Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr was arguably the most popular Beatle. Born in Liverpool on July 7th, 1940, Ringo's drumming with The Beatles was often unfairly derided, but his popularity never waned. While critics would often describe John as cutting, Paul as aloof, and George as too serious, with Ringo they had to find something else to criticise - his drumming.

Real name Richard Starkey, Jr., Ringo's childhood had been blighted by one thing after another. At the age of three his father left the family, then the young Richard was struck down by a burst appendix and peritonitis when he was six, which had left him in a coma for ten weeks. At thirteen, Richard developed pleurisy, and stayed in hospital till he was old enough to find work at fifteen. Some luck was to come Richard's way in the shape of supportive stepfather Harry Greaves, and Richard's time in hospital had given him time to work on an interest provoked by skiffle, namely drumming. Ironically, he formed a group called The Quarrymen. By 1959 Richard was now Ringo, so named because of all his rings, and Starkey was Starr, and he was the drummer with Liverpool's most famous group - Rory Storm And The Hurricanes. When their fortunes changed for the worst, a phone call from George Harrison sent Ringo on the way to everlasting fame.

Ringo's career with The Beatles began under a cloud, after Pete Best's summary sacking, but his drum skills and lovable personality soon won everybody over. Ringo also went on to prove himself to be a capable comedic actor in films, and a good pop singer. He was the lead singer on some of The Beatles best-loved songs, including 'Yellow Submarine', 'With A Little Help From My Friends', and 'Octopus's Garden', which Ringo wrote. His beautiful rendition of 'Good Night' was the last track on 'The White Album'. As a solo artist, Ringo has had several hit singles, including 'It Don't Come Easy', 'Back Off Boogaloo', and two successive US number ones, 'Photograph', and 'You're Sixteen'. Not forgetting his voicing popular children's TV series 'Thomas The Tank Engine'!

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.

More Ringo Starr Stuff available from booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon
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Ringo Starr art poster by Celebrity Image

Postcards from the Boys (Paperback)
Postcards from the Boys (Hardcover)
Author: Ringo Starr
Postcards from the Boys (Hardback)

Ringo Starr (Paperback)
Author: Alan Clayson

Concert For George DVD [2003]
A Concert for George DVD

Thomas & Friends DVD

Ringo Starr - Official Site

booksmusicfilmstv.com 1960s Music Index
booksmusicfilmstv.com 1970s Music Index

Rimgo Starr CDs available from booksmusicfilmstv.com - in association with Amazon
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Photograph The Very Best of Ringo Starr
Photograph (Special Edition - Enhanced)

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band-Live 2006

On Tour

Ringo Starr Solo Discography

(including UK & US Chart Positions)

Albums

Studio Albums
Sentimental Journey (27 March 1970) UK #7, US #22
Beaucoups Of Blues (25 September 1970) US #65
Ringo (9 November 1973) UK #7, US #2; Platinum
Goodnight Vienna (15 November 1974) UK #30, US #8; Gold
Ringo's Rotogravure (17 September 1976) US #28
Ringo The 4th (30 September 1977) US #162
Bad Boy (16 June 1978) US #129
Stop And Smell The Roses (20 November 1981) US #98
Old Wave (16 June 1983)
Time Takes Time (22 May 1992)
Vertical Man (15 June 1998) UK #85, US #61
Ringo Rama (24 March 2003) US #113
Choose Love (7 June 2005)
Liverpool 8 (January 2008)

Live Albums
Ringo Starr And His All-Starr Band (8 October 1990)
Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band Volume 2: Live From Montreux (13 September 1993)
Ringo Starr And His Third All-Starr Band-Volume 1 (12 August 1995)
VH1 Storytellers (19 October 1998)
King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo & His New All-Starr Band (6 August 2002)
Extended Versions (1 June 2003)
Tour 2003 (23 March 2004)
Ringo Starr And Friends (15 August 2006)

Compilation Albums
Blast From Your Past (12 December 1975) US #30
Starr Struck: Best Of Ringo Starr, Vol. 2 (24 February 1989)
The Anthology... So Far (19 January 2001)
Photograph: The Very Best Of Ringo Starr (28 August 2007) UK #26; US 130

Christmas Albums
I Wanna Be Santa Claus (24 October 1999)

Children's Albums
Scouse The Mouse (9 December 1977, UK only)

Guest Appearances
Jackie Lomax, Is This What You Want (1969) With G.Harrison/P.McCartney/E.Clapton
George Harrison, Wonderwall soundtrack (1968)
Howlin' Wolf, The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (1970)
Doris Troy, Doris Troy (1970)
John Lennon, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
George Harrison, All Things Must Pass (1970)
Stephen Stills, Stephen Stills (1970)
The Concert For Bangla Desh (1971)
BB King, BB King In London (1971)
John Lennon, Imagine (1971)
Peter Frampton, Wind Of Change (1972)
George Harrison, Living In The Material World (1973)
Harry Nilsson, Pussy Cats (1974)
George Harrison, Dark Horse (1974)
Platinum Weird, Make Believe (1974)
Keith Moon, Two Sides Of The Moon (1975)
The Last Waltz (1978)
Bob Dylan, Shot Of Love (1981)
George Harrison, Somewhere In England (1981)
Paul McCartney, Tug Of War (1982)
Paul McCartney, Pipes Of Peace (1984)
Paul McCartney, Give My Regards To Broad Street (1984)
George Harrison, Cloud Nine (1987)
Stay Awake: Various Interpretations Of Music From Vintage Disney Films (1988)
Tom Petty, Wildflowers (1994)
Paul McCartney, Flaming Pie (1997)
Electric Light Orchestra, Zoom (2001)
Liam Lynch, Fake Songs (2002)
Concert For George (2002)

Singles

1970 Beaucoups Of Blues Apple 2969 #69 US (US release date: 10/5/70)
1971 It Don't Come Easy #4 UK, #4 US Apple 1831 (US release date: 4/16/71); Gold
1972 Back Off Boogaloo #2 UK, #9 US Apple 1849 (US release date: 3/20/72)
1973 Photograph #8 UK, #1 US Apple 1865 (US release date: 9/24/73); Gold
1974 You're Sixteen #4 UK, #1 US Apple 1870 (US release date: 12/3/73); Gold
1974 Oh My My #5 US Apple 1872 (US release date: 2/18/74)
1974 Only You (And You Alone) #28 UK, #6 US Apple 1876 (US release date: 11/11/74)
1975 No No Song #3 US Apple 1880 (US release date: 1/27/75)
1975 It's All Down To Goodnight Vienna #31 US Apple 1862 (US release date: 6/2/75)
1976 A Dose Of Rock 'n' Roll #26 US Atlantic 3361 (US release date: 9/20/76)
1976 Hey Baby #62 US Atlantic 3371 (US release date: 11/22/76)
1977 Wings did not chart Atlantic 3429 (US release date: 8/25/77)
1977 Drowning In The Sea Of Love did not chart Atlantic 3412 (US release date: 10/18/77)
1978 Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette) did not chart Portrait 6-70015 (US release date: 4/18/78)
1978 Heart On My Sleeve did not chart Portrait 6-70018 (US release date: 7/6/78)
1981 Wrack My Brain #38 US Boardwalk 130 (US release date: 10/27/81)
1982 Private Property did not chart US Boardwalk 134 (US release date: 1/18/82)
1992 Weight Of The World #72 UK Private Music 81003-4 (US release date: 4/30/92)
1992 Don't Go Where The Road Don't Go (Germany)
1998 La De Da did not chart Mercury MELP 195 (45)or MECP 419 (CD) (US release date: July 1998)
2003 Never Without You

Ringo Starr Filmography

The Beatles Come To Town (1963) (short subject)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Help! (1965)
Reflections On Love (1966) (short subject)
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The Beatles Mod Odyssey (1968) (short subject)
Yellow Submarine (1968) (voice)
Candy (1968)
The Magic Christian (1969)
Let It Be (1970) (documentary)
Music! (1971) (documentary)
200 Motels (1971)
Blindman (1971)
The Point(1971) (Narrator on Home Video release)
Did Somebody Drop His Mouse? (1972) (short subject)
The Concert For Bangladesh (1972) (documentary)
Born To Boogie (1972) (documentary) (also director)
That'll Be The Day (1973)
Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1973) (documentary)
Son Of Dracula (1974)
Lisztomania (1975)
The Day The Music Died (1977) (documentary)
The Beatles And Beyond (1977) (documentary)
Sextette (1978)
The Last Waltz (1978) (documentary)
The Kids Are Alright (1979) (documentary)
Caveman (1981)
The Cooler (1982) (short subject)
Give My Regards To Broad Street (1984)
Water (1985) (Cameo)
Alice In Wonderland (1985)
To The North Of Katmandu (1986)
Sun City/The Making Of Sun City (1986) (documentary)
Queen: The Magic Years (1987) (documentary)
Walking After Midnight (1988) (documentary)
The Return Of Bruno (1988)
Concert For George (2003) (documentary)