Paul McCartney

Born in Liverpool in 1942, McCartney taught himself piano and guitar as a teenager, shaped by his father's jazz records and Little Richard. He joined John Lennon's skiffle group in 1957; by 1960 it was the Beatles. Known for melodic bass lines and a versatile tenor, he shared lead vocals and writing duties with Lennon, penning "Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Blackbird"—among the most covered songs ever written. After immersing himself in London's avant-garde scene, he drove the band's experimental turn starting with Sgt. Pepper's in 1967, becoming their de facto leader until they disbanded.…