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Beatles Legend Picks Up Outstanding Contribution To Music Award and Performs at The BRIT Awards 2008

The UK’s recorded music association, the BPI, today unveiled the winner of the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. Paul McCartney, the most successful musician and composer of all time will be recognised with the coveted trophy, a gift from the Council of the BPI, at The BRIT Awards with MasterCard 2008 on Wednesday 20 February.

In an extra special night, Paul McCartney will take to the stage to be honoured with the ultimate BRITs accolade and also perform some of his greatest hits in front of the audiences at Earls Court and at home as millions tune in to watch the show broadcast live on ITV1.

Ged Doherty, Chairman of The BRITs Committee said: “This is a historic moment for the BRITs. Sir Paul McCartney is one of the greatest songwriters of all time and a member of Britain’s biggest ever group. It is a special honour for me to be able to confirm such an influential and important artist to accept the Outstanding Contribution Award and perform at this year’s BRITs.

BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor added: “Over a career spanning five decades and more than 100 million albums, very few contemporary artists have had as significant an impact on British music and culture as Sir Paul. Few artists can truly be described as legends, and even fewer are revered by the public like Sir Paul. He richly deserves the accolade of legend yet – as anyone fortunate enough to see him on stage will testify – he remains one of today’s most compelling performers. BRITs 2008 is shaping up to be a classic.

One of the founding members of The Beatles, Paul McCartney is one of the UK’s most revered recording artists.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon formed one of the most influential and successful song-writing partnerships in the history of rock and roll. After leaving The Beatles, McCartney went on to launch a triumphant solo career and formed the band Wings with his wife Linda. Paul McCartney’s love of music spans many genres from Rock and Roll right through to Classical with Ecce Cor Meum [Behold My Heart] being voted Classical Album of the Year at The Classical BRIT Awards in 2007.

Remaining as relevant and pioneering as ever, Paul McCartney became the first musician to broadcast live music to an audience in space in 2005 when he treated two astronauts at the International Space Station to a live wake up call with the Beatles song Good Day Sunshine. Previous to this McCartney became the first ex-Beatle to play live in Russia’s Red Square, after the former Soviet regime banned The Beatles from playing in Russia. In another ground-breaking move, his 2007 album “Memory Almost Full” was the first record to be signed to the music label of coffee house chain Starbucks. A well-known philanthropist, Paul McCartney has also been instrumental throughout many charity campaigns.

Listed in The Guinness Book of Records as the most successful musician and composer in history, Paul McCartney has amassed record sales of 100 million singles and 60 gold discs, having played 1000s of gigs throughout his career with The Beatles, Wings and as a solo artist.

No stranger to The BRIT Awards, Paul McCartney last picked up an award in 1983 for Best Male Solo Artist, as well as receiving awards as part of The Beatles in 1977 where they picked up three awards including the Best British Album Award for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, British Group Award and also being joint winners of the Outstanding Contribution To Music Award with L.G. Wood.

Paul McCartney will receive the prestigious awards and perform live at The BRITs 2008 with MasterCard. Previous recipients of the Outstanding Contribution To Music Award include Oasis, U2, Paul Weller, Tom Jones, Sting. David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Eurythmics, The Beatles, The Who and many more.