Paul McCartney

He is one of Britains wealthiest men: according to the High Court judgment Sir Pauls total fortune comes to 387,012,000.

He still plays the 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", "Cant 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.

He was awarded for classical compositions of choral and orchestral music.

During his engagement to Jane Asher , Paul (with John Lennon ) wrote several songs for Janes 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 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.

He plays piano for 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.

He was 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.

He was 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.

He 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.

He played over 40 various instruments on two of his solo albums, McCartney and McCartney II.

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."

He 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.

He was named one of E!s "top 20 entertainers of 2001.".

He is an animal-rights activist, vegetarian and anti-landmine activist. He created Paul and Linda McCartney charity foundation and several other charities. He has donated millions to humanitarian causes across the world and has been involved in charity recordings and concert performances.

He owns the copyrights to Buddy Holly s song catalogue and also numerous other compositions, including "Ramblin Wreck From Georgia Tech".

He owns a Steinway concert piano model B made in Hamburg. He takes the piano along on his concert tours around the world.

He claims his nights in a Japanese prison in 1980 were the only time he had been separated from then-wife Linda McCartney.

He 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.".

He 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 ).

He was fined $200 in 1973 for growing marijuana on his Scotland farm. He was arrested and jailed briefly in Japan in 1980 for carrying the same substance.

He was made an honorary detective by the New York City Police Department for the benefit concert he gave for 9/11 victims, April 2002.

He won a last-minute court order preventing Christies 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 Englands 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.

He 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.

His daughter, Stella McCartney , was born on September 13, 1971.

He was 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 Im 64" was written for his father Jims 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 Macs 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.

He was the only member of The Beatles to graduate from Britains equivalent of high-school; he majored in Art.

He is usually considered the most "conventional" of The Beatles , but McCartney has had his share of far-out ideas, including the germ of the TV-movie Magical Mystery Tour , and a "self-portrait" published as a 1960s magazine cover, a psychedelic painting a la Pablo Picasso.

He 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 Jesters 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 also listed the credit "Songs Composed by Paul McCartney" - including the Beatles songs performed in the movie.

He 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 a couple of George Harrison s songs: "All Those Years Ago", about the death of his singing partner, John Lennon , and on "When We Was Fab", which was used in reference of Beatlemania.

The three surviving members of The Beatles appeared on three separate episodes of "The Simpsons" . Starr appeared in a 1991 episode of "Brush with Greatness," Harrison appeared in a 1993 episode of "Homers Barbershop Quartet," and McCartney appeared in a 1995 episode of "Lisa The Vegetarian".

He contributed "Calico Skies" to the "Warchild Hope" album (released 21 April 2003).

He met his first wife Linda McCartney in a London nightclub called the Bag ONails.

He is a cousin of Kate Robbins and Ted Robbins.

In 1998, his song "Blackbird" was covered by Marillion for their live album "Unplugged at the Walls". The song was also covered by Irish folk singer Sean Keane with an arrangement by Beatles producer George Martin. Corinne Bailey Rae performed the song (accompanied by Herbie Hancock ) at the White House on the occasion of Paul McCartney s acceptance (June 2010) of the "Gershwin Prize for Popular Song".

He 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 Pauls 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.

He 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 McCartneys 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.

His favorite singers were Little Richard and Elvis Presley.

He met schoolmate George Harrison on the bus to the Institute from his suburban home in Speke; the two got acquainted riding the same bus every day, carrying their first guitars. After McCartney joined John Lennon s "Quarrymen," Harrison began turning up at their shows, and filled in when other members werent available. Lennon objected to having a "kid" join the band, but McCartney persuaded him.

He was born on the same day as film critic Roger Ebert , and two days before fellow musician and composer Brian Wilson.

He owned a ranch in Tucson, Arizona; this was where first wife Linda McCartney died.

He 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.

In November 2004, he played bass on the Band Aid 20 re-recording of "Do They Know Its Christmas?". He had been unavailable to take part in the original 1984 version.

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.

He was born at 2:00pm-BDST.

He 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 was the one he used on The Beatles appearance on "Toast of the Town" (aka The Ed Sullian Show) in the early 1960s.

Although a huge fan of Weird Al Yankovic s work, he turned down his request to parody Pauls 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.

He released his new album Memory almost full in 2007.

He created a collection of oil paintings and had a one man art show in London.

He still owns an interest in Apple Corps, the Beatless 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" 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.

He had a remarkable 62 top 100 singles from 1971-2005, under a variety of categories. 17 of them went to #1.

He won five Grammys, including two with The Beatles. "Eleanor Rigby" was Best Pop/Rock and Roll or Contemporary song. "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.

He is 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 Youngs is "Only Love Can Break Your Heart".

He is the father-in-law of Alistair Donald and Alasdair Willis.

He 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).

He was the winner of the Sony Award For Technical Excellence in 1983.

He was the winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Male Solo Artist in 1983.

He was named "Man of the Year" at the GQ awards ceremony on 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 McCarthy.

On Sunday 13 November 2005, he 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.

He has a stepsister Ruth McCartney , adopted by his father when he married Ruths mother.

On 11 November 2004, he was inducted as part of The Beatles into the UK Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture.

The hit "Yesterday" does not feature any of the other members of The Beatles. Its 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 Lennon.

He was inducted with John Lennon into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987.

In 1957, his knowledge of song lyrics , most notably Eddie Cochrans 1956 recording of "Twenty Flight Rock" with its 12 bar blues format, as well as Pauls 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.

He was the 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).

On 28 October 2003, a daughter named Beatrice Milly was born to Paul and wife Heather Mills. She was named after Heathers late mother Beatrice and Pauls Aunt Milly.

In July 2001, shortly after their engagement was announced, his fiance 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 , 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.

He turned down the offer to write a new James Bond song for Quantum of Solace , and recommended singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse for the job.

He was the 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.

On September 25th, 2008, he performed in Tel Aviv, Israel, for the first time, 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 Queens Birthday Honours List for their services to music.

He was good friends with professional Wrestler Giant Haystacks aka Lochness.

He plays left-handed guitar.

Paul played all the instruments and did all the vocal tracks on his 1970 "recording of "Maybe Im Amazed". At the time, early 1970, The Beatles had not yet split up and the song was possibly a future "Beatle" recording. As it turned out, we have Paul with his own accompaniment, several other track and his first solo album "McCartney".

He was the only "ex-Beatle" to appear on "Toast of the Town" (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show") with his 1970 video of "Maybe Im 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 Im Amazed".

In 2012 when Paul McCartney was on "Saturday Night Live" New York City Childrens Chorus joined him when he sang "Wonderful Christmas Time".

On 15 May 1968, Paul McCartney and John Lennon appeared as "talk show" guests on NBC-TVs "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" with guest host Joe Garagiola. They mentioned that the two of them walked through NYCs Central Park the previous Sunday unnoticed by the many passersby.

He reportedly turned down a part in Franco Zeffirelli s Romeo and Juliet . McCartney didnt believe he would be good enough and the Beatles were recording Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band at the time.

The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $720 million.

He was conferred as a Knights Bachelor in the 1997 Queens 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 Queens 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 Queens 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 , a fact that merited a test segment on the popular "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" TV series.

He was the recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey , Jerry Herman , Merle Haggard , and Bill T. Jones.

(June 2010 East Room - White House) 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" (The Ed Sullivan Show) 46 years earlier. Among the various artists commemorating McCartneys 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), Dave Grohl ("Band On the Run"), Jack White ("Mother Natures Son"), The Jonas Brothers ("Drive My Car"), Jerry Seinfeld. Daughters Mary McCartney and Stella McCartney were seated immediately behind Paul and the First Family. The festive soire culminated with a Lang Lang classical interpretation of "Celebrations" and an ensemble of artists performing "Hey Jude" for the grand finale.

Following the end of his marriage to Mills, he became 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 familys New Jersey-based trucking business, New England Freight Motors, Inc. Shes also a cousin of Barbara Walters , who has said that "Nancy is like a second child to me". [August, 2011]. He married for the third time, to Nancy Shevell, on Sunday, October 9, 2011 (John Lennon s birthday). In attendance were Pauls daughter, Beatrice, who was a flower girl; Nancys son, Arlen; her cousin, Barbara Walters ; Pauls brother, Mike McGear ; Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach ; and George Harrison s widow, Olivia Harrison. The couple wore clothes designed by Pauls daughter, Stella McCartney , and were married at Old Marylebone Town Hall, the same place where Paul had married Linda McCartney in 1969.

The last appearance of The Beatles on "Toast of the Town" (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show") occurred on March 1, 1970 as part of a "Beatles Songbook", which featured various artists performing their songs. Seen on film, taken from their not-yet-released documentary, "Let It Be" , they performed "Let It Be" and "Two Of Us". In addition, Pauls 1965 performance of "Yesterday" was also aired.

He was one of the first musicians to perform at Shea Stadium, with The Beatles , on August 15, 1965, and one of the last to performer at Shea Stadium, performing the closing number at Billy Joel s concert on July 18, 2008.

Since the 2015 Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston, SC Paul McCartney has dedicated "The Long and Winding Road" to the nine people who died in the shooting during his concerts. He then dedicates "Maybe Im Amazed" to his late wife Linda and "Something" to George Harrison.

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 10, 2012.

The first John Lennon -McCartney composition to hit the US charts occurred in the summer of 1963. Del Shannon s version of "From Me To You" reached #66 US Pop.

"Dr. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" was the original title for what eventually became The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper" album. The soda company that owned the "Dr. Pepper" trademark would not give permission for its use.

One of The Beatles earlier names was that of "Johnny And The Moondogs. Popular DJ Alan Freed often went by the name "Moondog" in the mid-50s. His films, such as Rock Rock Rock! and Mister Rock and Roll were well received in Great Britain. He would often shout to his radio followers, "Come on, all you Moondogs".

He was a bit of an amateur bird-watcher and owned a beloved bird field guide as a boy. It was later inspire him to write the song "Blackbird".

He was a performer at the Queens Diamond Jubilee Concert.

His world tours in 2002, 2003 and 2004 included over 100 large-scale concert performances in countries on three continents.

(July 2006) Officially filed for divorce from second wife Heather Mills.

(March 2003) Expecting a child with his second wife Heather Mills.

(September 2008) Performed in Israel, Tel Aviv, for the first time.

(May 2006) Announced he and his wife are to split up.

(August 2006) Is expecting a fourth grandchild, in light of third daughter Stella McCartney s pregnancy announcement.

(November 2005) Touring in the US Tour (Nov. 2005)

Paul McCartney refused to be on "Saturday Night Live" unless they paid tribute to the ones who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. His request was granted and he went on as scheduled.

As of 2014, he has sold 15.5 million RIAA certified units in the United States.

Both he and John Lennon were watching an episode of "Saturday Night Live" together at Lennons home in The Dakota, during which Lorne Michaels made a $3,000 cash offer for The Beatles to reunite. While they seriously considered going to the SNL studio a few blocks away, they decided it was too late. This was their last time together, before Lennons 1980s assassination.

He is the surrogate father of Julian Lennon. Julian admitted that he had a better relationship with him than his real father.

The song "Hey Jude" was written by McCartney to console Julian Lennon during his parents breakup.

In early 1995, McCartney teamed up with Jeff Lynne , Electric Light Orchestra lead singer and guitarist, an ardent Beatles fan. Lynne had previously worked with former Beatle George Harrison on his 1987 album "Cloud Nine," and in "The Traveling Wilburys," and also co-produced "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" for the Beatles Anthology project. Intending to produce something pure and easy - and without elaborate productions - McCartney sporadically recorded the entire album, which was "Flaming Pie," in a space of two years.

He plays 25 instruments: bass, piano, bass drums, guitar, cello, flugelhorn, tambourine, autoharp, shakers, spinet, maracas, moog synthesizer, tubular bells, melodica, organ, triangle, toy glockenspiel, recorders, drums, mandolin, saxophone, resonator guitar, sitar, ukelele and harmonica.

He met songwriting partner, co-lead vocalist and guitarist, John Lennon , with Lennons own band, the Quarrymen, at the St Peters Church Hall fte in Woolton in 1957, a band that would eventually become The Beatles.

He was the lead vocalist of Wings , the band he formed after the breakup of The Beatles.

His prolific songwriting partnership with John Lennon was both hugely popular and very innovative. Elton John described them as "the finest songwriters" of the 20th century and he said "no one will ever equal the quality of the songs they wrote". Phil Collins described them as "without doubt the yardstick by which I judge modern songwriting". Composer and broadcaster Howard Goodall put them with Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Wagner as composers "whose work changed all the music that followed it".

He is a fan of Electric Light Orchestra , a band which was fronted by Jeff Lynne and was often compared musically to The Beatles.

He is very good friends with: Diana Ross , Eric Clapton , Jeff Lynne , Roy Orbison , Bob Dylan , Elton John , Tom Petty , Roger Waters , David Gilmour , Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , Steven Tyler , Rod Stewart , Ozzy Osbourne , Stevie Wonder and Steve Miller.

He attended the funeral of his first wife, Linda McCartney , on 8 June 1998.

As of 2015, Pauls band comprises musicians Brian Ray , Rusty Anderson , Paul Wickens (keyboards/vocals), Abe Laboriel Jr. and Paul on bass and vocals. This particular McCartney ensemble has been together for longer than The Beatles were a foursome.

Contrary to popular belief, "Let It Be" was not a religious song as the lyrics "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me..." might suggest. Paul wrote the song about his mother (Mary), not the Blessed Virgin.

For a long time there was a rumor that he was the father of singer Jesse McCartney but they are not related.

Paul has performed in Columbia, SC twice. He first performed there in 1993 and again in 2015.

When John Lennon died, Paul went to the studio to get out of the house. A news crew and police were outside.

Pauls 1973 album "Band On the Run" (with "Wings") depicted various celebrities on its cover (by photographer Clive Arrowsmith ) including (l to r): Michael Parkinson , Kenny Lynch , Paul McCartney , James Coburn , Clement Freud , Linda McCartney , Christopher Lee , Denny Laine and John Conteh.

While vacationing in Montego Bay (Jamaica), Paul met Dustin Hoffman who was on location shooting Papillon with Steve McQueen. While there, Dustin invited Paul to dinner where he challenged him to write a song "about anything." Since painter Pablo Picasso had just died, Dustin requested that Paul compose a song around Picassos dying words ("Drink to me, drink to my health. You know I cant drink anymore"). Paul created a demo on the spot and the song - "Picassos Last Words (Drink to Me)" - appeared on Wings 1973 album "Band On the Run".

He was first introduced to second wife Heather Mills by Piers Morgan at a charity event in 1999.

His daughter Stella was born six weeks early weighing about 4 lbs at birth September 13th 1971 due to life threatening complications in Lindas pregnancy it was from that experience that his band wings got it name.

He was awarded the CH (Member of the Order of the Companion of Honour) in the 2017 Queens Birthday Honours List for his services to Music. He is a musician in London, England.

A lifelong animal lover, two of Pauls songs were inspired by his dogs (while with The Beatles and later Wings): "Martha My Dear" (White Album 1968) - his shaggy English Sheepdog and "Jet" (Band On the Run 1973) - his black Labrador Retriever.

In 1972 Paul recorded "Red Rose Speedway" with his new band "Wings" at Abbey Road Studios where Pink Floyd were simultaneously engineering "The Dark Side of the Moon" in Studio 2.

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.

The two of us were on fire every time we sat down to write.

Everything comes round in the end.

There I am just Dad.

There is nothing wrong with that.

[February 2013]: My grandkids always beat me at Rock Band. And I say,Listen, you may beat me at Rock Band, but I made the original records,so shut up.

And, in the endThe love you takeis equal to the love you make.

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,there will be an answer. let it be. Let it be, let it be, . . . . . And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,shine until tomorrow, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, . . . . .

I used to think anyone doing anything weird was weird. Now I know that it is the people that call others weird that are weird.

When you were young, and your heart, was an open book. You used to say, live and let live.

Take these broken wings and learn to fly.

And I loved Fats Waller. I love his instrumental abilities, his vocal abilities and his sense of humor.

In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

Nothing pleases me more than to go into a room and come out with a piece of music.

We were pretty good mates until the Beatles started to split up and Yoko came into it. It was more like old army buddies splitting up on account of wedding bells.

My dad was a particularly polite kind of guy, very courteous. .