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Paul McCartney Facts
| Sign | Gemini |
| Born |
Jun 18, 1942 Liverpool, England |
| Age | 84 |
| Total Facts | 121 |
He was the only "ex-Beatle" to appear on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show") with his 1970 video of "Maybe I'm Amazed".
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.
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 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.
His grandchildren, Arthur and Elliot, are older than his daughter, Beatrice McCarthy.
His later musical compositions have included classical works, such as the acclaimed 'Liverpool Oratorio' and 'Standing Stone'.
His song "When I'm 64" was written for his father Jim's 64th birthday.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
In 1998, his song "Blackbird" was covered by Marillion for their live album "Unplugged at the Walls".
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.
In 2006, he donated $2 million to Adopt-a-Minefield.
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 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 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".
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".
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.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 (as a solo artist).
Inducted with John Lennon into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987.
Is half of the techno duo The Fireman.
Made an honorary detective by the New York City Police Department for the benefit concert he gave for 9/11 victims, April 2002.
Married his third wife, American heiress Nancy Shevell, on what would have been lifelong friend and former Beatle John Lennon's 71st birthday (9 Oct. 2011).
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.
Met George Harrison on a bus to school, and asked him to join the band that eventually became The Beatles.
Met his first wife Linda McCartney in a London nightclub called the Bag O'Nails.
Named "Man of the Year" at the GQ awards ceremony. (6 September 2006)
Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001."
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.
One of the guitars he used in his US tour (2005) was the one he used on The Beatles' appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948) (aka The Ed Sullian Show) in the early 1960s.
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.
Owns a Steinway concert piano model B made in Hamburg. He takes the piano along on his concert tours around the world.
Owns the copyrights to Buddy Holly's song catalogue, and also numerous other compositions, including "Ramblin' Wreck From Georgia Tech".
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.
Paul married for the third time, to Nancy Shevell, on Sunday, October 9, 2011 (John 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 McGear; Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach; and George Harrison's widow, Olivia Harrison. The couple wore clothes designed by Paul's daughter, Stella McCartney, and were married at Old Marylebone Town Hall, the same place where Paul had married Linda McCartney in 1969.
Paul played all the instruments and did all the vocal tracks on his 1970 "recording of "Maybe I'm 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".
Played bass on the Band Aid 20 re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?". [November 2004]
Played over 40 various instruments on two of his solo albums, 'McCartney' (1970) and 'McCartney II' (1980).
Plays left-handed guitar.
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.
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 10, 2012.
Recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors; other recipients that year were Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Herman, Merle Haggard, and Bill T. Jones.
Released his new album 'Memory almost full' in 2007.
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).
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.
Showed his paintings at Concert at HP Pavilion in San Jose (November 8th) leading up to his performance as apart of his US Tour