Paul McCartney is a British musician, writer,
producer, artist, and philanthropist. He is the winner of 18 Grammys, various awards and
achievements recorded in the Guinness World Records, Knight Bachelor, and a member
of the Order of the British Empire. We could list his accomplishments for
hours, but instead, in this video, you’re gonna learn the life story of
one of the brightest stars of our time. Paul McCartney: How the Legendary Beatle
Lives and How He Spends His Billions James Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942, in
the Liverpool Maternity Hospital, where his mother Mary worked as a nurse. The father of the future
star, Irishman James McCartney, had a passion for music in his youth, which eventually passed
on to his sons, Paul and his younger brother Mike. He even played trumpet and piano in
a fairly well-known jazz band in Liverpool. During the postwar years, the McCartney
family lived modestly. Mary worked as a visiting midwife, often leaving home day
and night. The job still had its perks, as it allowed the McCartneys to secure a
house in a decent neighborhood. As for James, he served at an arms factory during the war
and later had a job at the cotton exchange, earning less than his wife,
which troubled him greatly. The McCartneys were not religious, so the
sons attended a public school rather than a Catholic one, as was more common at the time.
Besides his studies, Paul was involved in music, which was actively encouraged by his father.
From an early age, the boy played trumpet and piano quite skillfully. At the age of ten,
the future Liverpool star made his debut at a school concert where he sang a song dedicated
to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and got an award for the performance. A year later,
he was transferred to the grammar school, the Liverpool Institute, where
Paul studied until his graduation. In 1956, a tragedy struck the McCartney family:
the boys’ mother passed away from cancer. Paul struggled to cope with the loss and became
introverted. He preferred spending time alone, climbing trees and imagining himself as a British
army recruit. Trying to lift his son’s spirits, James gave him a trumpet for his 14th birthday.
Paul traded it for a guitar and immersed himself in study, learning how to play the instrument.
Being left-handed, he had to restring the guitar to reverse the order of the strings. Initially,
he copied songs and styles of idols of the time, including Elvis Presley and Little Richard, but
eventually he started writing his own melodies. James rejoiced at Paul’s progress and doubled his
efforts, taking his sons to theaters, concerts, and exhibitions. During that period, Paul became
captivated by the world of art: he even considered pursuing a career as a movie director but
didn’t manage to complete the paperwork on time. During this period, the fateful meeting of Paul
McCartney and John Lennon took place. John already had his own band, performing English-style
folk music. On July 6, 1957, Paul’s friend, Ivan Vaughan, invited him to a performance by
the Quarrymen in St. Peter’s Church in Woolton. After the performance, Paul found himself in the
company of Lennon. Everyone was in high spirits, and McCartney decided to showcase his guitar
skills. John wasn’t very good at playing guitar at the time, and he was amazed by Paul’s performance.
Over time, the two rapidly became close friends, although Paul’s father was not very fond of
Lennon, who had a reputation as a troublemaker. But the two boys had a lot in common, as John
had also lost his mother at an early age. Initially, McCartney Sr. adamantly refused to
let his son venture into the world of music on his own, but when he learned that Paul could
earn money, he gave in. Thus, Paul joined the music band, and shortly afterward, he invited his
friend George Harrison to join them. The band was complete, and after trying out a few other
names, they settled on The Silver Beatles. By the 1960s, the band started performing at
concerts, and after a performance in Hamburg, the adjective “silver” was dropped from the
name, launching the triumphant march of the Beatles around the world. Despite Lennon being the
unofficial leader of the group, it was McCartney who insisted on shortening the band’s name. In
Hamburg, the musicians worked on stage in three clubs. In total, they spent 800 hours there. The
living conditions were horrendous: they lived in an abandoned cinema and used the cinema toilets
to wash in. However, this experience became the springboard that helped the Beatles soar to the
top. Upon their return from Germany in 1961, drummer Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr.
Thus, the legendary Liverpool Four was complete. In October 1962, the band released their debut
single, “Love Me Do”, and on February 11, 1963, their entire debut album, Please Please Me,
was recorded in a London studio within just 12 hours. From the first recordings,
it became clear that Paul was not only a talented songwriter but also an excellent
music producer who always had the final say. During this period, McCartney met sound engineer
Geoff Emerick, with whom he would work hand in hand throughout his career. In the same year, Paul
met another fascinating person, young actress Jane Asher. After a concert at the Royal Albert Hall,
the photographers who prepared an interview with the Beatles asked the 17-year-old girl to take a
photo with the musicians. It was enough to spark interest between Paul and Jane. They quickly
became a couple and were dating for five years until 1967. During this period, Paul lived in
the Ashers’ home and enjoyed the atmosphere of modest charm of the middle class life. McCartney
dedicated the songs “And I Love Her”, “You Won’t See Me”, “I’m Looking Through You”, and “Here,
There and Everywhere” to his girlfriend. In 1967, they moved to their own house on Cavendish
Avenue and announced their engagement on Christmas Eve. However, in the middle of the
following year, one day, the bride returned home a bit earlier and caught Paul in bed
with American scriptwriter Francie Schwartz. She never set foot in McCartney’s house again.
The couple made a feeble attempt to reconcile, but it failed. According to their friends, it was
not only about Paul’s infidelity but also constant quarrels, Jane’s demands to quit work, and the
artist’s use of illicit substances. Paul never denied that it was part of his life but always
emphasized that, compared to other celebrities, he used them in moderation, without
slipping into a full-blown addiction. Meanwhile, the fame of the Beatles reached
worldwide scale. The song “She Loves You”, released in 1963, became a hit single,
setting several records in the British charts and gathering 26 million viewers who
watched the group’s performance at the TV show Royal Variety Performance. In November 1964,
the Beatles released their second album With The Beatles, featuring Paul’s main work,
the single “All My Loving”. This release was followed by tours across Europe and the
USA, where the TV show featuring the band’s performance attracted 73 million viewers.
Upon their return to England, they quickly released the single “Can’t Buy Me Love”, the
soundtrack for the film A Hard Day’s Night, in which all the band members starred. The movie box
office exceeded the budget of $350,000 immensely: it grossed $14 million, a colossal sum for that
time. Next, they presented the album with the same name, which was highly successful,
and towards the end of 1964, the fourth studio album, Beatles for Sale, was released.
In early 1965, Paul managed to take a brief break in Tunisia, concurrently writing the song
“Another Girl”. In the summer, the band’s second feature film Help! hit the screens, and a few
days later, the album of the same name was released. Undoubtedly, the heart of this album
was the immortal single Yesterday, which was recorded by McCartney without other band members’
help. There is a theory that they considered the song too soft and too much of a departure from
the established energetic style of the Beatles. In the summer, the band went on tour in the USA,
where, after a phone call, Paul met his childhood idol, Elvis Presley. In the fall of the same
year, the Beatles received Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire medals. The
ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace, and the awards were given by Queen Elizabeth II herself.
In December 1965, the sixth studio album Rubber Soul was released. The album was recorded in
just a month, and the rush was simply due to the managers wanting to release the album in time
for the Christmas holidays. This circumstance did not affect the quality of the music. On the
contrary, experts consider this album the first step to significant changes in the industry that
led to the emergence of various rock music genres. At the same time, the Northern Songs record label,
created specifically for the release of songs written by Lennon and McCartney, faced financial
problems that required large sums of money. All members of the Beatles invested in country real
estate and moved to Surrey, except for McCartney, who continued to live with his then-partner
Jane and compose songs. In his free time, he explored galleries, exhibitions, and jazz
clubs, gradually fitting into London's social scene. During this period, he met the owners of
several art galleries who greatly influenced his artistic taste and immersed himself in the
world of contemporary literature and poetry. McCartney also enjoyed experimenting with jazz
and classical music, intricately intertwined with bold avant-garde. During that period,
Paul met Andy Warhol, Michelangelo Antonioni, Peter Blake, and others. All of this not only
influenced the poetic component of Paul’s songs but also contributed to his overall artistic and
spiritual development. During the same period, McCartney took over Ringo Starr’s former apartment
and turned it into a creative laboratory. On August 5, 1966, the premiere of the seventh
studio album Revolver took place, which caused not just admiration from the public but something akin
to a sacred ecstasy. The singles “For No One”, “Good Day Sunshine”, and “Yellow Submarine” became
the anthems of the 20th century. However, despite all this tremendous success, the gap between
McCartney and the other band members became evident. Having given a concert in San Francisco
in August 1966, the quartet decided to stop their live performances, after which McCartney focused
on his solo work. During this period, he wrote the soundtrack for the film The Family Way.
The following year, the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles was
released, which critics called outstanding, and listeners made it the most popular in the
UK. Almost immediately, the ninth album Magical Mystery Tour appeared, perhaps their most
psychedelic work: just take a look at the album cover. Essentially, it was the soundtrack
for the band’s TV film Magical Mystery Tour, but this time, the audience's reaction to
the bizarre creation was rather lukewarm. In May of the same year, Paul
met photographer Linda Eastman, not yet realizing that he was looking at his
future wife. They met again sometime later, in six months they were married. Linda
had a daughter from her first marriage, whom Paul adopted. In 1969, the couple had their
daughter, Mary. Surprisingly, their union turned out to be very strong: the spouses lived in
harmony and hardly ever separated. In 1971, they had a daughter named Stella, and six
years later, their son James joined the family. In 1968, the single “Hey Jude” was released,
dedicated to John Lennon’s son from his first marriage. The touching, profound song had
unimaginable success, and interestingly enough, you can hear Paul uttering a swear word in
this single. He played the chord incorrectly, and the band members wanted to
re-record the song, but Lennon insisted that the mistake be simply drowned out.
In November, the famous Beatles’ “White Album” was released, featuring an entirely white cover.
The music, design, and concept were so outstanding that the album was included in the Guinness Book
of Records as the best-selling album of the 20th century. McCartney contributed his singles
“Blackbird”, “Helter Skelter” to the album as well as the lively “Back in the U.S.S.R”.
At the beginning of 1969, the band released the soundtrack album for the animated film Yellow
Submarine, while Paul initiated the filming of the movie Let It Be. He tried to rally his colleagues
and convince them that they were up to the task, but during the preparation, the band began
to fall apart. Lennon, Starr, and Harrison were tired of being in the shadow of Paul. The
final chord in the band’s life came with Lennon’s suggestion to appoint his personal manager,
Allen Klein, as the band’s manager. McCartney adamantly rejected the idea, knowing from Mick
Jagger that Klein was not trustworthy. The other Beatles decided to go against Paul’s opinion and
eventually fell victim to Klein’s machinations. Nevertheless, on July 31, 1969, the Beatles
released their new album Abbey Road. It was extremely challenging for the musicians to work
together; the mood in the studio was oppressive, and the former drive was nowhere to be found.
Interestingly enough, critics initially blasted the album, and only over time the experts found
its charm. The photo on the album cover is also noteworthy, depicting the Liverpool Four walking
across the zebra crossing on Abbey Road. This image became so popular that, at some point, the
famous intersection was elevated to the status of a historical site, with web cameras installed
there. Crowds of fans from around the world make pilgrimages to the crosswalk. The photographer who
was lucky enough to capture the iconic photo was Iain Macmillan, who had only ten minutes for the
photoshoot while a police officer blocked traffic. There were only six photos to choose from, and
Paul was looking for the one where the Beatles walked in step. In 2014, all six photographs
were auctioned off for almost $230,000. Meanwhile, Lennon launched his own project,
and although no statements were made, it became clear that the Beatles were
no more. In connection with this, the sound of the almost-finished album Let It
Be was reconsidered, which became the last in the history of the band. Like in almost all
late albums, Paul was the author of most of the singles. As the musician later admitted,
he was deeply depressed at that time, abusing alcohol and illicit substances and literally
teetering on the edge of the abyss. One day, his mother, who had left him so early,
appeared in his dream and warmly said, “Let it be”. The musician decided to follow her
advice and let go of the situation. These words also became part of the famous hit that brought
McCartney an Oscar for Best Original Song. Then, Paul and his family moved to a secluded
farm in Scotland, where he spent some time healing his emotional wounds. This creative pause
helped him gather strength and prepare material for his solo album McCartney. The album instantly
soared to the top of the charts, after which Paul began recording a second album with his wife
Linda. Ram was warmly received by the public, and the songs “Another Day” and “Uncle Albert”
broke records in the USA and the UK. Meanwhile, Lennon called the couple’s work
“rubbish”, which reached Paul. It turned out that McCartney was losing not
only a colleague but a friend as well. Rumors circulated that this process involved,
among other things, Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono. In 1971, Paul, Linda, and musicians Denny Laine
and Denny Seiwell founded the rock band Wings, which performed for almost ten years
and had success. During that period, they released seven albums: two of the albums
topped the UK chart and four of them did it in the USA. They also recorded the theme song
for the James Bond film Live and Let Die, which was nominated for an Oscar. By the way,
later Paul continued to create movie soundtracks and was nominated for major awards, for
instance, for the score for the film Vanilla Sky. After finishing a world tour in 1977,
McCartney was officially recognized as the highest-paid musician on the planet.
The single “Mull of Kintyre” was topping the UK’s main music chart for nine weeks,
having sold 2.5 million copies. In 1980, after his band broke up, the musician released
his second solo album, McCartney II. Initially, critics did not appreciate it, but
later, this work became a cult classic. Over time, relations between Paul and John
began to thaw slightly. They even performed together and expressed a desire to work together
again, but soon Paul received the news of Lennon’s death. As the musician later admitted,
their last conversation was about baking, and McCartney was happy to get back to the kind
of communication they had in their youth. Lennon’s death shocked the singer, and there was a rumor
that he feared for his own life. By the way, during that period, he received anonymous
threatening messages. To escape depression, McCartney immersed himself in the work on new
songs. The album Tug of War included the single “Here Today”, dedicated to his friend, which is
considered the best song in Paul’s solo career. He continued to record and release new albums,
including Pipes of Peace, Press to Play, Flowers in the Dirt, and others. They received
critical acclaim and sold well. McCartney always remained true to his impeccable taste and
musical intuition. He increasingly used the themes of anti-war calls, altruism, and kindness
in his singles. During that period, he also worked on The Beatles Anthology, a large multi-faceted
project about the history of the legendary band. Simultaneously, he was actively performing,
creating fascinating duets with Tina Turner, Elton John, and Michael Jackson. By the way,
McCartney had a rather unpleasant story with the King of Pop. In secret from Paul, Jackson
bought the rights to all songs by the Beatles for $50 million. The victimized star had to
go through numerous legal battles before the legacy returned to him. Naturally, there was no
friendship between Jackson and McCartney anymore. In March 1997, Paul was knighted for his
contribution to the development of music, becoming Sir Paul McCartney. He dedicated his award to
Lennon, Harrison, Starr, and all Liverpudlians. In 1998, a tragedy struck the McCartney family
as Paul’s beloved wife Linda died of cancer. As always, music helped him overcome his grief.
He recorded the cover album Run Devil Run, returning to his roots and the music he
loved in his teenage years. Soon after that, the musician was inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During the same period, Paul met his new partner,
former English model Heather Mills. In the summer of 2002, the couple married in Iceland.
In 2003, their daughter Beatrice was born, and three years later, the spouses divorced.
Following long legal battles, Paul paid nearly $30 million to the woman. This relationship resulted
in the album Driving Rain, dedicated to Heather. Interestingly enough, during the divorce process,
the artist managed to release another album Memory Almost Full, the title of which is an anagram
of “for my soulmate LLM”, the letters being the initials of Linda. Paul claims it to be
a coincidence, but a rather mystical one. Meanwhile, in November 2007, he met
American businesswoman Nancy Shevell, whom he married in 2011. The couple
spends a lot of time together and looks very happy. Paul McCartney is not
only a caring father of many children but also a wonderful grandfather. As of today,
the famous Beatle has eight grandchildren. In 2012, Paul triumphantly performed at the
opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in London, singing his most famous single “Hey Jude”.
At the same time, he released another cover album for the first time in a long while,
and in 2013, the original album New. It reached the 3rd position on the main charts
in the UK and the USA. While working on it, Paul deliberately sought younger producers
to refresh the sound. His next musical works Egypt Station and McCartney III were released in
2018 and 2020, respectively. A little earlier, he appeared in the film Pirates of
the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Paul’s art is not limited to music and movies.
For example, since the 1980s, he has been involved in the creation of animated films. During the
same period, he began to explore the basics of painting. Since then, his personal exhibitions
have taken place in many cities. McCartney also has a literary talent. In 2005, his fairytale
novel High in the Clouds was published, followed by another children’s book Hey Grandude! in 2019
and its sequel Grandude’s Green Submarine in 2022. Throughout his career, Paul has collaborated
with various brands, including Apple and the American investment company Fidelity. He
didn’t neglect social work, appearing in a video in support of the vegetarian project Meat
Free Monday. Since the 1990s, the musician has been involved in the activities of the brand
Linda McCartney Foods, appearing in their ads. Paul McCartney is a big fan of classic and
retro cars. He owned a luxurious and very expensive 1964 Aston Martin DB5, which he
drove until 1970. Afterward, the car stayed in the garage until it was bought for $1.34
million by Chris Evans only in 2017. In 1965, unique Mini Coopers were ordered for all
members of the Beatles, taking into account each of their wishes. McCartney ordered a
green Cooper with a sunroof and a powerful engine. The star also owned such treasures as
the Lamborghini 400 GT and Rolls-Royce Corniche, as well as the classic Land Rover which Paul
and Linda called “Hell On Wheels”. Currently, there are two cars in Sir Paul McCartney’s
garage that are dear to his heart: a 2003 Chevrolet Corvette and a hybrid Lexus LS
600h, a gift from the brand on his 65th birthday. The star’s real estate portfolio also looks
impressive, estimated at around $100 million. The first on the list is a New York townhouse, which
the singer purchased for $1.9 million in 1984. Fourteen years later, McCartney bought a house
in prestigious East Hampton for half a million. In 2001, Paul bought a mansion in Beverly
Hills worth $4 million from Courtney Love as a wedding gift for Heather Mills. This house
became the subject of heated disputes during the divorce process. Paul did not want to part
with it, as it was the place where his friend and fellow Beatle George Harrison passed away
after a prolonged illness. The 1.3-acre plot featured a large main house, a guest house,
a pool, a tennis court, a bowling alley, and a luxurious bar. The main house
was designed in a neo-colonial style with an abundance of decor elements made
of expensive redwood and light textiles. In 2015, Paul and his wife Nancy
acquired a penthouse in New York for $15.5 million. The 60s-inspired spacious
apartment is located on Manhattan’s Museum Mile and resembles a private gallery with
numerous works of art, abundant gold decor, and mirrors. The property includes a
bright dining room with marble floors, four bedrooms, a spacious living room with
a huge white sofa, a library with a bar, and a luxurious terrace overlooking Central Park.
However, the McCartney family rarely visited the penthouse, and eventually, they decided
to sell it in 2022 for only $8.5 million. Additionally, McCartney owns
a 190-acre ranch in Arizona, which he bought in 1979 because his first wife
Linda loved the rocky and desert land of Tucson. The family spent spring and fall vacations
there, away from the hustle and bustle. Here, Linda passed away in 1998, and her ashes
were scattered at the ranch. Currently, Paul rarely visits this place, although
he has no intention of selling it. Paul also has property in England. The house
he bought in London in 1965 is literally steps away from the famous Abbey Road Studios.
It cost him $50,000 at the time, and today, real estate agents estimate the property to be
worth $20 million. The classic English mansion is full of memories, photographs, and musical
instruments. In 2020, there were reports that the house was put up for sale,but there
was no update if the deal was finalized. In addition, the artist has vast green
estates and farms in East Sussex and Scotland. As of today, Paul McCartney is one of
the wealthiest musicians on the planet, with a fortune of $1.5 billion. He earns about
$70 million annually from various sources, including the Beatles’ song royalties, album
sales, and his brand’s sales. He owns the most expensive Beatles catalog, consisting
of 251 songs valued at $1 billion, as well as the rights to the music of songwriters
and singers Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins. Among the Liverpool Four, Paul turned out to
be the most successful in financial matters. He could have comfortably rested on the
laurels of the band’s tremendous success, but he chose a different path. After the Beatles
disbanded, he recorded and released 26 more studio albums. Despite his immense success, Paul
maintains a healthy attitude towards money. He believes that money is a pleasant tool
that allows him to calmly say to his friends or family, “Don’t worry, I’ll help”.
His kindness and compassion also drive the legendary musician to engage in charity
activities. He gained widespread recognition as an animal rights advocate. Paul is a
vegetarian and encourages the public to stop wearing natural fur. He has also called for
a ban on anti-personnel mines. McCartney doesn't ignore the war in Ukraine either, expressing
his sincere support for the country. During concerts as part of the summer tour in 2022,
he played a guitar specially made for him in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Later, it
was sold at a charity auction for $77,000. Paul McCartney is a phenomenon, a unique and
talented individual. He continues to tour and break records. In 2022, he became the oldest
headliner of the Glastonbury Festival. This year, the musician announced the release of a new
and final song by the Beatles, recorded with the help of artificial intelligence. For many of
us, the songs of the Beatles are associated with the most crucial events in life: people from all
over the world mourned and rejoiced, fell in love and parted ways listening to their singles.
What memories does their music evoke for you?
