Which former Beatle received the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year award?

The former Beatle who received the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year award was Paul McCartney.

The Recording Academy honored McCartney at a benefit gala in Los Angeles on 10 February 2012, during Grammy Week. MusiCares presents the award for a combination of major musical achievement and charitable commitment; proceeds from the event support music professionals facing financial, medical, or personal crises.

McCartney’s career had already spanned several musical eras. As a member of the Beatles, he co-wrote and performed many of the group’s best-known songs, then continued with the band Wings and a long solo career. His work also includes orchestral compositions, film music, and extensive environmental and animal-welfare advocacy.

The wording “former Beatle” matters because McCartney was still an active solo artist when he received the award. He was the second Beatle to receive the MusiCares Person of the Year honor: George Harrison had been honored posthumously in 2002. The 2012 tribute featured performances of songs from McCartney’s Beatles, Wings, and solo catalog.