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McCartney turns 70, shows no sign of slowing down

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And while there are plenty of other musicians of his generation still playing, McCartney manages to keep his act squarely in the mainstream, rather than becoming just another oldies show. He still puts out new music and attracts new fans. His latest album, "Kisses on the Bottom," was released in February.

McCartney has admitted dyeing his hair (which sometimes seems to have an odd burgundy tint), but his musical ability has not diminished with age.

He can still captivate a large arena with a simple acoustic performance of "Blackbird" and can shift gears at the drop of a hat for a mean, Vegas-style, pyrotechnic-aided rendition of "Live and Let Die," a James Bond theme song that has become a favorite part of his repertoire.

John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, tweeted birthday wishes to McCartney on Monday. And Paul Weller made a one-day-only digital release of the Beatles song "Birthday" as a tribute, with proceeds going to charity.

In the run-up to his birthday, McCartney, a longtime vegetarian, urged the public to cut back on meat consumption to help cut greenhouse gas emissions and ease the global warming crisis.

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