Paul McCartney Through the Years

Paul McCartney Turns 75

McCartney's Cavern — Keystone/Getty Images

Born in Liverpool, England on June 18, 1942, James Paul McCartney turns 75 Sunday. Music has been a lifelong passion of the artist. At age 15, McCartney met another young rock & roll enthusiast, John Lennon, and joined his band, the Quarrymen. After playing gigs around Liverpool for several years (as evidenced in this photo), the group changed their name to the Beatles in 1960 and the rest is history. During his impressive career, McCartney has sold hundreds of millions of albums and has earned countless awards and honors for his life’s work as a musician and songwriter. In honor of McCartney’s 75th birthday, see photos of the artist through the years.

August 22, 1962

Beatles At The Cavern Club — Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon perform onstage at The Cavern Club

1962

The Beatles (Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison) pose for an early group portrait

1963

Photo of Paul McCARTNEY and BEATLES — Fiona Adams/Redferns

McCartney posing for a photo

March 20, 1964

The Beatles On Ready Steady Go! — Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns

Fish-eye lens view of The Beatles performing on Associated-Redifusion's TV show Ready Steady Go! at Television House in Kingsway, London

July 11, 1964

Photo of BEATLES and Paul McCARTNEY — David Redfern/Redferns

McCartney performing at Teddington Studios

Circa 1965

McCartney posing with his Hohner bass

Mid 1960s

Beatles Portrait — Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The Beatles (Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr) pose for a portrait

June 30, 1965

The Beatles European Tour — REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

The Beatles at the Negresco hotel in Nice, France

June 16, 1966

Beatles Final Appearance On TOTP — Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns

The Beatles performing 'Rain' and 'Paperback Writer' on BBC's Top Of The Pops in London

August 2, 1967

The Beatles In 1967 — Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

The four members of The Beatles posing for a portrait

December 27, 1967

Paul Mccartney At London In England On December 27Th 1967 — Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

McCartney in London

May 19, 1967

Fooling Around — John Downing/Getty Images

The Beatles at the launch event for their new album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at Brian Epstein's house in London

July 18, 1968

Submarine Premiere — Larry Ellis/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

McCartney (right) with John Lennon and Lennon's girlfriend Yoko Ono at the premiere of the new Beatles film Yellow Submarine at the London Pavilion

March 12, 1969

McCartney marries musician-photographer Linda Eastman at the Marylebone Registery Office in London

January 5, 1970

Rural McCartneys — Evening Standard/Getty Images

The McCartneys on their farm near the fishing town of Campbeltown (the day after the musician started High Court proceedings to seal the final break-up of the Beatles)

July 13, 1972

Wings Perform Live In Arles — Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns

McCartney and his band Wings perform live on stage at The Theatre Antique in Arles, France

November 15, 1974

Wings Record Venus And Mars — Michael Putland/Getty Images

British rock group Wings (Geoff Britton, Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, and Jimmy McCulloch) at Abbey Road Studios in London to record the album Venus And Mars

November 1975

Paul McCartney And Family In Brisbane — Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images

McCartney and his family at a zoo in Brisbane, Australia

Circa 1976

Paul McCartney On Stage With Wings — Michael Putland/Getty Images

McCartney of Wings performin on stage

Janaury 28, 1980

Leather And McCartney — David Harris/Keystone/Getty Images

McCartney on his farm near Rye, Sussex

December 19, 1983

McCartney and Michael Jackson

October 7, 1984

Paul McCartney With Guitar — Robert R. McElroy/Getty Images

McCartney playing acoustic guitar

July 13, 1985

McCartney and David Bowie backstage at Live Aid

June 20, 1986

McCartney and Tina Turner perform on stage at The Prince's Trust 10th Birthday Party at Wembley Arena, in London

November 11, 1989

Paul McCartney Live — Michel Linssen/Redferns

McCartney performs on stage during the Paul McCartney World Tour at Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands

August 22, 1989

Paul McCartney & Linda Eastman — Richard Corkery/NY Daily News via Getty Images

McCartney waves in front of the Lyceum Theater in New York with wife Linda Eastman

November 15, 1992

Princess Diana with Paul and Linda McCartney in Lille, France

January 19, 1994

1994 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony — Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty Images

Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and McCartney attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in New York City

March 11, 1997

Sir Paul Mccartney — Photoshot/Getty Images

McCartney after receiving his knighthood at Buckingham Palace

1998

Photo of Paul McCARTNEY — Mick Hutson/Redferns

McCartney posing for a portrait

September 9, 1999

1999 MTV Video Music Awards — Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect

McCartney and Madonna present the award for Video of the Year during the MTV Music Video Awards in New York City

2000

McCartney posing beside a jukebox

October 20, 2001

McCartney performs on stage alongside other artists at "The Concert for New York City" at Madison Square Garden in New York

June 10, 2002

{FILE PHOTO) Sir Paul And Heather Mills Announce Pregnancy — Joe Dunne/Jetty Images

McCartney and fiancée Heather Mills wave to photographers in front of Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Ireland, where they wed the next day

February 6, 2005

McCartney performs during the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida

June 30, 2006

"LOVE": Cirque du Soleil Celebrates the Musical Legacy of The Beatles?- Backstage — Kevin Mazur/WireImage

McCartney and Ringo Starr

October 11, 2007

Established And Sons - Gallery Opening — Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

Alasdhair Willis, Paul McCartney, James McCartney, Mary McCartney and Stella McCartney attend the gallery opening party of Established and Sons in London