When we were starting off as kids, just the idea of maybe going to do this as a living instead of getting what we thought was going to be a boring job, was exciting.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in March 1999 McCartney has written or co-written 32 songs that have reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and as of 2013[update] he has sold over 15. After the band's break-up he pursued a solo career later forming Wings with his first wife Linda and singer-songwriter Denny Laine. With John Lennon George Harrison and Ringo Starr he gained worldwide fame as a member of the Beatles and his collaboration with Lennon is one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.