Yale honors McCartney

Yale honors McCartney

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Paul McCartney can now add one more honor to the numerous awards, accolades and the knighthood he has already received.

The ex-Beatle on Monday was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University.

In granting the honorary degree to McCartney — Sir Paul McCartney since he was knighted in 1996 — the university said no one compares with the legendary songwriter.

Yale said the 65-year-old McCartney awakened a generation, giving a fresh sound to rock ’n’ roll and rhythm and blues.

A band played “Hey Jude,” a Beatles hit, as McCartney walked on stage to accept the honorary degree.

Yale University President Richard Levin evoked some of the songwriter’s most memorable lines during the presentation.

New Haven was the site of a British invasion of sorts on Sunday, as McCartney and former Prime Minister Tony Blair were in town for Yale’s 307th commencement. Blair’s eldest son, Euan, is completing a two-year master’s program in international relations, and the former prime minister, who is to teach a course in the fall, gave a speech Sunday to Yale students on foreign relations.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Christopher Lee is 86. Actress Lee Meriwether is 73. Musician Ramsey Lewis is 73. Actor Louis Gossett Jr. is 72. Country singer Don Williams is 69. Actor Bruce Weitz is 65. Actor Richard Schiff (“The West Wing”) is 53. Singer Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees is 51. Singer-guitarist Neil Finn of Crowded House and Split Enz is 50. Actress Peri Gilpin (“Frasier”) is 47. Actress Cathy Silvers (“Happy Days”) is 47. Comedian Adam Carolla is 44. Actor Todd Bridges (“Diff’rent Strokes”) is 43. Drummer Sean Kinney of Alice In Chains is 42. Actor Paul Bettany (“A Beautiful Mind”) is 37. Singer-guitarist Brian Desveaux of Nine Days is 37. Rapper Andre 3000 of Outkast is 33. Rapper Jadakiss is 33. Actor Ethan Dampf (“American Dreams”) is 14.