Ringo Starr is not his real name. His real name is Richard Starkey, a kid from Liverpool, England, born on July 7, 1940. He was the oldest, but shortest Beatle, and the only one with blue eyes. And he was, and still is, the very lovable Ringo. Ringo did not have many chances to display his now known singer-songwriter skills, but he now known as a distinguished solo artist. And his innate drum skills have only flourished since the Beatles broke up.
In the year of 1970 (the year the Beatles broke up), Ringo released two albums. The first was called Sentimental Journey, and was very acoustic and focused on the music Starr grew up listening to. The other was called Beaucoups of Blues, and it had a more country/western feel to it. Also, in 1970, Starr's wife Maureen Starkey had what would be the couple's last child, and Starr's first daughter, Lee. They also had two sons, Zak, who later become the drummer for the band Oasis and The Who, and Jason.
Then came the singles. Ringo became the first solo Beatle to have seven consecutive Top 10 singles. The first was 'It Don't Come Easy'/'Early 1970' (A side/B side) in 1971. Soon after he released 'Back Off Boogaloo'/'Blindman' (1972). In 1973, he released his one of his most famous albums, Ringo, which included hits like 'Down and Out', 'Photograph', 'Oh My My' and 'You're Sixteen (You're Beautiful and You're Mine). Ringo was also the only album that reunited all the Beatles. The album Goodnight Vienna was also a major success, and had songs off it like 'Only You (And You Alone)' and 'No No Song'.
Starr's first greatest hits album came in late 1975, and was called Blast From Your Past. This was also his last album with Apple Records. Starr created his own record label called Ring O' Records, and signed with Atlantic Records. However, things started going a bit down hill for Ringo. His next three albums, Rotogravure, Ringo the 4th, and Bad Boy all performed poorly on the charts. He also divorced his wife, Maureen, in 1975.
In 1981, Ringo released his most critically acclaimed album after Ringo, and it was called Stop and Smell The Roses. It included the song 'All Those Years Ago', which was written by George Harrison (and later sung by him as well), sung by Ringo. He also married Barbara Bach, a woman he had met a year earlier on the set for the film Caveman. Ringo did cameos and acted in a lot of films and on television, and he continues this today. He was noted by John Lennon and Paul McCartney as the best actor in the movie A Hard Days Night, and was supposedly called 'a new Charlie Chaplin'.
In 1983, he released the album Old Wave. In 1989, another greatest hits album, Starr Stuck: The Best Of Ringo Starr Vol. 2, was also released. And, in 1988, Ringo and Barbara attended a detox center together, hoping to recover from alcoholism that plagued them both.
In 1989, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band debuted for the first time in Dallas, TX. The band brought together artists that had, at some point, been popular in their own right. Starr said, "I've said this over and over again, but I love being in a band."
In the fall of 1990, Starr released his first live album, Ringo and His All-Starr Band. It went over very well with the critics. In 1992, Ringo also released his first studio in nine years, called Time Takes Time. The New York Times called it "Starr's best: more consistently pleasing than Ringo, it shows him as an assured performer and songwriter." In 1992, Ringo put together his second All-Starr Band, which included his son Zak and Joe Walsh. An album was released, Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band: Live From Montreaux. 1995 brought about the third All Starr Band, as well as another album, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band Vol. 1. The fourth All-Starr band was to be formed in 1997.
1998 brought about the release of two new albums, Vertical Man and Storytellers, the latter being the live show Starr did on VH1's show 'Storytellers', and included his greatest and newest hits, as well as stories about them.
The creation of the fifth All-Starr band began in 1999, and Starr's first holiday album, I Wanna Be Santa Claus, was also released. The sixth All-Starr Band was created in 2000, and Starr was inducted Percussive Arts Hall Of Fame. In 2001, the seventh All-Starr band came alive, and the album Ringo and His All-Starr Band: The Anthology, So FarE was released. 2003 brought the forming of a new record label, Pumkinhead Records, the release of the album Ringo Rama, and the formation of the eighth All-Starr Band.
Postcards From The Boys was a book filled with postcards that had been sent to Ringo over the years from his friends, John, Paul, and George, all former Beatles. It was published in 2004. In 2005, his album Choose Love, was released. And, in 2008, his well received album Liverpool 8, which featured the single 'Liverpool 8', was released. On January 12, 2010, Ringo released his fifteenth studio album, Y Not. This year, it was also announced that Ringo would have a star in his name on Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Ringo, throughout his entire solo career, worked closely with many other artists by playing on their albums and singing in songs on musicians albums. He is also heavily involved in charities, and is known for playing many benefit concerts, including for his friend George Harrison.
In July of 2010, Ringo celebrated his 70th birthday. He was laughing and smiling, like he always does. It would not be inappropriate to say that Ringo Starr is one of the most positive people alive. And why shouldn't he be? Starr has worked hard to become the solo artist he is, and spreads his message of peace and love to all corners of the media, from music to art to books to television. He went from being a poor sick kid from Liverpool to a peace sign welding musician, and there is little doubt in my mind regarding one simple fact: Ringo Starr is the greatest drummer of our time.
-Raivynn
P.S- If you want to learn more about Ringo Starr, please visit his website at www.ringostarr.com. If you like more info on two other former Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison, you can read the blog posts Working Class Hero, NYC, and Lost Weekends: John Lennon After the Beatles or
My Sweet Lord, Hare Krishna, and Dhani: George Harrison After the Beatles. Tune in next week for our last number, Sir Paul McCartney!
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