"Wings over America" is a live album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released in December 1976. It's the only live album by the group that was officially released. This triple LP is a collection of performances from their acclaimed 1975–76 Wings Over the World tour, which marked the first time McCartney had performed in North America since The Beatles’ final tour, in 1966.
The album covers a selection of songs from the band’s previous albums along with some of McCartney’s Beatles-era works. Interestingly, "Wings over America" was created with a concept of "concert fantasy", meaning that it wasn't actually recorded at one specific concert. Instead, it blends various performances to create the ideal concert setlist. Marking a milestone in music recording technology, it was one of the first to use a 48-track tape machine that was flown to each tour stop.
"Wings over America" was a great commercial success. Shortly after its release, it reached number 1 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and also scored high placings in various international charts. It has since been certified multi-platinum by RIAA, indicating it's one of the best-selling albums of its time. The album received a reissue in 2013, featuring a remastered version of all songs to improve their audio quality.
Besides astonishing the audience with their performance, McCartney and his band also showcased impressive visual stage elements during the tour, all of which helped solidify their prominent place in the music scene post-Beatles. McCartney's talented band on this tour consisted of his wife Linda McCartney (keyboards, backing vocals), Denny Laine (guitar, vocals), Jimmy McCulloch (lead guitar, vocals), and Joe English (drums).
