Happy birthday, Paul McCartney! Revisit the Beatle's life and career

Beatle-to-be Paul McCartney at age 6 in front of his 8-year-old brother Mike (later Mike McGear) in 1948.

Paul McCartney performing at The Cavern nightclub in Liverpool circa 1960, during the band's early days.

Liverpudlian skiffle band The Beatles standing outside Paul's Liverpool home (from left): George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

The Beatles playing a club date in 1962, prior to signing their first recording contract. From left: George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and original drummer Pete Best.

The Beatles perform at the Majestic Ballroom on April 10, 1963, in Birkenhead, England.

The Beatles at the London Palladium, where they performed for 2,000 screaming fans in 1963.

Paul McCartney and George Harrison performing on stage at the London Palladium on Oct. 13, 1963.

The band's completed lineup in Sweden in 1963: From left, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr.

High-kicking winners of the Melody Maker poll awards for 1963, from left; Billy J Kramer, who won Best Hope for 1963; The Beatles, who won top vocal group; and Susan Maughan, who won top female singer.

The Beatles take a bow after performing in the Royal Command Performance at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1963.

The Beatles at a candlelight dinner at the Star Steak House in London, after appearing on "Ready, Steady, Go," the British music TV show, in October 1963.

The Beatles relax in a Paris hotel room with manager Brian Epstein on Jan. 16, 1964.

Paul McCartney poses with a waxwork effigy of himself at Madame Tussauds in London on April 29, 1964.

Ed Sullivan (center) smiles broadly with The Beatles, on the set of "The Ed Sullivan Show" in New York on Feb. 9, 1964. The photo was taken during prior to the group's historic performance on the show that evening.

Paul McCartney gestures while wearing false facial hair between takes during the filming of "A Hard Day's Night" in London on April 5, 1964.

The Beatles vacation on a beach in Miami in February 1964. From left: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

The Beatles rehearse their send-up of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in London on April 27, 1964. The spoof was part the TV special "Round the Beatles."

Paul McCartney holds the lever of a slot machine in Las Vegas on Aug. 20, 1964.

The Beatles outside Buckingham Palace after receiving their MBE's (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from the queen in October 1965.

The Beatles celebrate the completion of their new album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at a news conference held at the London home of their manager Brian Epstein in May 1967.

Paul McCartney holds John Lennon's 4-year-old son Julian during a holiday near Athens in 1967.

Cilla Black, right, rehearses a song with Paul McCartney in the recording studio on Jan. 29, 1968. McCartney wrote the song "Step Inside Love," the theme song for Cilla's new television show.

Paul McCartney covered with confetti outside a London registry office with his American bride Linda Eastman and daughter Heather in 1969.

Paul and Linda McCartney outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London in Feb. 19, 1971. McCartney filed suit to dissolve The Beatles' partnership.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon pictured together during the filming of The Beatles movie "Help!" in the Bahamas on March 2, 1965.

Paul McCartney in a red Nehru jacket and a moustache, circa 1967.

Paul McCartney with his girlfriend, English actress Jane Asher, in 1968.

Linda and Paul McCartney performing with Wings during their Wings Over the World tour in London on Oct. 18, 1976.

Paul and Linda McCartney with members of Wings in 1972.

Paul McCartney performing with Wings in 1973, with wife Linda on keyboards in the background.

Paul and Linda McCartney in front of their Wings tour bus in Juan-les-Pins, France, on July 12, 1972.

Paul McCartney performs on Nov. 6, 1989, in Lyon, France.

Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson pose for a picture on Dec. 19, 1983.

Paul McCartney performs on Nov. 6, 1989, in Lyon, France.

Princess Diana poses with McCartney and his wife Linda at the Lille Congress Hall on Nov. 15, 1992, just before a performance of Paul McCartney's "Liverpool Oratorio."

Paul McCartney holds up the hands of the late John Lennon's son and wife, Sean Lennon and Yoko Ono, after Lennon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Jan. 19, 1994.

Paul McCartney poses for a picture in 1997.

Paul McCartney performs in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 28, 2004.

Paul McCartney performs during the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show at Alltel Stadium on Feb. 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, Florida.

Paul McCartney performs at Live 8 London in Hyde Park on July 2, 2005.

McCartney and his wife Heather Mills ventures onto the ice floes of the Gulf of St. Lawrence by helicopter to observe seal pups before the start of the seal hunting season on March 2, 2006, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The McCartneys were attempting to raise awareness of animal rights.

Paul McCartney signs autographs in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sept. 24, 2008, a day before his first-ever show in Israel.

Paul McCartney cleans George Harrison's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on April 14, 2009.

President Barack Obama presented Paul McCartney with the third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the White House in Washington on June 2, 2010.

Paul McCartney performs during his One on One tour at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on July 26, 2017, in Tinley Park, Illinois.

Paul McCartney marched against gun violence during the March for Our Lives rally on March 24, 2018, in New York City.

Paul McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell pose with his medal after an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, where he was made a Companion of Honour on May 4, 2018.

Paul McCartney poses for a photograph at the "Hey Grandude!" book signing at Waterstones Piccadilly on Sept. 6, 2019, in London.

Paul McCartney brought his photographer daughter Mary McCartney along for the red carpet at the U.K. preview screening of "The Beatles: Get Back" on Nov. 16, 2021.

As a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Paul McCartney formally inducted Foo Fighters members into the fold on Oct. 30, 2021.

Bruce Springsteen joined him onstage at Glastonbury Festival on June 25, 2022.

With wife Nancy Shevell, he attended daughter Stella McCartney's womenswear show at Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 3, 2022.

Paul McCartney attends the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year event honoring Jon Bon Jovi.

Paul McCartney (from left), Paris Jackson, Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach attend the Stella McCartney womenswear fall/winter 2024-25 show during Paris Fashion Week on March 3, 2024.

Paul McCartney toasts Jimmy Buffett with a margarita during "Margaritaville." The Beatles legend was among the late Buffett's friends paying tribute at a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on April 11, 2024.

Paul McCartney performs as part of his Got Back tour at the Allianz Parque stadium in Sao Paulo on Oct. 15, 2024.

Paul McCartney performs at the annual Corona Capital music festival in Mexico City on Nov. 17, 2024.