McCartney, Sir Paul

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McCartney, Sir Paul (1942– ) British pop singer and songwriter. McCartney was the bass player in The Beatles and co-wrote most of their hit songs with John Lennon. The release of his solo album, McCartney (1970), marked the break-up of The Beatles. In 1971 he formed a new band, Wings, with his wife Linda (1942–98). “Mull of Kintyre” (1977) became the bestselling (2.5 million) UK single. In 1995, McCartney participated in a brief reformation of The Beatles. During the 1990s, he turned to more classically inspired work, such as Liverpool Oratorio (1991) and Standing Stone (1997). He was knighted in 1997. Driving Rain (2001) marked a return to pop music.