Sir James Paul McCartney, CH, MBE is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. He gained worldwide fame as the bass guitarist and co-lead singer for the rock band the Beatles, widely considered the most popular and influential group in the history of pop music.

His songwriting partnership with John Lennon is the most celebrated of the post-war era and remains the most successful in history. After the group disbanded in 1970, he pursued a solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda, and Denny Laine.

A self-taught musician, McCartney has been recognized as one of the most successful composers and performers of all time. He is proficient on bass, guitar, keyboards, and drums. More than 2,200 artists have covered his Beatles song "Yesterday," making it one of the most-covered songs in popular music history.

A two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Beatles in 1988, and as a solo artist in 1999), and an 18-time Grammy Award winner, McCartney has written or co-written, 32 songs that have reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

In terms of his musical style, McCartney is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing (mainly playing with a plectrum), his versatile and wide tenor vocal range (spanning over four octaves), and his eclecticism (exploring styles ranging from pre-rock and roll pop to classical and electronica).

McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, and Starr, all four members of the Beatles, all received appointment as Members of the Order of the British Empire in 1965 and, in 1997, McCartney was knighted for services to music.

McCartney is also one of the wealthiest persons in the world, with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. McCartney has released an extensive catalogue of songs as a solo artist and has composed classical and electronic music.

He has taken part in projects to promote international charities related to such subjects as animal rights, seal hunting, land mines, vegetarianism, poverty, and music education. He has married three times and is the father of five children, one of whom is well-known fashion designer Stella McCartney.