Named in honor of Paul McCartney (1942– ), musician and ex-Beatle. A talented composer, he was responsible for some of The Beatles’ {see planet  (8749)} best loved songs — both ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Michelle’ have become classics of the popular repertoire, and have each been covered by several hundred artists. Paul was instrumental in the setting up of the Apple Corps, a philantropic organization that helped to launch the careers of several young musicians. Paul was the only member of The Beatles to continue regular live performances after the group split in 1970. He is still a popular performer, and many of his solo recordings have topped the charts around the world. (M 16248) _ _.