James Louis McCartney (born 12 September 1977) is an English musician and songwriter. He is the son of singer, songwriter, and former Beatles member Paul McCartney. He has contributed to solo albums by his parents, including Flaming Pie (1997) and Driving Rain (2001) by Paul McCartney, and Wide Prairie (1998) by Linda McCartney. He has released two EPs and three albums. His most recent, Beautiful Nothing, was released on 18 October 2024.
Early life
Two-year-old James in 1980, carried by his father Paul McCartney
James Louis McCartney was born at Avenue Clinic in St John's Wood, London on September 12, 1977.[1] He is the son of songwriter and former BeatlePaul McCartney and his first wife Linda McCartney. He was named after both his paternal grandfather Jim McCartney and his father, whose full name is James Paul McCartney, as well as Linda's late mother, Louise Sara (née Lindner) Eastman. His mother was Jewish,[2] meaning that he and his siblings are Jewish, but his father is the son of a Catholic mother of Irish descent.
In 1989, McCartney and his sisters Mary McCartney and Stella McCartney again joined Paul and Linda on a world tour. He continued his education with a tutor while on the road. In 1993, at age 16, while surfing with friends, he was swept out to sea. The coast guard was called, his family rushed to the site, but he emerged safe on his own 40 minutes later.[1] In 1995, James introduced his sister Mary to television producer Alistair Donald, whom she later married.
On 17 April 1998, in Tucson, Arizona, James, along with his father and sisters, was at his mother's side when she died from breast cancer, which had been diagnosed in 1995. Later that year, he graduated from Bexhill College, near his home in East Sussex, where he pursued studies in A-level Art and Sculpture.
Music career
1997–2007: Early years
James has played guitar and drums on some of his father's solo albums, including Flaming Pie (1997) and Driving Rain (2001), as well as co-writing a few songs.[3] On Flaming Pie he has an electric guitar solo on the track "Heaven on a Sunday".[4] On Driving Rain, he co-wrote the songs "Spinning on an Axis" and "Back in the Sunshine Again" with his father, and played percussion on the former track and guitar on the latter.
He also plays lead guitar on his mother's posthumously released solo album, Wide Prairie (1998), which included tracks recorded privately over the previous twenty years.[5]
In 2004, he again left the McCartney family home and began living in a flat in Brighton, where he waited tables while he attended college and worked on his music.[6] In 2005, he accompanied Paul during his 'US' Tour.
2008–2011: Available Light and Close at Hand
Around 2008, he began working with David Kahne, his father, and a number of other musicians on recording his own music.[7] He made his US performing debut with his own original solo material on 14 November 2009 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, during the Fourth Annual David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation in Fairfield, Iowa.[7] He performed under the pseudonym Light.[8]
Available Light was McCartney's first official release as both a performer and songwriter. The EP included four original songs composed by James as well as a cover of Neil Young's classic "Old Man". In addition to composing the songs and singing, he plays electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin, piano and bass on the recordings. Produced by David Kahne and Paul McCartney, the EP was recorded between Sussex, London and New York over the previous year,[9] including Abbey Road Studios.[10]
He stated, "The music was inspired by The Beatles, Nirvana, The Cure, PJ Harvey, Radiohead—and all good music. It is basically rock n' roll, clean sounding and vocal. The words on the album refer to spirituality, love, family, trying to sort out one's life, and many other things".[8]
He previewed tracks from Available Light when he toured the UK for the first time in February and March 2010,[8][11] though he at first performed under a pseudonym.[3] The album was released electronically September 2010 on Blake Morgan's Engine Company Records,[3][12] (now ECR Music Group)[13][14] to positive reviews.[10]Close at Hand, his second EP, was released in 2011.[15]
McCartney's The Complete EP Collection was released on 22 November 2011. The album combines the previous two EPs along with five new original tracks and two new covers.[16] It is his first physical release, the two individual EPs being digital only.[16] Like the EPs, it was produced by Paul McCartney and David Kahne, and is being released by Engine Company Records (now ECR Music Group).[13][14][15]Rolling Stone called the opening track, "Angel", a "light and cheerful pop track".[16]AntiMusic dubbed the release "whimsical and reflective, sharp-witted and affectionate. Full of smart, engaging pop songwriting".[17] In a Rolling Stone song exclusive about the track New York Times, James notes he composed the main riff on a family trip when his father "... was just inches away from me".[18]
2012–2016
In April 2012, McCartney told a BBC interviewer that he had mooted the idea "a little bit" of forming a "next generation" version of the Beatles with Sean Lennon, Zak Starkey, and Dhani Harrison.[19]
McCartney released his first album on 21 May 2013, titled Me.[20] The album was supported by a tour of the US, starting on 6 April 2013.[20]
McCartney's newest studio album, The Blackberry Train, was released on 6 May 2016.[22]
2016–present
In February 2024, McCartney released his first single, "Beautiful", after not releasing any music in nearly eight years. In April 2024, McCartney released the single "Primrose Hill". The song features a collaboration with Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon.[23]In May, McCartney released his third single, "Nothing".[24]On 18 October 2024, McCartney released his third studio album, Beautiful Nothing, his first album since The Blackberry Trainin 2016.
Personal life
Like his elder sister Heather McCartney, James lived a relatively private life before going out on tour for his music.[1] His sisters are Stella, a fashion designer, and Mary, a photographer. [8] He has a much younger half-sister, Beatrice Milly McCartney, born in 2003 to Paul and his second wife, Heather Mills.
In November 2012, James performed at a London benefit for the David Lynch Foundation, which his father also supports.[26][27]
McCartney practices Transcendental Meditation: "Transcendental Meditation plays a big role in my life as it has done for my father and the other Beatles. I meditate regularly—twice a day. ... I find that just 30 minutes of Transcendental Meditation refreshes me as if I had slept a few hours!"[25]
