How much is Paul McCartney worth?
| Net Worth: | $1.1 Billion |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Singer |
| Date of Birth: | June 18, 1942 (age 80) |
| Birth Place: | Liverpool, United Kingdom |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.8 m) |
About Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney was a member of arguably the most successful pop group in history – The Beatles. In the group, which had three other members – John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – McCartney was bass guitarist and a vocalist. He shared the vocalist duties with John Lennon on most of the groups recordings. George Harrison had been a friend of McCartney from their days in secondary school.
Many consider the John Lennon-Paul McCartney song-writing partnerships as the most successful of all time. After The Beatles parted in 1970, McCartney continued a solo career, and also formed the group Wings with his first wife, Linda and Denny Laine. Wings enjoyed considerable success in the decades following their albums’ initial releases, despite being panned at the time by critics.
Back in 1957, McCartney, as a self-taught musician, was a member of a group called The Quarrymen. This gradually evolved and became The Beatles by 1960. At this point, Ringo Starr had not joined the group, and the drummer was Pete Best. After a spell working in Hamburg, the group recruited Ringo Starr to replace Pete Best, and they came to the attention of their future manager, Brian Epstein.
McCartney’s song-writing partnership with John Lennon was a big part of the group’s success. They wrote songs that people found appealing, and this was reflected in the record sales they achieved, and the rapid growth of their fan base. Their first hit was “Love Me Do” in 1963. A string of Lennon and McCartney penned hits followed.
The Beatles became a phenomenon, packing venues and attracting hordes of screaming teenage fans. This adulation was given the name Beatlemania by the press. By 1966, The Beatles were established as the world’s greatest pop group, although fans of The Rolling Stones disputed that. In that year, they produced a promotional film for their single “Paperback Writer” which was a forerunner of the pop videos which have since come to be an essential part of every record release.
In 1967, the band produced what is considered to be the first concept album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. This represented a move away from their traditional musical approach, and began a period of experimental musical development. The next album was White Album, and in 1969, they recorded their last album Abbey Road. Brian Epstein had died in 1967, and Paul McCartney took over as their business manager.
McCartney had gradually replaced John Lennon as the leader of the group, but things were not going smoothly. In 1970, the group split, with each member following their own musical careers. Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman in 1969, and with her help overcame a period of melancholy. He continued to write songs, and he and Linda got together with Denny Seiwell and Denny Laine to form Wings. They were joined by guitarist Henry McCullough and then they launched into a concert tour in 1972.
Both Seiwell and McCullough left the band in 1973, and Paul and Linda continued with just Denny Laine. They enjoyed chart success over the next seven years, with their high point being the release of the single “Mull of Kintyre” in 1977. This song held the record for the most record sales until 1984, when it was overtaken by “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. Wings disbanded in 1981 when Denny Laine left, and Paul McCartney continued as a solo performer.
McCartney also collaborated with a number of other musical celebrities from all areas of music. Stevie Wonder, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Michael Jackson are among those he worked with during this period. He also collaborated on charity records, including one in support of the Hillsborough Disaster Appeal, with Holly Johnson and Gerry Marsden, both fellow Liverpudlians.
Paul continued to produce singles and albums either solo or with a group that he put together as required. He worked with Ringo Starr and George Harrison on various projects. He also took part – unannounced – in the concert organized as a tribute to his wife Linda who had died in 1998. In 2001 George Harrison died, and Paul performed at a tribute concert a year later. He performed in Liverpool in 2008 when the city was given the title European Capital of Culture. In 2009, EMI released a digitally remastered series of The Beatles recordings, accompanying with a music video game The Beatles: Rock Band. Paul and Ringo promoted this release jointly.
Paul also performed in 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Concert and at the Opening Ceremony of the fabulously successful 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. He continues to perform and record.
Paul McCartney is one of the wealthiest musicians alive with a fortune of some $1.1 billion. His income has burgeoned over the years from royalties on his many songwriting successes and from tour income and merchandise. In 2017 alone, he earned an income of $54 million.
He owns properties valued at an estimated $100 million around the world, including a ranch in Arizona, a townhouse in New York City and a Beverly Hills mansion that used to belong to Courtney Love. He also has properties in the United Kingdom, which includes a London apartment and a country estate in Scotland.
Paul McCartney grew up in the post-war world of Liverpool. Times were tough, but attitudes were changing. People wanted better lives, and youngsters did not want to just follow their parents into the dead-end jobs available to most of them. Paul McCartney and his fellow Beatles knew they were good musicians with talent, and they were young at a time when music was changing, and the opportunities for groups were wide open. Paul just wanted to be the best, and in that he certainly succeeded.
One important aspect of his success was that he was a self-taught musician and so was able to pursue what interested him most. He was not restricted by music examination syllabuses or the preconceived ideas of a music teacher. This freedom enabled him to explore a wide variety of musical styles throughout his career, and has made him a remarkably successful performer.
He does say that if you do not love yourself, and believe in yourself, then you cannot expect others to love you or believe in you. If you yearn for success, just work for it. Try to be different, to find a different approach. Do not allow yourself to be ordinary.
Summing-Up
Paul McCartney is a truly inspirational example of a man who set out with a dream, and worked hard to make that dream come true. His philosophy of life centers around love. He has also put in tremendous effort throughout his life, despite going through periods of despair and melancholy.
He had talent, and put himself out there where he found other talented musicians to join with. McCartney was made an MBE in 1965 and was awarded a knighthood in 1997. He was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
