Madrid, Aug 3 (IANS): The Beatles legends Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have remembered their friend-cum-singer-TV presenter Cilla Black in emotional tributes.

Black died on August 1. She was 72.

As Black began to make her name in showbiz, she could count The Beatles as some of her close friends, and her first single was "Love of the loved" by The Beatles's John Lennon and McCartney.

When her music career began at Liverpool's famous Cavern Club, she performed alongside such acts as The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Now Starr, who appeared on her BBC variety show, "Cilla", which aired between 1968 to 1976, has paid tribute to his "good friend", reports mirror.co.uk.

Starr tweeted: "I just heard the news Cilla black has left us she was a good friend we will all miss her peace to Cilla peace and love to the family R&B xxx."

McCartney said in a statement: "Such a shock to hear about Cilla’s passing.

"She was a lovely girl who infected everyone with her great spirit. From first meeting her as a cloakroom girl at the Cavern in Liverpool, to seeing her many times since, she always had a fun loving dignity that made her a great pleasure to be around.

"She had a fine distinctive voice and was always a bit of a laugh. It was a privilege to know and love her."

A sign has been lovingly pinned at Liverpool's famous Cavern Club where she began her music career.

It says The Cavern Club is "sad to announce the passing of its famous cloak room girl and performer Cilla Black".

She was born Priscilla Maria Veronica White on May 27, 1943. In the early 1960s, she got a part-time job as a cloakroom attendant at the club where the Beatles regularly played.

She quickly impressed the band and others with her talent, when she gave impromptu performances at the Cavern.

At this time, she also worked as a waitress in the Zodiac coffee lounge, where she met her future husband and manager Bobby Willis.

A Spanish police spokeswoman confirmed that Black had died at her Spanish home in Estepona on the Costa del Sol.

She said: “I can confirm the death of British national Priscilla White, aged 72.”

“We are still awaiting autopsy results but everything at this stage is pointing towards her death being the result of natural causes.”

Police sources said they thought the death had occurred overnight and they believed Black, who suffered from hearing problems and arthritis, had jetted to Spain a few days ago with one of her three sons.

Black, who often flew to Spain in the summer months, also had homes in London, Buckinghamshire and Barbados.

She was married for 30 years to Willis until he died in 1999 of lung cancer.

She leaves three sons, Robert, Ben and Jack, as well as two grandchildren.