Paul McCartney

James Paul McCartney born in Liverpool, England, 18 June, to parents Jim and Mary.

Paul joins first musical group, the Quarry Men, and starts writing songs with its founder member John Lennon.

The Beatles, having slowly metamorphosed from the Quarry Men since 1957, play the first of five long residencies in Hamburg, Germany over the next two years.

The Beatles conquer Liverpool, playing several times a week at the Cavern Club. (They perform here almost 300 times between February 1961 and August 1963.) In Germany, they cut their first discs, backing the English singer Tony Sheridan.

The Beatles sign with manager Brian Epstein, and with record producer George Martin at EMI’s Parlophone label. First single ‘Love Me Do’ reaches number 17 in the British charts. First radio and TV exposure.

Second single ‘Please Please Me’ gives the Beatles their first British number one, followed this year by ‘From Me To You,’ ‘She Loves You’ and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ at the start of a never-beaten run that takes all their successive singles until 1967 to the top. Albums ‘Please Please Me’ and ‘With The Beatles’ see the group at number one virtually all year. Major tours, top-rated TV shows and much else helps fuel the birth of Beatlemania.

Beatlemania goes global! The Beatles twice visit North America, playing TV and concerts galore. They also play shows in France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK. In between, the Beatles shoot their debut motion-picture, the superbly received ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ – also a new album – and the end-of-year album ‘Beatles For Sale’. Singles in 1964 are ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ and ‘I Feel Fine’.

The Queen honors the Beatles with MBE awards. They shoot and release their second film, ‘Help!’ – also a number one single and album. Other singles in 1965 are ‘Ticket To Ride’ and ‘We Can Work It Out’, while year-end album ‘Rubber Soul’ shows a real musical progression. The Beatles continue to play concerts in between other commitments, playing to a world-record breaking 55,600 at Shea Stadium in New York at the start of another fabulously successful North American tour.

The Beatles play concerts in England, Germany, Japan, the Philippines and North America before quietly deciding that they will retire completely from the stage – their last ever concert takes place in San Francisco on 29 August. Singles ‘Paperback Writer’ and ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and the landmark album ‘Revolver’ give the clearest indication yet that, musically, the group are moving into pastures new.

Following the release of their double-A-sided single coupling ‘Penny Lane’ and ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, which most rock critics still consider the finest ever pop 45, the Beatles unveil their legendary album ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. This is followed closely by new single ‘All You Need Is Love’, which is unveiled on the world’s first global TV program, linking seven continents by satellite. The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein dies in August, and in September the group begins filming a Christmas TV special, ‘Magical Mystery Tour’, which they conceive, write, direct and produce – and star in, too. An album of the same title is issued, as well as single ‘Hello, Goodbye’. During this same hectic year, on 15 May, Paul meets Linda Eastman for the first time.

The Beatles focus on their own company Apple Corps, launching many associated enterprises including the very successful record label. Following ‘Lady Madonna’, their second single of the year, ‘Hey Jude’, is the first to appear on the new Apple label. The Beatles also release their third film, the cartoon ‘Yellow Submarine’, and their only double-album, ‘The Beatles’ (better known as ‘The White Album’).

Paul McCartney marries Linda Eastman on 12 March. The Beatles release the ‘Abbey Road’ album and singles ‘Get Back’, ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’ and ‘Something’. The group play live for the last time together on the roof of their Apple office in Central London.

The Beatles fourth and final film, ‘Let It Be’, is released, accompanied by an album of the same title – the Beatles’ last – and hit single. The Beatles break up; Paul forms his MPL group of companies and releases his debut album ‘McCartney’.

Paul releases his second solo album, ‘Ram’, and the number one single ‘Another Day’. He also forms Wings, who release their debut album ‘Wild Life’ late in the year.

Paul returns to live work, when he and Wings undertake an impromptu tour of British universities and small European venues. Wings score with hit singles ‘Give Ireland Back To The Irish’, ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ and ‘Hi Hi Hi’.

Wings release two albums – ‘Red Rose Speedway’ and the highly acclaimed, massively successful ‘Band On The Run’ (recorded mostly in Nigeria) which wins two Grammy Awards. Paul appears in his own TV special ‘James Paul McCartney’ and, with Wings, releases singles ‘Helen Wheels’ and the theme song for the new James Bond film ‘Live And Let Die’.

Wings score hits with singles ‘Jet’, ‘Band On The Run’ and ‘Junior’s Farm’.

New album ‘Venus And Mars’ and hit single ‘Listen to What The Man Said’ launch a major Wings world tour, starting in the UK and Australasia.

Wings’ first and only North American tour leads to the year-end triple album ‘Wings Over America’. A concert in Seattle is filmed and released in 1981 as the full-length feature ‘Rockshow’. Paul inaugurates ‘Buddy Holly Week’ in London, commemorating what would have been the singer’s 40th birthday. It becomes a yearly event. The album ‘Wings At The Speed Of Sound’ and singles ‘Silly Love Songs’ and ‘Let ‘Em In’ are issued.

Wings recorded most of their next album on a boat moored off the Virgin Islands. Year-end single ‘Mull Of Kintyre’ becomes the best selling 45 ever in the UK, outselling all Beatles records, and it attracts Paul yet another Ivor Novello award.

Release of new album ‘London Town’, compilation album ‘Wings Greatest’ and singles ‘With A Little Luck’, ‘London Town’ and ‘I’ve Had Enough’.

Paul is honored by ‘The Guinness Book Of Records’ with a Triple Superlative Award, for sales of 100 million units and as a holder of 60 gold discs, making him the most successful popular music composer of all time. Wings release ‘Goodnight Tonight’ single and ‘Back To The Egg’ album, tour Britain (their last tour) and headline a show in London in aid of Kampuchean refugees.

Paul releases solo album ‘McCartney II’, with hit singles ‘Coming Up’ and ‘Waterfalls’.

Wings break-up. Paul works on next album with former Beatles producer George Martin. Release of ‘Rockshow’ film from Wings’ 1976 US tour.

Release of the acclaimed album ‘Tug Of War’, which includes hit singles Ebony And Ivory’, on which Paul duets with Stevie Wonder, ‘Take It Away’ and ‘Tug Of War’. Paul also enjoys a smash hit with ‘The Girl Is Mine’ on which he duets with Michael Jackson. (The track launches Jackson’s new album ‘Thriller’.) Paul wins three BPI awards, including Best British Male Artist and Outstanding British Contribution To Music, and a special Sony award.

Release of new album ‘Pipes Of Peace’, a successor to ‘Tug Of War’. First single ‘Say Say Say’ (another duet with Michael Jackson) is a worldwide hit, and follow-up ‘Pipes Of Peace’ gives Paul yet another Christmas number one in the UK while the song’s promo video is a winner at the British Rock And Pop Awards. Year long, Paul is also busy shooting his forthcoming feature-film and writing new songs for the soundtrack.

Give My Regards To Broad Street’ is released as a major motion picture, starring Paul and Linda and Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach, with cameo appearances by Tracey Ullman and Sir Ralph Richardson. ‘No More Lonely Nights’, from the soundtrack album, is a worldwide smash single; in Britain it’s on the charts simultaneous with ‘We All Stand Together’, the theme song to a short animated film, accompanying ‘Broad Street’, about the Rupert Bear character much-loved in Britain. The film brings to fruition Paul’s long-felt wish to transfer Rupert to the big screen.

Paul performs ‘Let It Be’ at Wembley Stadium, north of London, marking a sensational finale to Bob Geldof’s ‘Live Aid’ concert, seen live on TV around the world by 1.5 billion people.

New album ‘Press To Play’ is celebrated with Paul’s return to the concert stage for a special show in aid of the Prince’s Trust, in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Greatest hits compilation album ‘All The Best!’ goes platinum within three days of release. Single ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’ is released in many countries (not the US) giving Paul yet another top ten hit. Paul begins an occasional writing partnership with Elvis Costello that, to 1997, will yield 12 released songs.

Paul becomes the first artist from the West to release an album exclusively in the Soviet Union, ‘CHOBA B CCCP’ (‘Back In The USSR’). Paul is awarded an honorary doctorate by a British university and a Silver Clef award by the charity Music Therapy, for which he narrates and appears in a BBC TV documentary.

Paul takes part in a live phone-in with his Russian fans on the BBC World Service. New album ‘Flowers In The Dirt’, with hit singles ‘My Brave Face’, ‘This One’ and ‘Put It There’, heralds Paul’s first concert tour since 1979. With a new band comprising Linda and also Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens on keyboards, guitarists Hamish Stuart and Robbie McIntosh and drummer Chris Whitten, a major world trek kicks off in Norway on 26 September.

Paul’s world tour ends in Chicago on 29 July, having visited 13 countries for a total of 102 concerts given to three million fans, including a world-record-breaking 184,000 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Souvenir album ‘Tripping The Live Fantastic’ is released at year-end, accompanied by singles ‘Birthday’, written by Paul for the Beatles’ ‘White Album’ in 1968, and ‘All My Trials’, a new arrangement of the traditional number. Paul announces plans to launch LIPA, a school for studying the performing arts, to be based in his now derelict and threatened old school, the Liverpool Institute.

Paul and his band (with new drummer Blair Cunningham) perform an all-acoustic set for the MTV show ‘Unplugged’, released soon after as limited edition album ‘Unplugged – The Official Bootleg’. Among the tracks is ‘I Lost My Little Girl’, written by Paul when aged 14 – his first ever composition. Following these successes Paul and his band play six impromptu gigs in small clubs around Europe and England. Russian album ‘CHOBA B CCCP’ is finally released in the West and ‘Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio’, his first full-length work of classical music, is given its world premiere in Liverpool Cathedral, conducted by co-writer Carl Davis and performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir with soloists Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jerry Hadley, Willard White and Sally Burgess. Premieres in other countries follow, including Carnegie Hall in New York, and the album of the oratorio tops the US/UK classical album charts. ‘Get Back’, a movie of the 1989-90 world tour, is released.

Release of ‘Daumier’s Law’, an award-winning animated short film that Paul has produced and scored. With his band, Paul records a follow-up album to ‘Flowers In The Dirt’, and some of the tracks are unveiled in a year-end performance on MTV’s ‘Up Close’, recorded in New York.

Release of the new album ‘Off The Ground’, with first single ‘Hope Of Deliverance’, is marked by the launch of another major world tour, starting out in Australia in March and moving on to New Zealand, Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and ending in Chile nine days before Christmas. Paul’s song ‘Yesterday’, first issued in 1965, is played for the six millionth time in the USA, making it the most-played song ever. New albums this year include ‘Paul Is Live’, recorded on the road in Australia and the USA, and ‘strawberries oceans ships forest’, a collection of ambient dance music tracks that Paul and British record producer Youth have recorded under the joint pseudonym The Fireman.

Paul posthumously inducts John Lennon into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and reunites with George Harrison and Ringo Starr to record the first new Beatles song in 25 years, ‘Free As A Bird’, completing an unfinished demo of John’s from circa 1977. Paul devotes much of the year to making ‘The Beatles Anthology’ TV series and helping compile the albums of the same name that will be issued in 1995 and 1996.

Paul, George and Ringo record another new Beatles song, ‘Real Love’, again building upon a unfinished demo left by John. Paul’s new ‘classical’ composition, a solo piano piece entitled ‘A Leaf’, is premiered at a charity concert organized by Paul to aid the Royal College of Music, at which Paul performs solo and with Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet. Paul is appointed Fellow of the Royal College of Music – Britain’s highest musical honor, his 15-part radio series ‘Oobu Joobu’ airs on US radio, he appears on stage as guitar accompanist with poet Allen Ginsberg, and his short movie ‘Grateful Dead – A Photofilm’, based on photos taken by Linda in the 1960s, is unveiled. Paul and Linda are instrumental in reopening a health center near to their home that had been threatened with closure. The year ends with worldwide Beatlemania reborn as the ‘Anthology’ TV series is screened in 102 territories and the first of three associated albums of hitherto unreleased Beatles recordings – together with new track ‘Free As A Bird’ – wins 24 platinum discs.

Beatlemania continues as the second and third ‘Anthology’ albums and second new single ‘Real Love’ sell in vast quantities, making the first time in 30 years that any band has had three consecutive number one albums in the USA inside 12 months. These are followed at year-end by the video release of the ‘Anthology’ TV series in greatly extended form. ‘Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio’ is publicly performed for the 100th time – appropriately, it’s back in Liverpool. The National Trust announces that it has purchased Paul’s childhood home at 20 Forthlin Road, Liverpool, in order to preserve it for the heritage of the British nation. Paul and Linda are honored by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for their work to promote animal care. The Queen performs the official opening ceremony at Paul’s LIPA school. On New Year’s Eve it is announced that Paul is to be knighted by Her Majesty for his services to music.

Paul McCartney MBE becomes Sir Paul McCartney MBE following an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace. New album ‘Flaming Pie’, with initial hit singles ‘The World Tonight’ and ‘Young Boy’ (both of which also feature in the hit comedy movie ‘Father’s Day’), is a massive worldwide hit. The album is accompanied by a TV special and an innovative show on VH1, ‘Paul McCartney’s Town Hall Meeting’, screened live around the world on TV and on the Internet and for which more than three million questions have been posted by fans. ‘The Beatles Anthology’ wins three Grammy awards. Paul puts the final touches to a forthcoming first exhibition of his art, and to a second full-length classical piece, ‘Standing Stone’, commissioned by EMI Records to mark its 100th anniversary – the piece will be premiered in October 1997.

‘Flaming Pie’ is released to instant international acclaim. The solo album debuts at No. 2 in both the UK and USA, Paul’s highest USA chart entry since The Beatles. Critics applaud the album worldwide. “The sound of a pop genius”, wrote Q magazine, with Britain’s Sun newspaper calling it simply “Brilliant” and The Guardian dubbing it “excellent”. In the USA, ‘Flaming Pie’ is judged “A masterpiece” by The New York Post. “McCartney is Fab Form” commented The Los Angeles Times, while USA Today added “Every slice of Pie leaves you hungry for seconds”.

In launching ‘Flaming Pie’ Paul agrees to a live, global interview with fans on the Internet via VH1. The 90-minute session sets a new Guinness world record for 3 million questions set for Paul, who managed to answer 200.

Paul reveals that in 1974, four years after the break-up of The Beatles, he and John Lennon secretly recorded a jam session in Los Angeles, playing old rock and roll standards. The news makes headlines worldwide, alongside claims that the master tape of the session “could be worth millions”.

Meanwhile, within three days of its release ‘Flaming Pie’ achieves gold album status, Paul’s 81st gold disc, a feat that breaks his own world record.

Thirty years after he signed the famed petition calling for the legislation of cannabis, Paul becomes embroiled in controversy when he reveals his belief that cannabis should be decriminalized.

The London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lawrence Foster, record Paul McCartney’s ‘Standing Stone’ at Abbey Road. Paul oversees the sessions, which are filmed for a BBC documentary to be screened at Christmas. ‘Standing Stone’, Paul’s new symphonic work, was commissioned by EMI to mark the 100th anniversary of the record company.

Paul accepts an invitation from Prime Minister Tony Blair to summit at Chequers. Details of the meeting are not released, save only that the pair met to discuss LIPA as a possible role model for the future of higher education.

Paul answers a call from George Martin to headline a benefit night at The Royal Albert Hall to raise relief funds for the people of Montserrat. The charity show also stars Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Sting, Mark Knopfler and Carl Perkins. Paul performs ‘Yesterday’ solo and then calls the assembled superstars to the stage to back him on ‘Golden Slumbers/The End’ and ‘Hey Jude’. As an encore, the supergroup then performs ‘Kansas City’ with Paul taking the lead vocal. The leading British music magazine Mojo calls the event “better than Live Aid”.

‘Standing Stone’ is given its world premiere performance at The Royal Albert Hall by the London Symphony Orchestra. A 10-minute standing ovation is given to its composer by the 4,500 audience. ‘Standing Stone’ goes to No. 1 in the classical charts in the UK and the USA. It remains at No. 1 in the UK for four weeks, and in the USA for 11 weeks.

Paul does his first-ever in store album signing at HMV in Oxford Street as a thank you for HMV’s help in getting The Beatles a recording deal in the early sixties. The event brings the heart of London to a standstill as crowds in excess of 10,000-strong close down Oxford Street, making the movement of traffic impossible.

RADD – Recording Artists Against Drunk Driving – present Paul with the 1997 Founder’s Award for his work in promoting the anti-drinking campaign in the USA. Paul records a new TV public service announcement against drunk-driving, which is aired all across America.

In memory of Diana, Princess Of Wales, Paul donates ‘Little Willow’ from Flaming Pie to an all-star tribute album. A moving video to accompany the ballad is directed by Oscar- winner John Schlesinger.

‘Standing Stone’ is given its USA premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York. The concert is broadcast live on National Public Radio to more than 300 radio stations, another new world record for the biggest classical concert broadcast ever. However, the performance and broadcast has to be delayed by 15 minutes, until the screaming fans in Carnegie Hall quiet down and take their seats.

Oprah Winfrey breaks with her long held tradition of moving her show to New York to records an interview with Paul, during which he performs two songs. ‘Young Boy’ and ‘Flaming Pie’. The interview is such a success that Oprah decides to make two shows out of it. Meanwhile, back in Britain, Paul gives another in-depth TV interview to Sir David Frost.

Controversy surrounds the release of the ‘Beautiful Night’ video, on account of the nudity contained in the promo. “I personally am not afraid of nudity, there’s no more in this video than you’d see on any statue anywhere in the world”, comments Paul.

Paul McCartney wins the prestigious Q Magazine award as Songwriter of the Year for ‘Flaming Pie’, beating Paul Weller, Beck, and Noel Gallagher.

‘Flaming Pie’ is nominated for a Grammy – the Grammy – as album of the year.

Paul wins the USA’s National Public Radio New Horizon Award for “Standing Stone” and in recognition of his work to broaden the appeal of classical music.

All around the world, people mourn the passing of Lady Linda McCartney. The British Prime Minister Tony Blair leads global tributes.

Memorial services for Linda are held in London and New York. The mark of Linda is made plain when, for the London memorial, the three remaining Beatles come together in public for the first time in 30 years.

Paul returns to the studio to mix and produce the “Wide Prairie” album, the definitive collection of songs written and recorded by Linda.

The first graduates pass out from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Paul makes an unannounced visit to LIPA to pass out their graduation badges.

A short animated film created by Linda, “Wide Prairie”, is premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Paul gives his first interviews of the year to the UK animal rights group Viva (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals) and PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals). He vows to continue to hold Linda’s torch for animal welfare, telling Viva “Animal activists believe we’ve lost a powerful voice since Linda’s death. Well, we have – but my voice is there now and I’m going to use it”.

Paul embarks on a series of campaigns in defense of animals; including the UK lobby to ban fox-hunting to fronting a (successful) drive to outlaw the slaughter of horses in California for meat in Europe to funding a British police crackdown on deer-poachers and badger-baiters.

The UK’s annual Women of the Year lunch in London is held in tribute to Linda. Paul and his family publishes Linda’s third vegetarian cookbook, “Linda McCartney On Tour”.

A publicity-shy artist known as The Fireman issues an album of ambient chillout music, “Rushes”.

Linda’s solo album, “Wide Prairie”, is issued by EMI/Capitol, backed by a personal promotion by Paul.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces that Paul is to be inducted as a solo artist, the induction ceremony to take place in New York on March 15, 1999.

Paul hosts his own one-man, 90-minute show live on the internet, featuring videos from “Wide Prairie”, revealing his personal photographs of Linda and taking questions e-mailed from fans from 30 countries. Tracking services confirm that fans log on to the event at the rate of 250,000 a minute. During the live chat, Paul reveals that two singles from Linda’s album, “The Light Comes From Within” and “The White Coated Man” will be released in 1999.