McCartney to take home Gershwin Prize

McCartney, 67, wrote his first song at age 14 before enjoying wild success with the worlds most famous pop group and his later solo career.

Ex-Beatle and music legend Paul McCartney will receive the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, a US Library of Congress honor that has been bestowed on stars like Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.

The prize is named for US composer brothers George and Ira Gershwin, many of whose original works are part of the Library's huge collection.

- It is hard to think of another performer and composer who has had a more indelible and transformative effect on popular song and music of several different genres than Paul McCartney - said on Monday Librarian of Congress James Billington, who selected the British icon.

McCartney, 67, wrote his first song at age 14 before enjoying wild success with the world's most famous pop group and his later solo career. He was due to visit Washington in early 2010 to collect the prize.