MPL Communications owns a sizable publishing catalog, with over three thousand copyrights (songs, poems, images, recordings, etc.).
He and John Lennon quibbled bitterly in the press after the break up of The Beatles. However, in 1977, they met in New York, and watched the episode of “Saturday Night Live” (1975) in which Lorne Michaels offered $3000 to see The Beatles get back together. He and Lennon considered turning up that night together as a joke, but were too tired to follow through.
All 34 of his solo albums have made the Billboard Top 200, something very few solo artists have achieved. 12 of them, including “Wingspan”, went to #1. As of 2009, has released 34 studio albums, of which 31 feature pop music and 3 feature classical compositions. He has stated that he hopes to compose more classical pieces in the future, as well as a desire to venture into jazz at some point.
Had a remarkable 62 top 100 singles from 1971-2005, under a variety of categories. 17 of them went to #1.
Won five Grammys, including two with The Beatles. His “Eleanor Rigby” was Best Pop/Rock and Roll or Contemporary song. His “Michelle” won for Song Of The Year. “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsy” won for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)/Best Background Arrangement, “Band On The Run” won for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and “Rockestra Theme” won for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
He loved and was flattered by Ray Charles’s cover of “Eleanor Rigby”, but John Lennon did not like the version.
Friends with Neil Young, who inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He and his long-time wife, Linda McCartney, said that Young was their favorite performer. His favorite song of Young’s is “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”.
Father-in-law of Alistair Donald and Alasdhair Willis.
Has five grandsons and one granddaughter: Mary McCartney’s three sons Arthur Alistair Donald (b. 3 April 1999) Elliot Donald (b. 1 August 2002), and Sam Aboud (b. 11 August 2008), and Stella McCartney’s sons Miller Alasdhair James Willis (b. 25 February 2005) and Beckett Robert Lee (b. 8 January 2008), and daughter Bailey Linda Olwyn Willis (b. 8 December 2006).
During his engagement to Jane Asher, Paul (with John Lennon) wrote several songs for Jane’s older brother, Peter Asher, of the singing duo Peter and Gordon, including their #1 hit “World Without Love”. He also wrote the song “Woman” for them, under the pseudonym of Bernard Webb.
Winner of the Sony Award For Technical Excellence in 1983.
Winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Male Solo Artist in 1983.
Named “Man of the Year” at the GQ awards ceremony. (6 September 2006)
The Scissor Sisters’ second album, Ta-Dah, has a song entitled Paul McCartney.
His grandchildren Arthur and Elliot are older than his daughter Beatrice.
[Sunday 13 November 2005] Became the very first musician to perform live music for an audience in space. This music milestone occurred during his concert in Anaheim, California, when he sang “Good Day Sunshine” and “English Tea” for NASA Astronaut Bill McArthur and Russian Cosmonaut Valery Tokarev who were orbiting some 220 miles above earth in their Space Shuttle Discovery.
Has a stepsister Ruth McCartney, adopted by his father when he married Ruth’s mother.
The Beatles were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. [11 November 2004]
The hit Yesterday does not feature any of the other members of The Beatles. It’s just McCartney and a string section. As such, the record company considered releasing it as a McCartney solo song, but decided not to because of objections by John Lennon.
Inducted with John Lennon into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987.
In 1957, his knowledge of song lyrics , most notably Eddie Cochran’s 1956 recording of “Twenty Flight Rock” with its 12 bar blues format, as well as Paul’s superior ability to play guitar (including being able to tune one) impressed John Lennon so much that he invited McCartney to join his band the Quarry Men, which later became The Beatles.
He was The Beatles’ lead vocalist, bass player, pianist and songwriter. He was also an accomplished lead guitarist whose vibrato-laced solos can be heard on “Taxman,” “Drive My Car,” “Ticket to Ride,” “Another Girl,” and other Beatles’ hits.
Winner of the 2007 Q Icon Award.
Because of his 2008 divorce, he became the fourth and final member of The Beatles to get a divorce. Among the four, McCartney had the longest marriage (to Linda McCartney), although Ringo Starr is still married to his second wife (and has been since 1981).
28 October 2003: A daughter named Beatrice Milly was born to Paul and wife Heather Mills. She was named after Heather’s late mother Beatrice and Paul’s Aunt Milly.
In July 2001, shortly after their engagement was announced, his fiancée Heather Mills lost her $21,000 diamond and sapphire engagement ring, which was later found on a golf course.
In 2007, before completion of the film Across the Universe (2007), director Julie Taymor brought the post-production copy to a private screening with Paul McCartney, and he liked the film. Yoko Ono also approved the film.
In 2006, he donated $2 million to Adopt-a-Minefield.
Turned down the offer to write a new James Bond song for Quantum of Solace (2008), and recommended singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse for the job.
Winner of the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution in 2008. The Beatles previously won the award in 1977 and 1983, putting McCartney in a select group with John Lennon, Sting and Freddie Mercury as the only people to have won the award in a band and as an individual.
In September 25th, 2008 performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, for the first time, after more than 40 years after the ban of the Israeli government on the Beatles performing in Israel. The concert was titled “Friendship First”.
He and the Beatles were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
He and the Beatles were awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1965 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for their services to music.
Was good friends with professional Wrestler Giant Haystacks aka Lochness.
Plays left-handed guitar.
Paul played all the instruments and did all the vocal tracks on his 1970 recording of “Maybe I’m Amazed”.
He was the only “ex Beatle” to appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” with his 1970 video of “Maybe I’m Amazed”.
In one of his first solo recordings following The Beatles’ breakup in 1970, Paul played all the instruments and did all the vocal tracks on “Maybe I’m Amazed”.
He was the only “ex-Beatle” to appear on “Toast of the Town” (1948) (aka “The Ed Sullivan Show”) with his 1970 video of “Maybe I’m Amazed”.
On 15 May 1968, Paul McCartney and John Lennon appeared as “talk show” guests on NBC-TV’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” (1962) with guest host Joe Garagiola. They mentioned that the two of them walked through NYC’s Central Park the previous Sunday unnoticed by the many passersby.
He reportedly turned down a part in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (1968/I). McCartney didn’t believe he would be good enough and the Beatles were recording Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at the time.
The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $720 million.
He was awarded the Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 1997 Queen’s New Years Honours List for his services to music. He is the only Beatle to be given a higher British honor since their MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1965 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. John Lennon returned his MBE in 1969 out of protest.
Though The Beatles have denied that there was ever an intentional “Paul Mc Cartney is dead” hoax, in one of the early studio takes of “Strawberry Fields”, John Lennon is clearly heard saying “I buried Paul”. In the “fade out” of the most popular hit version of “Strawberry Fields”‘, that statement comes across as the result of reverse over dubbing. In other words, that line was recorded by reciting ” luaP deirub I ” and playing it backwards. A process that was used to produce exotic instrumental and vocal sounds on The “Sergent Pepper” album.
His younger brother, Michael, aka Mike McGear of the satirical group “The Scaffold”. Michael chose to take the name of McGear as his professional name so as not to capitalize on the fame of his brother. Mike McGear was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1997 Queen’s New Years Honours List while Paul McCartney was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire for his services to music.
McCartney was the only barefooted Beatle crossing the street on the sleeve of the “Abbey Road” album (1969), a fact that merited a test segment on the popular “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (1998) TV series.
Recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Herman, Merle Haggard, and Bill T. Jones.
As a VIP guest of President Barack Obama at The White House, McCartney was presented with the Library of Congress “Gershwin Prize for Popular Song” trophy. The former Beatle was the third recipient of the prestigious award after Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. When McCartney performed a selection of his songs, including “Michelle” especially for the First Lady, he played the very same electric Hofner bass guitar he played when The Beatles made their American TV debut (9 February 1964) on “Toast of the Town” (1948) (The Ed Sullivan Show) 46 years earlier. Among the various artists commemorating McCartney’s spectacular achievement with personal renditions of his songs were: Herbie Hancock and Corinne Bailey Rae (“Blackbird”), Elvis Costello (“Penny Lane”), Emmylou Harris (“For No One”), Faith Hill (“The Long and Winding Road”), Stevie Wonder (“We Can Work It Out”) and (“Ebony and Ivory” with Paul), David Grohl (“Band On the Run”), Jack White (“Mother Nature’s Son”), The Jonas Brothers (“Drive My Car”), Jerry Seinfeld (stand-up shtick). Daughters Mary McCartney and Stella McCartney were seated immediately behind Paul and the First Family. The festive soirée culminated with a Lang Lang classical interpretation of “Celebrations” and an ensemble of artists performing “Hey Jude” for the grand finale. [June 2010 East Room - White House]
Engaged to Nancy Shevell. Acquaintances for some 20 years, they re-met at a summer party in the Hamptons in 2007 and have been a couple since then. Nancy is vice-president, administration, of her family’s New Jersey-based trucking business, New England Freight Motors, Inc. She’s also a cousin of Barbara Walters, who has said that “Nancy is like a second child to me”. [August, 2011].
Paul married for the third time, to Nancy Shevell, on Sunday, October 9, 2011 (Jon Lennon’s birthday). In attendance were, Paul’s daughter, Beatrice, who was a flower, girl, Nancy’s son, Arlen, her cousin, Barbara Walters, Paul’s brother, Mike, Ringo Starr and his wife Barbara Bach and George Harrison’s widow, Olivia Harrison. The couple wore clothes designed by Paul’s daughter, Stella and were married at, Old Marylebone Town Hall, the same place where, Paul had married Linda 1969.