Paul McCartney's love for music and musical instruments started at a young age, but his father did not give him any piano lessons to hone his skills.
The former The Beatles member was known as the band's bass guitarist and lead vocalist alongside John Lennon. Before his debut, he already showed interests in playing instruments, including the guitar and the piano.
As a member of a working-class family of four, McCartney enjoyed the piano in their Liverpool, England, home. Despite having access to the instrument, he once revealed why his father did not want to teach him how to play it.
Paul McCartney's Father Did Not Want To Teach Him How To Play Piano
The "Magneto and Titanium Man" singer told Wired that, while his father knew how to play the instrument, he always got rejected whenever he asked for lessons.
"[My dad] said, 'You've got to get proper lessons,'" he revealed. "So, I took proper lessons and couldn't really get on with it because the music I was hearing in my head...I couldn't do that."
With his father's refusal, McCartney learned how to play it by himself just by picking out the chords on the instrument. He recalled doing it when he was around 14 or so.
He also shared the story in his "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present." According to McCartney, he retook piano lessons while writing The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby."
Margaret Asher, the mother of his then-girlfriend Jane Asher, helped him arrange the lessons with someone from Guildhall School of Music, where she works. However, at that time, the teacher was not impressed that the lessons ended sooner than expected.
Paul McCartney Shared His Piano Skills in Many of The Beatles' Songs
While McCartney focused on playing his guitar and singing the band's songs, he also contributed piano music to some of The Beatles' tracks.
Among the songs in which he played the piano part include "Hello, Goodbye," "A Day in the Life," and Let It Be." He also uses his piano skills in his solo career.
Although he did not receive proper lessons from his father, McCartney recorded the song the patriarch wrote, "Walking in the Park With Eloise." He recorded it during his time with Wings.
McCartney also famously created his "magic piano." The instrument had a wooden shell and copied the design of the piano they had at home. However, it had an electric piano inside.
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