Ringo Starr was The Beatles' drummer and occasional singer. He was the oldest member and the last to join the band.
Ringo's a damn good drummer. He was always a good drummer. He's not technically good, but I think Ringo's drumming is underrated the same way as Paul's bass playing is underrated...
I think Paul and Ringo stand up anywhere with any of the rock musicians. Not technically great. None of us were technical musicians. None of us could read music. None of us can write it. But as pure musicians, as inspired humans to make noise, they're as good as anybody!
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
The early years
Ringo was born Richard Starkey on 7 July 1940, at 9 Madryn Street in the Dingle area of Liverpool. His parents split up when he was three, and his mother Elsie remarried a man called Harry Graves. Graves got on well with Richard and encouraged the boy's passion for music.
A sickly child, Starkey spent long stretches in hospital. Among his afflictions were a coma caused by appendicitis, a cold which led to pleurisy, and various allergies and intolerances to certain foods. His illnesses made him fall behind academically, and he didn't return to school after a stay in hospital which began at the age of 13.
Known as Ritchie as a teenager, Starkey became infatuated with the skiffle craze which swept Liverpool and elsewhere in the 1950s. He co-founded the Eddie Miles Band, which later became Eddie Clayton and the Clayton Squares, and in 1959 joined the Raving Texans - backing band for local singer Rory Storm.
It was while playing in these Liverpool bands that he gained the nickname Ringo Starr - the first part due to the rings he wore, and the second because his solos - which Ringo performed reluctantly - could be billed as 'Starr Time'.
With The Beatles
Ringo met The Beatles in Hamburg in October 1960. At the time he was performing with Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, but stepped in on a number of occasions when Pete Best was unavailable. At the time there was a sense of solidarity among the British groups in Hamburg, and The Beatles got to know Starr well.
When George Martin demanded that Best be replaced, The Beatles insisted that Ringo was the best drummer for them. The decision was controversial among the group's fans, who demanded "Pete forever! Ringo never!" at The Cavern, and fights broke out.
However, Starr didn't play drums on The Beatles' first single, Love Me Do. Martin brought session drummer Andy White in for the session, relegating Starr to tambourine on Love Me Do, and maracas on its b-side PS I Love You. From then on Ringo played on virtually all The Beatles' recordings.
Related articles:
- Zak Starkey is born
- Jason Starkey is born
- Ringo Starr is born
- Ringo's first official show as a Beatle
- Ringo Starr quits The Beatles
Ringo did not play drums on Imagine. Alan White, Jim Gordon and John Bonham shared the drum duties on that album.
Ah yes, of course. That was me being absent-minded - it's one of my favourite albums, so I should have known.
John Bonham, though? I think you mean Jim Keltner.
No Joseph. You're totally wrong!!! Ringo says he did play drums on Imagine. He said so himself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-VBLMHMOUM&feature=rec-fresh+div-r-5-HM
Ringo must have made a mistake, he did look a bit confused. Alan White was definitely the drummer on Imagine. I've seen it on documentary footage.
I agree. I think it was Ben Harper's mistake though. and Ringo just agreed with him. Ringo probably doesn't even remember whether he was on the album, bless him.
Hey Larry.
You are the one that is totally wrong!!!
The credit list of musicians was featured on the record sleeve of the Imagine LP when it was released and there is also a credit list for the CD.
Ringo may have been unavailable at that particular time in spring 1971 as he was making a western entitled "Blindman".
Alan White, Jim Gordon AND Jim Keltner (not John Bonham as I mistakenly listed before)
shared the drumming chores.
I love the Beatles.... I didn't know they couldn't read music though! How did they write songs without music?!?!?!
They just couldn't read NOTATION, that didn't stop 'em from writing and playing and singing with one another.
However it became the conventional tale told in Beatles lore that Dear Prudence was drummed by Paul, I'll never know. The drums on that song are SO Ringo it's not funny.
Yeah Dear Prudence is the only Paul drum song that is even close to what Ringo could do. Paul's an incredibly talented musician, but as a drummer he couldn't touch Ringo.
i beg to differ Paul's drumming is extremely good just listen to him playing drums on Steve Miller's MY DARK HOUR and also his bass and backing vocals.