Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney, one of the most successful musicians in history, was born the son of James and Mary (née Mohin) McCartney in Liverpool, England. He became famous twenty years later as one of the Beatles, the “Fab Four” who dominated popular music in the English-speaking world (and beyond) from 1962 until their break up in 1970. McCartney was also the central figure in Wings from 1971 to 1981. Among Wings’ albums, the most successful were Band on the Run (1973), Venus and Mars (1975) and Wings at the Speed of Sound (1976). McCartney, his then-wife Linda, and Denny Laine were the three core members of the group – other members came and went. Since the demise of Wings, McCartney has devoted himself to a wide range of musical experiments, including classical orchestral compositions such as Standing Stone, recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra in 1997. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in March of that year.