Ringo Starr

Solo Projects

A fan-made overview of Ringo’s albums, songs, All-Starr Band tours and collaborations beyond The Beatles. Independent, unofficial – but created with lots of love for Ringo and his music.

Ringo Starr History

Born July 7, 1940, Liverpool, Merseyside, England is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who was the drummer for the Beatles, one of the most influential bands in rock history. He also found success in a solo career.

Starkey was born in a working-class area of Liverpool. His parents, both bakery workers, divorced when he was a small child. Frequently ill, he spent a year in the hospital with complications from a burst appendix when he was six years old and a further two years in a sanatorium after he acquired pleurisy at the age of 13. During the latter episode he was introduced to the drums by a health worker who gave children musical instruments to amuse them. Starkey did not return to school after his release from the sanatorium but worked at various jobs, eventually becoming an apprentice joiner for an engineering company, where he and other employees formed a skiffle band. In 1959 he became the drummer for another skiffle band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and adopted his stage name. The band became quite popular, and it was during a shared 1960 engagement in Hamburg, West Germany, that Starr became acquainted with the Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best).

In 1962 Starr replaced Best as drummer for the Beatles. He underpinned the band with a straightforward steady beat and won over fans with his engaging personality. Though his vocal skills were limited, he did take the lead on a handful of songs, including “Boys” on the band’s 1963 debut album, Please Please Me.

The members of the Beatles had all launched separate careers before the band officially broke up in 1970. Starr appeared in films, including The Magic Christian (1969), and his first two solo albums, Sentimental Journey, consisting of standards from the 1930s and ’40s, and Beaucoups of Blues, a collection of country music, were both released in 1970. He also had several hit singles during the 1970s, notably “It Don’t Come Easy” (1971), “Back Off Boogaloo” (1972), and “Photograph” and “You’re Sixteen” (both 1973). Starr continued to release albums and to play on solo records for Lennon and Harrison, but his successes became more modest as time went on.

Starr later played the Conductor in the children’s television series Shining Time Station (1989–93) and was nominated (1989) for an Emmy Award. He published two books of photography, Postcards from the Boys (2004) and Photograph (2015). He formed his first All-Starr Band in 1989 and embarked the following year on the first of a continuing series of tours with various incarnations of the All-Starr Band, enjoying a thriving if low-key career punctuated by appearances at Beatles retrospectives. Among the musical luminaries who have performed with the All-Starr Band were Todd Rundgren and Levon Helm. Solo studio albums featuring tracks written and recorded by Starr and members of his All-Starr Band include Choose Love (2005), Postcards from Paradise (2015), Give More Love (2017), and What’s My Name (2019). In 2025 Starr returned to the country genre with Look Up, which was critically acclaimed.

From 1965 to 1975 Starr was married to Maureen Cox, with whom he had three children. In 1981 he married actress Barbara Bach. Starr was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, first with the Beatles in 1988 and again in 2015, receiving the Award for Musical Excellence. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1965, and he received a knighthood in the 2018 New Year Honours.

For all his many creative successes, Ringo is and always will be first and foremost a musician, a drummer. Ringo’s candor, wit and soul are the lifeblood of his music. As he sang on the autobiographical Liverpool 8 , “I always followed my heart and I never missed a beat.” Peace and love are his life’s rhythm and melody, and he propels this universal message in everything he does: his evocative artwork, his enthused live performances, his legendary songs, all imbued with the joy, reflection, and wisdom of the music icon the world knows and loves simply as ‘Ringo.’

Ringo Starr Solo Career Timeline

Year	Release / Event	Notes
1970	Sentimental Journey	First solo album; big band covers chosen by Ringo’s family members.
1971	Beaucoups of Blues	Country album recorded in Nashville with top local players.
1971–1972	Hit singles: It Don’t Come Easy, Back Off Boogaloo	Signature Ringo singles co-written with George Harrison and others.
1973	Ringo	Star-studded album featuring contributions from all three ex-Beatles.
1974	Goodnight Vienna	Follow-up with more rock and pop collaborations.
1981	Stop and Smell the Roses	Sessions with Paul McCartney, Ronnie Wood and others.
1989	First All-Starr Band tour	Launch of the rotating-supergroup live concept.
1992	Time Takes Time	Critically praised comeback studio album.
1998–2008	Vertical Man through Liverpool 8	Run of modern rock/pop albums and All-Starr touring.
2010s–2020s	Y Not, Ringo 2012, Give More Love, EPs	Ongoing studio work plus almost constant All-Starr Band activity.

Albums & Key Releases Overview

Drum kit and microphone set up in a vintage recording studio

Sentimental Journey (1970)

Ringo’s first every solo album. With song all our parents sang. In which he performed with an orchestra and dancers at the Talk of the Town nightclub. The cover of the album shows Starr in front of a pub in the Dingle area of Liverpool, where he grew up.

Ringo (1973)

Ringo’s most famous solo album, packed with guests including John, Paul and George. Melodic, fun and very Beatles-adjacent.

City skyline at night with bright lights reflecting on a river

Goodnight Vienna (1974)

A bright mid-70s follow-up with rock, pop and a touch of glam, produced by Richard Perry.

Vintage wall clock symbolizing the passage of time

Time Takes Time (1992)

Critically praised 90s return with strong songs and a warm, organic band sound.

Electric guitar leaning against an amplifier on a small stage

Vertical Man (1998)

Kicks off Ringo’s modern-era albums with a strong band, guests and upbeat songs.

Rock band on stage under bright spotlights

Ringo Rama (2003) & Choose Love (2005)

Rock-oriented albums with personal lyrics and tributes to George Harrison and others.

Peace sign painted as a colorful mural on a brick wall

Give More Love & Recent EPs

Late-period releases that keep Ringo’s peace-and-love message front and centre.

Look up ( 2025)

Look Up is the twenty-first studio album by English singer-songwriter Ringo Starr. It was released on 10 January 2025 In November 2022, Burnett and Starr both attended a book launch held by Olivia Harrison in Los Angeles. There, Starr asked Burnett to write a song for the next album.

Long Long Road (2026)

Long Long Road is the twenty-second studio album by Ringo Starr, released on 24 April 2026.
second album in collaboration with American producer and songwriter T Bone Burnett. Burnett wrote or co-wrote six of the tracks on the album, including the first single "It's Been Too Long".

Essential Songs & Performances

Where to start with Ringo’s solo music

This section highlights Ringo tracks and performances that really capture his charm, groove and personality as a frontman and drummer.

Look out for solo classics like It Don’t Come Easy, Photograph, Back Off Boogaloo and Oh My My, plus later gems such as Weight of the World, King of Broken Hearts and Never Without You.

We also point to standout live moments from the All-Starr Band, where Ringo leads the party and still drives the band from the kit.

All-Starr Band Tours

Since 1989, Ringo’s All-Starr Band has taken the idea of a “supergroup” on tour: Ringo on drums and vocals, joined by a rotating line-up of famous musicians who all get a turn in the spotlight.

Line-ups have featured members of Toto, The Band, ELO, Utopia, Santana and many more. A typical show mixes Ringo hits with signature songs by each All-Starr member, making every tour feel like a travelling rock festival.

Here we outline the major All-Starr eras, notable tours and official live releases so you can pick a favourite line-up to explore.

Deep Dives & Blog Highlights

Global Beatles day 2026

Album Deep Dives 04/06/26 1:00

This year, on 25th June, you’re invited to take part in Global Beatles Day, the annual event that brings people together to celebrate The Beatles and share their message: All You Need Is Love.

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Great Beatles fans get together in Leiden . May 31

Album Deep Dives 31/05/26 1:00

Fantastic 50 s BEATLES’ MEET in Leiden

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In the picture: New Beatles books

Album Deep Dives 15/05/26 1:00

Now and then there's a new book we like to suggest to you. Here's a new one

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OUT NOW -The Boys Of Dungeon Lane

Album Deep Dives 29/05/26 2:30

We all have been waiting for this album. And what is it you like about the album. Share it with us? Write: thebeatles.unlimited@gmail.com

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Paul McCartney Perform on SNL’s Season 51 Finale

Album Deep Dives 18/05/26 1:30

Paul McCartney Perform on SNL’s Season 51 Finale

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Collaborations & Guest Appearances

Ringo with ex-Beatles and friends

Ringo’s solo career is full of cameos and crossovers: he has recorded and performed with John, Paul and George on various projects, as well as with Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Joe Walsh, Tom Petty and many others.

From drumming on friends’ records to inviting them into the All-Starr Band, Ringo often works in a spirit of fun and loyalty. This section points you to notable guest spots, charity events and special one-off performances.

We also connect these collaborations back to Beatles-era relationships, showing how musical friendships from the 60s kept evolving.

From Beatles Drummer to Solo Star

Connecting the story

Ringo’s solo work builds on everything he brought to The Beatles: steady, musical drumming, an easygoing voice and a warm sense of humour.

This section helps you trace lines from Beatles tracks like With a Little Help From My Friends and Octopus’s Garden through to solo songs such as Photograph and Never Without You.

External resources & official info

For detailed discographies and credits, check well-known reference sites and discography books dedicated to Ringo and the other ex-Beatles.

To hear the music itself, use your preferred legal streaming or download services, or track down original vinyl and CD releases.

For official announcements and tour dates, always refer to Ringo’s official channels and thebeatles.com – this fan site is independent and not affiliated with any official organisation.