Sir Paul's tribute to his '˜second father'

Sir George Martin, the record producer known as the fifth Beatle, was 90.

Sir Paul, who lives in Peasmarsh, issued a moving tribute describing George Martin as “a true gentleman and like a second father to me”.

The tribute, issued through the musician’s website, he said: “I’m so sad to hear the news of the passing of dear George Martin.

“ I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever.

“He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me.

“He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family.

“If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George.

“From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.”

He recalled how Sir George had persuaded him to add a string quartet to one of the fab four’s biggest hits, Yesterday.

Sir Paul said: “ I said, ‘Oh no George, we are a rock and roll band and I don’t think it’s a good idea’. With the gentle bedside manner of a great producer he said to me, ‘Let us try it and if it doesn’t work we won’t use it and we’ll go with your solo version’. I agreed to this and went round to his house the next day to work on the arrangement.

“He took my chords that I showed him and spread the notes out across the piano, putting the cello in the low octave and the first violin in a high octave and gave me my first lesson in how strings were voiced for a quartet.

“When we recorded the string quartet at Abbey Road, it was so thrilling to know his idea was so correct that I went round telling people about it for weeks.

“His idea obviously worked because the song subsequently became one of the most recorded songs ever with versions by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye and thousands more.”

Sir George went on to help Sir Paul with the arrangements on Eleanor Rigby, Live and Let Die and many other of Sir Paul’s songs.

Sir Paul added: “My family and I, to whom he was a dear friend, will miss him greatly and send our love to his wife Judy and their kids Giles and Lucy, and the grandkids.

“The world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music.”