Concert for Linda

The Concert for Linda was a benefit tribute to Linda McCartney, wife of Paul McCartney. It was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 10 April 1999.[1] Linda McCartney died after a long battle with cancer nearly a year earlier, when she was 56. They were married for 29 years.

The event was organised by two of their friends, Chrissie Hynde and Carla Lane.[2] Comedian Eddie Izzard hosted the concert, with proceeds going to various animal rights charities. Hynde and Linda had worked together supporting various animal rights groups, including PETA.[3] Tickets to the show, with 5,000 people attending, sold out within an hour after going on sale.[4]

Performances

Besides Paul McCartney's unannounced performance, the show featured more than a dozen artists singing their own versions of Beatles' material.[5] Among the other groups performing were George Michael, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello,[6] Tom Jones, Sinead O'Connor, Des'ree, Heather Small, guitarist Johnny Marr, Neil Finn, Marianne Faithfull and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Faithfull, who wanted to appear, said "I didn't know Linda well, but she made my friend very happy, and that's the main thing."[7]

McCartney was not expected to perform, as he had not done any shows since his wife died.[2] However, he attended the event with his four children. After he took to the stage to thank the audience, at the urging of Chrissie Hynde, he sang one of his and Linda's favorite 1950s songs, Ricky Nelson's "Lonesome Town."[8] He was backed by members of the Pretenders, along with Costello. The song was Paul's first recorded song since Linda died.

He followed that with his 1963 hit, "All My Loving," originally performed by The Beatles.[9] Most of the night's performers joined him on stage to provide the chorus. Costello said that for this particular event, "there was something incredibly poignant" about the song's opening lyrics: Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, Tomorrow I'll miss you, Remember I'll always be true.[2]

After those songs, Hynde rushed over and gave McCartney an emotional embrace. Everyone then joined in for the closing song, "Let It Be."

References
  1. "Paul McCartney leads Linda tribute", BBC, 11 April 1999
  2. Costello, Elvis. Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, Penguin (2015) ch. 5
  3. Billboard magazine, 20 October 2001
  4. Badman, Keith. The Beatles Diary, Volume 2: After the Break-Up, 1970-2001, Omnibus Press (2009) e-book
  5. "The Information on: A Concert for Linda McCartney", Independent, 13 April 1999
  6. Elvis Costello performs at "Concert for Linda", April 1999
  7. Hodkinson, Mark. Marianne Faithfull: As Years Go By, Omnibus Press (2013) e-book
  8. Paul McCartney performs at the "Concert for Linda"
  9. "The Night Paul McCartney Dedicated an Emotional Concert to His Late Wife Linda", Ultimate Classic Rock, 12 April 2014
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