Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and composer. He is best known as a member of the Beatles, where he served primarily as bassist and shared songwriting and lead vocal responsibilities with John Lennon. The Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership is regarded as one of the most successful and influential collaborations in popular music history. Born in Liverpool, McCartney taught himself piano, guitar, and songwriting during his youth.