Paul McCartney Gets Emotional

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has played an emotional set at this year's Coachella music festival, dedicating a song to his late wife Linda.

Paul and Linda McCartney were one of the music industry's longest lasting couplings. The Beatles star married the photographer in 1969, just as the Liverpool group's time together was coming to an end.

The pair formed the crux of Wings, often writing material together. A noted animal rights activist, Linda McCartney was a celebrated vegetarian cook. Sadly, she died of breast cancer in 1998.

Paul McCartney has often spoken of his love for Linda, and dedicated a song to her during his performance at Coachella. "It's a very emotional day for me and my family today," he confided to the crowd. "Linda (McCartney) passed away 11 years ago. We play this for Linda tonight," before performing the Wings' classic 'My Love'.

McCartney wrote the song for his late wife, and the pair often performed the track together. The musician seemed keen to mix the old with the new, performing Beatles rockers such as 'Drive My Car' alongside new tracks from his project The Fireman.

The songwriter also mentioned his old sparring partner John Lennon, to whom he dedicated 'Here Today', while George Harrison also received a dedication as his wife Olivia watched from the wings.

McCartney also performed a solo version of 'Blackbird' often taken to be a reference to the Civil Rights struggle in America. "It's so great to realise so many civil rights issues have been overcome. We now have President Obama" he told the crowd.

The singer performed for more than two and a half hours, ending in a singalong rendition of the classic song 'Yesterday'.