Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame with the rock band the Beatles, the most popular and influential group in the history of pop music. His songwriting partnership with Lennon is the most celebrated of the 20th century. After the band's break-up, he pursued a solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda, and Denny Laine.