Paul McCartney: Life in pictures
Paul McCartney is one of the bestselling and most-honored musicians of all time. Take a look back at McCartney’s storied career. Pictured: McCartney performing in Anaheim, Calif. on November 11, 2005. (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)
Paul McCartney’s legendary musical career started with the Beatles and has recently included collaborations with Rihanna, Kanye West and former members of Nirvana, among many others. Along the way, he’s performed at the Grammys, the Super Bowl, the Olympics and for Queen Elizabeth II. Review his career here.
After early success in the U.K., the Beatles conquered the States, making their famous U.S. TV debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” on Feb. 9, 1964. From left: Starr, Harrison, Sullivan, Lennon and McCartney. (Uncredited / AP)
The Wings performed the title song of the 1973 James Bond film “Live and Let Die,” starring Jane Seymour, left, and Roger Moore. The song reunited McCartney with the Beatles’ longtime producer George Martin and was nominated for an Academy Award. (United Artists and Danjaq, LLC / AP)
Among McCartney’s many starry collaborations was the 1982 duet “The Girl Is Mine,” with Michael Jackson, right. In 1983, the duo reunited for the single “Say Say Say.” McCartney also collaborated with Stevie Wonder in 1982, on the song “Ebony and Ivory.” (AFP / Getty Images)
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Paul and Linda McCartney, shown here in October 1994, were devoted vegetarians and animal rights activists. Linda died of cancer in 1998. (Richard Sheinwald / AP)
McCartney -- with the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde -- organized a tribute concert to his late wife, Linda, at London’s Royal Albert Hall on April 10, 1999. (Sean Dempsey / AP)
While the Beatles joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, McCartney was inducted as a solo artist in 1999. At the ceremony, he took a moment to remember his late wife, Linda, with daughter Stella, left, at his side. (Bruce Gilbert / For The Times / Newsday)
McCartney was nominated in the original song category for “Vanilla Sky” at the 2002 Oscars. He attended the show with with then-fiancee Heather Mills, left. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)
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McCartney and Mills, right, were married on June 11, 2002, in Glaslough Village, Ireland. (Sion Touhig / Getty Images)
McCartney performed during the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show at Alltel Stadium on Feb. 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, Fla. He and his band played Beatles songs “Drive My Car,” “Get Back” and “Hey Jude,” as well as the Wings song “Live and Let Die.” (Brian Bahr / Getty Images)
McCartney has also written several books. Here he reads his first children’s book, “High in the Clouds,” to a group of students from Fairburn Elementary in Los Angeles on Nov. 10, 2005. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
A frequent live performer, McCartney took a break from stadiums to play an intimate gig at Amoeba Records in Hollywood on June 27, 2007. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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McCartney, right, with guitarist Rusty Anderson, headlined the 2009 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. The year’s other headliners included the Killers and the Cure. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
McCartney’s daughter Stella McCartney, right, at the 2011 Paris Fashion Week, is a noted fashion designer. (Francois Mori / AP)
McCartney and Mills divorced in March 2008. He married his third wife, Nancy Shevell, right, on Oct. 9, 2011, in London. (Facundo Arrizabalaga / AFP / Getty Images)
McCartney was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Feb. 9, 2012. His star was installed next to those of fellow Beatles Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison just outside the front door of the Capitol Records building. (Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times)
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McCartney, with wife Nancy Shevell, was named 2012 MusiCares’ Person of the Year on Feb. 10, 2012. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney performed with his band at the 2012 MusiCares’ Person of the Year event in Los Angeles. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney performed during the 54th Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2012. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney was knighted in 1997. At the Diamond Jubilee Concert on June 4, 2012, Queen Elizabeth II met backstage with, from left, Elton John, Cliff Richard, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones and McCartney. (Dave Thompson / AP)
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McCartney was selected to close the opening ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympics at Olympic Park, where he led the massive crowd in a rendition of “Hey Jude.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney played the 12-12-12 concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden in New York. The next year, he headlined the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. (Dave Allocca / AP)
The busy intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue was shut down when McCartney performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Sept. 23, 2013. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney, below, reunited with his Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr for “The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles” on Jan. 27, 2014. (Larry Busacca / Getty Images for NARAS)
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From left, McCartney joined former Nirvana members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear at the 2014 Grammys, where their collaborative song “Cut Me Some Slack” won the award for rock song. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney performed with Rihanna and Kanye West at the 57th Grammys on Feb. 8, 2015. The trio collaborated on the song “FourFiveSeconds.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
McCartney and his band, including Rusty Anderson, left, and Brian Ray, performed a secret Valentine’s Day concert at New York’s Irving Plaza on Feb. 14, 2015. While in town, he also appeared on “Saturday Night Live’s” 40th anniversary special. (Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
McCartney, right, and Ringo Starr attend a special screening of the film “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” in London on Sept. 15, 2016.
(Ben Stansall / AFP / Getty Images)Advertisement
McCartney, left, and Neil Young perform onstage during the Desert Trip festival at the Empire Polo Field on Oct. 8, 2016, in Indio, Calif. The event also featured performances by Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and other legendary rock acts.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)