He was/is a famous singer from the 60s.
I just googled him and found that in 1982 he made a statue for the City of Liverpool call "Eleanor Rigby" after the Beatles song. Further reading tells me that The character was an entirely fictitious creation of John and Paul but in a graveyard very near their childhood homes there is a grave in the name of one, "Eleanor Rigby".
It's amazing what you can find out in a few moments these days!