name	Hoyt Axton
background	solo_singer
birth name	Hoyt Wayne Axton
birth date	March 25, 1938
death date	October 26, 1999
origin	Duncan, Oklahoma, USA
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country, folk
occupation	Singer, songwriter, actor
years active	1960–99
associated acts	Three Dog Night, The Kingston Trio
website	Hoyt Axton's Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Page }}

Hoyt Wayne Axton (March 25, 1938 – October 26, 1999) was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well known throughout the world. Among them were "Della and the Dealer", "Joy to the World", and "Greenback Dollar".

Biography

He was born in Duncan, Oklahoma and spent his pre-teen years in Comanche, Oklahoma with his brother, John. His mother, Mae Boren Axton, co-wrote the classic rock 'n' roll song "Heartbreak Hotel", which became the first major hit for Elvis Presley. Some of Hoyt Axton's own songs were also later recorded by Elvis. Hoyt Axton's father, John T. Axton, was a Navy officer stationed in Jacksonville, Florida; the family joined him there in 1949. Axton graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1956 and left town after Knauer's Hardware burned down on graduation night, a prank gone wrong. Axton attended Oklahoma State for a short length of time before following his father and enlisting in the Navy. Axton served aboard the USS ''Ranger'' before pursuing a music career.

After his discharge from the Navy on the West Coast, he began singing folk songs in San Francisco nightclubs. In the early 1960s he released his first folk album titled ''The Balladeer'' (recorded at the Troubadour); which included his song "Greenback Dollar", a 1963 hit for The Kingston Trio. Axton released numerous albums well into the 1980s.

Axton had many minor singing hits of his own, such as "Boney Fingers", "When the Morning Comes", and 1979's "Della and the Dealer", as well as "Jealous Man" (the latter two he sang in a guest appearance on ''WKRP in Cincinnati''). His vocal style featured his distinctive bass-baritone (which later deepened to near-bass) and use of characterization.

But his most lasting contributions were songs made famous by others: "Joy to the World" and "Never Been to Spain" (Three Dog Night), the previously mentioned "Greenback Dollar" (Kingston Trio), "The Pusher" and "Snowblind Friend" (Steppenwolf), "No-No Song" (Ringo Starr), and an array of others, covered by singers such as Joan Baez, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, and Anne Murray. Axton also sang a couple of duets with Linda Ronstadt, including "Lion in Winter" and "When the Morning Comes" (a top 40 country hit). His most popular and signature song, "Joy to the World", as performed by Three Dog Night, was number 1 on the charts for six straight weeks in 1971, making it the top hit of the year.

Axton first appeared on television in a David L. Wolper ABC production of ''The Story of a Folksinger'' (1963). In 1965, he appeared in an episode of ''Bonanza'', then followed with other TV roles over the years. As he matured, Axton as an actor specialized in playing good ol' boys on television and in films. His face became well-known in the 1970s and 1980s through many TV and film appearances, such as in the movies ''Gremlins'' and ''The Black Stallion''. He sang the jingle "Head For the Mountains" in the Busch beer commercials in the 1980s (and also "The Ballad of Big Mac", touting McDonald's Big Mac on screen in a 1969 commercial he filmed for the hamburger franchise).

Axton spent some time struggling with cocaine addiction and several of his songs, including "The Pusher", "Snowblind Friend", and "No-No Song", partly reflect his negative drug experiences. He had been known as an opponent of drug use for many years when, in February 1997, he and his wife were arrested at their Montana home for possession of approximately 500 grams of marijuana, a little over a pound. His wife explained later that she offered Axton marijuana to relieve pain and stress following a 1995 stroke; both were fined and given deferred sentences.

Axton never fully recovered from his stroke, and still had to use a wheelchair much of the time. His mother, Mae, drowned in a hot tub at her Tennessee home in 1997. Hoyt Axton died of a heart attack in Victor, Montana, on October 26, 1999, at the age of 61. Axton had suffered a severe heart attack two weeks earlier and experienced another one while undergoing surgery in Montana.

On November 1, 2007 he and his mother were inducted posthumously to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions			Label
		! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"	CAN Country
1962	''The Balladeer''				Horizon
1963	''Greenback Dollar''				Horizon
1963	''Thunder 'n' Lightnin'''				Horizon
1963	''Saturday's Child''				Horizon
1964	''Hoyt Axton Explodes!''				Vee Jay
1964	''Long Old Road''				Vee Jay
1965	''Mr. Greenback Dollar Man''				Surrey
1965	''Hoyt Axton Sings Bessie Smith''				Exodus
1969	''My Griffin Is Gone''				Columbia
1971	''Joy To The World''				Capitol
1971	''Country Anthem''				Capitol
1973	''Less Than the Song''
1974	''Life Machine''
1975	''Southbound''
1976	''Fearless''
1977	''Snowblind Friend''				MCA
	''Road Songs''				A&M;
''Free Sailin'''				MCA
1979	''A Rusty Old Halo''
1980	''Where Did the Money Go?''
1981	''Live!''
1982	''Pistol Packin' Mama''
1984	''American Dreams''				Global
1990	''Spin of the Wheel''				DPI

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions					Album
		! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"	CAN Country	! style="width:45px;"	CAN AC
1963	"Green Back Dollar"						''Greenback Dollar''
1973	"Sweet Misery"						''Less Than the Song''
"Boney Fingers"
	"Nashville"
"Lion in the Winter" (with Linda Ronstadt)
"In a Young Girl's Mind"
	"Flash of Fire"
"Evangelina"
	"You're the Hangnail in My Life"
"Little White Moon"
	"Della and the Dealer"
"A Rusty Old Halo"
	"Wild Bull Rider"
"Evangelina"
"Boozers Are Losers (When Benders Don't End)"
"Where Did the Money Go"
	"Flo's Yellow Rose"						single only
"The Devil"						''Live!''
"(We've Got To) Win This One"						single only
	"(When You Dance) You Do Not Tango"						''Where Did the Money Go''
"There Stands the Glass"
"Pistol Packin' Mama"
	"Warm Storms and Wild Flowers"
"If You're a Cowboy"						single only

Selective list of songs

Among his best-known compositions (or co-writing credits) are:

"I'm a Good Ole Rebel"

"Greenback Dollar" covered by The Kingston Trio

"The Pusher", covered by Steppenwolf on their debut album in 1968. This version was also used in the soundtrack of the classic 1969 motion picture "Easy Rider"

"No-No Song", which became a #3 hit for Ringo Starr in March 1975

"Never Been To Spain", covered by Three Dog Night, Waylon Jennings, and Elvis Presley

"Joy to the World", the Three Dog Night hit from April 1971 which held US #1 for six weeks

"Snowblind Friend" (1971), covered by Steppenwolf

"Lightning Bar Blues" (1973), covered by Brownsville Station and Arlo Guthrie (also a big hit for the Finnish band Hanoi Rocks in the '80s)

"Sweet Misery" (1974), covered by John Denver

"The Morning Is Here" (1974)

"Boney Fingers" (1974)

"Della and the Dealer" (1979) (Reached the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' Country charts in the USA and the top 50 of the British pop charts)

"Hotel Ritz" (1979)

"Rusty Ol' Halo" (1979)

"Hangnail In My Life" Snowblind Album (1977)

"Della and the Dealer" and "Hotel Ritz" both became minor hit singles in the UK after extensive playing by the British D.J. Terry Wogan on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast programme of the time.

Movies and television appearances

Movie appearances

''Smoky''

''The Black Stallion''

''Heart Like a Wheel''

''Gremlins''

''Cloud Dancer''

''Disorganized Crime''

''We're No Angels''

''The Junkman''

''Deadline Auto Theft''

''Buried Alive''

''Buried Alive II''

''Dixie Lanes''

''Liar's Moon''

''Christmas Comes to Willow Creek''

''Endangered Species''

''Kingfish''

''Harmony Cats''

Television appearances

''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''

''McCloud''

''I Dream of Jeannie''

''Domestic Life''

''Dukes of Hazzard''

''Bonanza''

''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (performed "Della and the Dealer" and "Jealous Man")

''Flo''

''Diff'rent Strokes'' (as fictional country/western impresario "Wes McKinney")

''Murder, She Wrote''

''Growing Pains''

''Faerie Tale Theatre'' - "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"

''The Bionic Woman'' - "Road to Nashville"

''The Rousters''

Axton also composed and sang the theme song to the short-lived television sitcom ''Flo''. Several songs for the 1977 film Outlaw Blues was composed by Axton and sung by Peter Fonda.

''The Rousters'' was a short-lived television sitcom (1983) with Axton as 'Cactus' Jack Slade. The show starred Chad Everett as Wyatt Earp III, the grandson of the legendary Wyatt Earp, and Jim Varney as his dim-witted brother, Evan.

In the mid '90s, Axton was chosen to host and narrate the profile series ''The Life and Times'' on The Nashville Network, in which a different country music figure was spotlighted each hour. His voice was heard throughout and he was seen on-camera doing the introduction and closing of each show in which he participated.

Axton also showed up as the narrator for two documentaries of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Race in 1982 and 1983 called Desperate Dreams.

References

Allen, Bob. (1998). "Hoyt Axton". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 23.

External links

The Official Hoyt Axton Web site (Archive)

Hoyt Axton's Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame Page

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Axton, Hoyt

Category:American country singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American film actors Category:American male singers Category:American television actors Category:Actors from Oklahoma Category:Musicians from Oklahoma Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:United States Navy sailors Category:Musicians from Montana Category:People from Jacksonville, Florida Category:People from Oklahoma Category:People from Stephens County, Oklahoma Category:Vee-Jay Records artists Category:1938 births Category:1999 deaths Category:Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inductees

de:Hoyt Axton fr:Hoyt Axton pt:Hoyt Axton

name	John Hartford
landscape	Yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	John Cowan Harford
born	December 30, 1937New York City, New York
died	June 04, 2001Nashville, Tennessee
origin	St. Louis, Missouri
instrument	Banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocals
genre	Bluegrass, country, folk
occupation	Singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, dancer, towboat and steamboat pilot
years active	1953–2001
label	RCA, Warner Bros., Flying Fish, Rounder, Small Dog a'Barkin'
associated acts	Glen Campbell, The Dillards, Jamie Hartford, Down from the Mountain tour
website	www.johnhartford.com
notable instruments	}}

John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore. Hartford performed with a variety of ensembles throughout his career, and is perhaps best known for his solo performances where he would interchange the guitar, banjo, and fiddle from song to song. He also invented his own shuffle tap dance move, and clogged on an amplified piece of plywood while he played and sang.

Life

John Harford (he would change his name to Hartford later in life at the behest of Chet Atkins) was born on December 30, 1937 in New York City to parents Dr. Carl and Mary Harford. He spent his childhood in St. Louis, Missouri. There he was exposed to the influence that would shape much of his career and music—the Mississippi River. From the time he got his first job on the river, at age 16, Hartford was on, around, or singing about the river.

His early musical influences came from the broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and included Earl Scruggs, nominal inventor of the three-finger bluegrass style of banjo playing. Hartford said often that the first time he heard Earl Scruggs pick the banjo changed his life. By age 13, Hartford was an accomplished old-time fiddler and banjo player, and he soon learned to play guitar and mandolin as well. Hartford formed his first bluegrass band while still in high school at John Burroughs School. After high school he enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, completed 4 years of a commercial arts program and dropped out to focus on his music, however he did later receive a degree in 1960. He immersed himself in the local music scene, working as a DJ, playing in bands, and occasionally recording singles for local labels. In 1965, he moved to Nashville, the center of the country music industry. In 1966, he signed with RCA Victor, and produced his first album, ''Looks at Life'', in the same year.

In 1967, Hartford's second album ''Earthwords & Music'' spawned his first major hit, "Gentle On My Mind". His recording of the song was only a modest success, but it caught the notice of Glen Campbell, who recorded his own version, which gave the song much wider publication. At the 1968 Grammys, the song netted four awards, two of which went to Hartford; just as importantly, it became one of the most widely recorded country songs of all time, and the royalties it brought in allowed Hartford great financial independence; Hartford would later say that the song bought his freedom. As his popularity grew, he moved to the West Coast, where he became a regular on the "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"; other television appearances followed, as did recording appearances with several major country artists. He also played with The Byrds on their album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. The success on "SmoBro" was enough that Hartford was offered the lead role in a TV detective series but he turned it down to move back to Nashville and concentrate on his music. He also was a regular on ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' (the banjo picker who would stand up from his seat in the audience to begin the theme music) and The Johnny Cash Show.

A live John Hartford concert was an intimate and engaging experience. He was a true "one-man band" and utilized not only a multitude of stringed instruments, but also a variety of props such as plywood squares and boards with sand and gravel on which to stomp, kick, and scrape to create all manner of natural and organic background noises.

Newgrass

During the years 1968-1970, Hartford recorded four more albums for RCA: ''The Love Album'', ''Housing Project'', ''John Hartford'', and ''Iron Mountain Depot''. In 1971, he moved over to Warner Bros. Records, where he was given more freedom to record in his untraditional style. There, fronting a band that included Vassar Clements, Tut Taylor and Norman Blake, he recorded several extraordinary albums that set the tone of his later career, including the acclaimed ''Aereo-Plain'' and ''Morning Bugle''. Of the former, Sam Bush said "Without ''Aereo-Plain'' (and the Aereo-Plain band), there would be no newgrass music."

Switching several years later to the Flying Fish label, Hartford continued to participate in the experimentation with nontraditional country and bluegrass styles that he and artists such as Bush were engaging in at the time. Among his recordings were two albums in 1977 and 1980 with Doug and Rodney Dillard from The Dillards, with Bush as a backing musician, and featuring a diversity of songs that included "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and "Yakety Yak".

Hartford's Grammy-winning ''Mark Twang'' features Hartford playing solo, reminiscent of his live solo performances playing the fiddle, guitar, banjo, and amplified plywood for tapping his feet. At the same time, he developed a stage show, which toured in various forms from the mid 1970s until shortly before his death.

Hartford went on to change labels several more times during his career; in 1991, he inaugurated his own Small Dog a'Barkin' label. Later in the 1990s, he switched again, to the Rounder label. On that label and a number of smaller labels, he recorded a number of idiosyncratic records, many of which harkened back to earlier forms of folk and country music. Among them was the 1999 album, ''Retrograss'', recorded with Mike Seeger and David Grisman, offering bluegrass takes on such songs as "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay", "Maybellene", "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "Maggie's Farm".

He recorded several songs for the soundtrack to the movie ''O Brother, Where Art Thou'', winning another Grammy for his performance, and made his final tour in 2001 with the ''Down from the Mountain'' tour that grew out of that movie and its accompanying album. While performing in Texas in April that year, he found he could no longer control his hands due to a more than 20-year battle with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and his career was finished.

Though Hartford is considered a co-founder in the newgrass movement, he remained deeply attached to traditional music as well. His last band and last few albums reflect his love for pre-bluegrass old-time music. According to an interview with Don Swain, he described his love for the rare and nearly forgotten fiddle tunes of the Appalachians and Missouri foothills.

Steamboating

The culture of the Mississippi River and its steamboats captivated Hartford from an early age. He said that it would have been his life's work "but music got in the way," so he intertwined them whenever possible. In the '70s, Hartford earned his steamboat pilot's license, which he used to keep close to the river he loved; for many years, he worked as a pilot on the steamboat Julia Belle Swain during the summers. He also worked as a towboat pilot on the Mississippi, Illinois, and Tennessee rivers.

During his later years, he came back to the river every summer. "Working as a pilot is a labor of love," he said. "After a while, it becomes a metaphor for a whole lot of things, and I find for some mysterious reason that if I stay in touch with it, things seem to work out all right." His home in Madison, Tennessee was situated on a bend of the Cumberland River and built to simulate the view from a steamboat deck. He used to talk to the boat captains by radio as their barges crawled along the river, and that bend of the Cumberland River is known as "Hartford's Bend" on plat maps.

An accomplished fiddler and banjo player, Hartford was simultaneously an innovative voice on the country scene and a thrilling reminder of a vanished era. Along with his own compositions, such as ''Long Hot Summer Days'' and ''Kentucky Pool'', Hartford was a voluminous repository of old river songs, calls, and stories. He could spend hours talking about the glory days of steamboating or demonstrating the lead calls that the river's most famous chronicler took as his name, "Mark Twain" (or "two fathoms"). Hartford was also the author of ''Steamboat in a Cornfield'', a children's book that recounts the true story of the Ohio River steamboat ''The Virginia'' and its somewhat comical beaching in a cornfield.

Final years

At the time of his death, Hartford was also working on the biography of the blind fiddler Ed Haley. Hartford's album ''The Speed of the Old Longbow'' is a collection of Haley's tunes. Hartford also provided narration for several of Ken Burns' documentaries.

Hartford was given a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

From the 1980s onwards, Hartford struggled with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. On June 4, 2001 at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, at age 63, he died of the disease.

In honor of his work, he was given a posthumous Presidents Award by the Americana Music Association in September 2005.

Works

Hartford recorded more than 30 albums, ranging across a broad spectrum of styles—from the traditional country of his early RCA recordings, to the new and experimental sound of his early newgrass recordings, to the traditional folk style to which he often returned later in his life. Hartford's albums also vary widely in formality, from the stately and orderly ''Annual Waltz'' to the rougher and less cut recordings that typified many of his later albums.

''Aereo-Plain'' and ''Morning Bugle'' are often considered to be Hartford's most influential work, coming as they did at the very beginning of a period in which artists such as Hartford and the New Grass Revival, led by Sam Bush, would create a new form of country music, blending their country backgrounds with influences from a number of other sources. His later years saw a number of live albums, as well as recordings that explored the repertoire of old-time folk music. He sketched the cover art for some of his mid-career albums, drawing with both hands simultaneously.

Hartford is remembered as an influential and pioneering artist. Never bound by the limitations of one genre, he recorded wherever his interests led him. Performing and recording until his illness rendered him incapable of continuing, Hartford contributed a vast and unique body of work to the library of American music.

Discography

References

Bibliography

Samuelson, Dave. (1998). "John Hartford". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 231.

External links

Official site

www.johnhartford.org - Fan site

Biography from Yahoo! music.

Julia Belle Swain - the great steamboat John piloted and frequently sang about

Steam Powered Preservation Society - John & Jamie Hartford Page

Category:1937 births Category:2001 deaths Category:American bluegrass musicians Category:American fiddlers Category:American folk musicians Category:American folk singers Category:Songwriters from New York Category:American banjoists Category:People from St. Louis, Missouri Category:Deaths from lymphoma Category:Music of St. Louis, Missouri Category:Washington University in St. Louis alumni Category:Grammy Award winners Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Cancer deaths in Tennessee

de:John Hartford it:John Hartford pt:John Hartford ru:Хартфорд, Джон

name	Ringo Starr
alt	A man in his sixties wearing sunglasses and a black T-shirt bearing the sequined words "LOVE" and "PEACE". Only his torso is visible, but his left hand appears to be on his hip. His right hand forms a V-shaped peace symbol in reference to his quote "Peace and Love".
background	solo_singer
birth name	Richard Starkey
alias	Ringo Starr
birth date	July 07, 1940
birth place	Liverpool, England, UK
instrument	Drums, vocals, percussion, keyboards, guitar
genre	Rock, pop, psychedelic rock, world
occupation
years active	1957–present
label
associated acts	The Beatles, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Plastic Ono Band
website	RingoStarr.com
notable instruments	Ludwig Super Classic DrumsetLudwig Black Oyster Pearl Drumset }}

Richard Starkey, MBE (born 7 July 1940) better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in August 1962, taking the place of Pete Best. In addition to his contribution as drummer, Starr featured as lead vocals on a number of successful Beatles songs (in particular, "With a Little Help from My Friends", "Yellow Submarine", and The Beatles version of "Act Naturally"), as co-writer with the song "What Goes On" and primary writer with "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden".

As drummer for The Beatles, Starr was musically creative, and his contribution to the band's music has received high praise from notable drummers in more recent times. Starr described himself as "your basic offbeat drummer with funny fills", technically limited by being a left-handed person playing a right-handed kit. Drummer Steve Smith said that Starr's popularity "brought forth a new paradigm" where "we started to see the drummer as an equal participant in the compositional aspect" and that Starr "composed unique, stylistic drum parts for The Beatles songs". In 2011, Starr was picked as the fifth-best drummer of all-time by ''Rolling Stone'' readers, behind drummers such as John Bonham, Keith Moon and Neil Peart.

Starr is the most documented and critically acclaimed actor-Beatle, playing a central role in several Beatles films, and appearing in numerous other movies, both during and after his career with The Beatles. After The Beatles' break-up in 1970, Starr achieved solo musical success with several singles and albums, and recorded with each of his fellow ex-Beatles as they too developed their post-Beatle musical careers. He has also been featured in a number of TV documentaries, hosted TV shows, narrated the first two series of the children's television series ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and portrayed "Mr. Conductor" during the first season of the PBS children's television series ''Shining Time Station''. He currently tours with the All-Starr Band.

Early life

Ringo Starr was born Richard Starkey on 7 July 1940 at 9 Madryn Street, Dingle, Liverpool, England, the son of Elsie (née Gleave) and Richard Starkey, a confectioner. His paternal grandfather was born with the surname "Parkin", and later adopted his stepfather's surname, "Starkey". Starr's parents split up when he was three years old, and his mother subsequently married Harry Graves, who encouraged his interest in music. Starr's family moved when he was three years old to a smaller home at 10 Admiral Grove. Starr attended an Evangelical Anglican church during his childhood. He was afflicted by illness for much of his early years. When aged six, he had appendicitis, which developed complications, causing him to fall into a coma. At thirteen, he developed chronic pleurisy and was admitted to a sanatorium for two years. After this extended hospital visit he did not return to school. The periods of hospitalisation left him behind scholastically, and as a result he was ineligible to attend grammar school or even sit its Eleven plus qualifying examination. Earlier, Starr attended St Silas, a Church of England primary school in High Park Street, close to his home in Admiral Grove; singer Billy Fury attended the school at the same time. Later, Starr attended Dingle Vale Secondary Modern School, leaving in 1955. While there, he showed an aptitude for art and drama as well as practical subjects including mechanics. Starr's health problems had another enduring effect in the form of allergies and sensitivities to food, and when The Beatles travelled to India in 1968, he took his own food with him.

Like John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, Starr became caught up in Liverpool's skiffle craze. In 1957, he and his friend Eddie Miles formed the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group. In 1959, he joined the Raving Texans, now adopting the stage name "Ringo Starr" because of the rings he wore and because it sounded "cowboyish", and his drum solos were billed as "Starr Time". By October 1960, the band was renamed Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and while they were performing in Hamburg, Starr met The Beatles. On 16 October 1960 he drummed in Hamburg with Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, recording with them for the first time to back Hurricanes singer Lu Walters.

After returning to the UK, Starr sat in for Pete Best as The Beatles' drummer on 18 August 1961 and 5 February 1962. The Beatles removed Pete Best as their drummer on 16 August 1962, after Best had played in the early recording sessions at EMI Studios.

Starr's first performance as a full Beatle was on 18 August 1962 at a Horticultural Society dance at Port Sunlight. After his appearance at the Cavern Club performance as a full Beatle the following day, Best's fans were upset at his sacking, holding vigils outside Best's house and fighting at the club, shouting 'Pete forever! Ringo never!' George Harrison received a black eye from one of the fans.

When he arrived at EMI Studios for the second time on 11 September, Starr was shocked to find another drummer there, session drummer Andy White who was commissioned by producer George Martin. Using sessions drummers familiar with studio techniques was a normal procedure for studio recordings in those days. Starr's view at the time was that Andy White was brought in because he thought George Martin viewed him as crazy. Of the 4 September rehearsal session, Starr stated, "He [George Martin] thought I was crazy and couldn't play. Because when we were doing 'Please Please Me', I was actually playing the kit and in one hand I had a tambourine and a maracas in the other, because I was trying to play the percussion and the drums at the same time, because we were just a four piece band". Starr also stated, "I thought, 'That’s the end, they’re doing a Pete Best on me.'"

The Beatles: 1962–1970

Vocals

Starr generally sang at least one song on each studio album as part of an attempt to establish the vocal personality of all four members. In some cases, Lennon or McCartney wrote the lyrics and melody especially for him, as they did for "Yellow Submarine" from ''Revolver'' and "With a Little Help from My Friends" on ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. These melodies were tailored to Starr's baritone vocal range. Starr's backing vocals are heard on songs such as "Carry That Weight", and "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill".

Composition

The Beatles used Starr's unusual turns of phrase, or "Ringoisms" as they became known, such as "a hard day's night" and "tomorrow never knows", and turned them into songs. Recalling this, McCartney said, "Ringo would do these little malapropisms, he would say things slightly wrong, like people do, but his were always wonderful, very lyrical... they were sort of magic". As well as inspiring his bandmates' creativity in this way, Starr occasionally contributed his own lyrics to unfinished Lennon and McCartney songs, such as the line "''darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there''" in "Eleanor Rigby". Frustrated at times of being the odd man out in the group in regard to songwriting, Starr commented in ''The Beatles Anthology'' that when he presented a song to The Beatles, it would often sound to the other three Beatles like a popular song of the day. Starr did eventually begin composing, and is credited with "Don't Pass Me By" (on ''The White Album'') and "Octopus's Garden" (on ''Abbey Road'') as sole songwriter.

His disgust with the band's tensions and boredom at waiting around to contribute during the sessions for the ''White Album'' caused him to quit the group temporarily. He spent two weeks with actor Peter Sellers on the latter's yacht, ''Amelfis'', in Piraeus, where he wrote "Octopus's Garden". He did not return for two weeks, even though the other Beatles urged him to come back: Lennon sent telegrams, and Harrison set up flowers all over the studio for Starr's return saying "Welcome home". Starr's name also appears as a co-writer for the ''Rubber Soul'' track "What Goes On" along with Lennon and McCartney, while the songs "Flying" (on the ''Magical Mystery Tour'' album) and "Dig It" (on ''Let It Be'') are listed as being written by the entire group. On issued material after the break-up, Starr wrote "Taking a Trip to Carolina" from the second "bonus" CD of ''Let It Be... Naked'', and received joint songwriting credits with the other three Beatles for "12-Bar Original", "Los Paranoias", "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)", "Suzy Parker" (heard in the ''Let It Be'' film), "Jessie's Dream" (heard in the Magical Mystery Tour (film)) and The Beatles' version of "Free as a Bird".

1964 Illness

In June 1964, The Beatles were scheduled to tour Denmark, the Netherlands, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. On 3 June, the day before the tour, Starr collapsed during an early morning photo session for the ''Saturday Evening Post'' at a portrait studio in Barnes, London. Stricken with a 102-degree fever and tonsillitis, he was rushed to the hospital. This bout with tonsillitis necessitated a stay in hospital and a few days of recuperation at home. During this time, Starr was temporarily replaced for the Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Hong Kong and Adelaide concert dates by 24-year-old session drummer Jimmie Nicol. Beatles producer George Martin suggested Nicol because he had recently recorded at EMI with Tommy Quickly and recently became familiar with Beatles numbers while drumming on a recording session for an album called ''Beatlemania''. At first, Harrison did not want Starr to be replaced and refused to go on the tour without Starr, but Brian Epstein and George Martin convinced Harrison to begin the tour. Starr was discharged from the hospital on 11 June, and he rejoined the group in Melbourne on 15 June 1964. Ultimately, Starr had his tonsils removed during The Beatles' Christmas vacation period later in the year. Starr would later admit that he feared that he would be permanently replaced during his illness.

Drumming skills

While Starr himself has been the first to acknowledge the technical limitations of his drumming for The Beatles, the overall effect of his contribution has received high praise from notable drummers. Starr said, "Whenever I hear another drummer I know I'm no good. I'm no good on the technical things [...] I'm your basic offbeat drummer with funny fills. The fills were funny because I'm really left-handed playing a right-handed kit. I can't roll around the drums because of that." Martin's version was, "Ringo hit good and hard and used the tom-tom well, even though he couldn't do a roll to save his life", although Martin later added, "He's got tremendous feel. He always helped us to hit the right tempo for a song, and gave it that support – that rock-solid back-beat – that made the recording of all The Beatles' songs that much easier." In 1968, Martin praised Starr's drumming on ''Sgt. Pepper,'' calling him "probably ... the finest rock drummer in the world today." Lennon, when asked if Starr was the best drummer in the world, jokingly replied, "He's not even the best drummer in The Beatles!", but also said, "Ringo's a damn good drummer. He always was 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." McCartney sent Starr a postcard on 31 January 1969 (the day after the band's performance on the roof of Apple Studios) stating: 'You are the greatest drummer in the world. Really.' This postcard is included in Starr's book ''Postcards from the Boys''.

Drummer Steve Smith extolled Starr's qualities beyond the technical, in terms of his musical contribution as drummer: Phil Collins, the drummer for Genesis, who was himself influenced by Starr, said:

In September 1980, John Lennon had this to say about Starr:

Many drummers acknowledge Starr as an influence, including Steve Gorman of The Black Crowes, Dave Grohl of Nirvana, Jen Ledger of Skillet, Max Weinberg of the E Street Band, Danny Carey of Tool, Liberty DeVitto of Billy Joel's band, Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden, Eric Carr of Kiss, Phil Rudd of AC/DC, Orri Páll Dýrason of Sigur Rós, the former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, Pedro Andreu of Heroes del Silencio and others.

In his extensive survey of The Beatles' recording sessions, Mark Lewisohn confirmed that Starr was both proficient and remarkably reliable and consistent. According to Lewisohn, there were fewer than a dozen occasions in The Beatles' eight-year recording career where session 'breakdowns' were caused by Starr making a mistake, while the vast majority of takes were stopped owing to mistakes by the other three members.

Starr drummed on all but five of the band's released tracks that feature drumming. For the band's second recording session with Starr as a member on 11 September 1962, producer George Martin replaced the studio-inexperienced Starr with session drummer Andy White to record takes for what would be the two sides of The Beatles' first single, "Love Me Do" backed with "P.S. I Love You". Starr played tambourine on "Love Me Do" and maracas on "P.S. I Love You" for this session. McCartney took over the drums on "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence" from the ''White Album'' (1968) after Starr had walked out, and also played the drums on "The Ballad of John and Yoko", recorded on 14 April 1969, since only he and Lennon were immediately available to record the song. Starr commented that he was lucky in being "surrounded by three frustrated drummers" who could only drum in one style.

After the Beatles

1970s

After the announcement of the break-up of The Beatles on 10 April 1970, Starr released two albums before the end of that year. ''Sentimental Journey'' featured Starr's renditions of many pre-rock standards and included the arranger talents of Quincy Jones, Maurice Gibb, George Martin and McCartney, among others. His next album, ''Beaucoups of Blues'', put Starr in a country context, and included renowned Nashville session musician Pete Drake. He scored hit singles with "It Don't Come Easy" (1971) (US #4) and "Back Off Boogaloo" (1972) (US #9), the latter of which was his biggest UK hit, peaking at #2. He achieved two No.1 hits in the US, with "Photograph" (co-written with Harrison) and "You're Sixteen" (written by the Sherman Brothers of ''Mary Poppins'' fame).

He participated in ''The Concert for Bangladesh'' organised by Harrison in 1971, as well as drumming on Harrison's ''All Things Must Pass'' and ''Living in the Material World'', Lennon's ''John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'', and Yoko Ono's early solo work. Starr then made his debut as a film director with the T. Rex documentary ''Born to Boogie''. Starr became firm friends with T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan and during the period of filming the documentary, Starr released the single "Back Off Boogaloo".

In 1971, he started a furniture company with designer Robin Cruikshank. Starr's own avant-garde designs included a flower-shaped table with adjustable petal seats and a donut-shaped fireplace.

The 1973 album ''Ringo'', produced by Richard Perry, with participation by the other three former Beatles on different tracks, was commercially successful. The album ''Goodnight Vienna'' followed the next year and was also successful. Hits and notable tracks from these two albums included "Photograph" and "You're Sixteen" both reaching number one on the US charts, "Oh My My" (US #5) and "I'm the Greatest" (written by Lennon) from ''Ringo'', and "Only You (And You Alone)" (US #6) and "No No Song" (US #3) from 1974's ''Goodnight Vienna''. In late 1975, these singles and others were collected for Starr's first greatest hits compilation, ''Blast from Your Past'', which was the last album to be released on Apple Records. During this period he became romantically involved with Lynsey de Paul. He played tambourine on a song she wrote and produced for Vera Lynn, "Don't You Remember When", and he inspired another De Paul song, "If I Don't Get You the Next One Will", which she described as being about revenge after he missed a dinner appointment with her because he was asleep in his office.

Starr's recording career subsequently diminished in commercial impact, although he continued to record and remained a familiar celebrity presence. Starr signed with Atlantic Records in the mid-1970s, and in 1976 the album ''Ringo's Rotogravure'' was released. Although yielding two minor hit singles, "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" (US #26) and a cover of "Hey! Baby" (US #74) the album achieved moderate sales but reached a respectable #28. This caused the label to revamp Starr's formula; the results were a curious blend of disco and '70s pop. The album ''Ringo the 4th'' (1977) was a commercial disaster, reaching no higher than No.162 on the charts. Afterward, Starr soon signed with Portrait Records. His stint with Portrait began on a promising note: 1978 saw the release of ''Bad Boy'', as well as a network TV special. However, neither were very popular, with ''Bad Boy'' reaching a disappointing No.129 on the US charts. Consequently, Starr did not release another album with Portrait Records.

In 1975, Starr founded his own record label called Ring O'Records, and four albums were released on the label between 1975 and 1978 (''Startling Music'' by David Hentschel, ''Graham Bonnet'' by Graham Bonnet, ''Restless'' by Rab Noakes and a re-release of an Apple Records album, ''The Whale'' by John Tavener) as well as 16 singles by artists such as: Bobby Keys, Carl Grossman, Colonel Doug Bogie, David Hentschel, Graham Bonnet, Suzanne, Johnny Warman, Rab Noakes and Dirk & Stig (the last being names of characters from The Beatles' pastiche band "The Rutles", created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes).

1980s

In 1980, Harrison wrote "All Those Years Ago" for Starr to sing on his album ''Can't Fight Lightning'' which was later released as ''Stop and Smell the Roses''. Harrison sang a rewritten version himself, including it on his 1981 album ''Somewhere in England'' following Lennon's murder. Starr, along with Paul and Linda McCartney, played on Harrison's version. Ronnie Wood from The Rolling Stones also collaborated with Starr while recording ''Stop and Smell the Roses'', at Cherokee Studios, adding guitar, bass, saxophone, keyboards, and back-up vocals. Starr was interviewed by ''Rolling Stone'' and ''Musician'' around this time. ''Stop and Smell the Roses'' was a well-regarded album, but again did not sell particularly well. During recording of "Stop and Smell the Roses", Lennon had offered Starr a pair of songs to use on ''Roses'': "Nobody Told Me" and "Life Begins at 40". However, following Lennon's murder, Starr did not feel comfortable recording them; the former was released posthumously under Lennon's name on the album ''Milk and Honey'', while the latter's painfully ironic lyrics kept it unissued until 1998's ''John Lennon Anthology''.

After Lennon was murdered in 1980, Starr and his girlfriend Barbara Bach flew to New York City to comfort Lennon's widow Yoko Ono.

In 1984 and 1986, Starr narrated the children's series ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'', a Britt Allcroft production, which was first shown on Central Television and subsequently across the ITV network. He was unsure about taking the role at first, having never previously read the books by Reverend Awdry, and at the time he felt that children would be more interested in "dinosaurs with lasers." Nevertheless, he had a change of heart and took the role, narrating the first two series. Starr also portrayed the character Mr. Conductor in the programme's American spin-off ''Shining Time Station'', which debuted in 1989 on PBS. Starr left after the first season.

In 1985, he performed, with his son Zak Starkey, as part of Artists United Against Apartheid on the recording ''Sun City''.

In 1987, Starr drummed on the George Harrison song "When We Was Fab" from his album ''Cloud Nine''. The song, co-written by Harrison and Jeff Lynne, charted in the Top 30 in both the UK and the USA. The same year, Starr, Harrison, and Lynne joined Eric Clapton, Elton John, Phil Collins, and Ray Cooper in a performance for the Prince's Trust charity.

In October 1988, Starr and Bach attended a detox clinic in Tucson, Arizona, each receiving a six-week treatment for alcoholism. Starr later complained that it had been difficult to recover with the "press flying overhead" on a constant basis. On 23 July 1989, 'Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band' gave their first performance to an audience of ten thousand in Dallas, Texas. The band consisted of Starr and a varying assortment of musicians who had been successful in their own right with popular songs at different times. The concerts interchanged Starr's singing, including selections of his Beatles and solo songs, with performances of each of the other artists' well-known material, the latter incorporating either Starr or another musician as drummer. The eighth All-Starr Band tour took place in 2003.

In 1989 Starr and his daughter Lee appeared together in a TV ad as part of the "New Generation of Olds" campaign featuring the catchphrase "This is not your father's Oldsmobile."

1990s

The success of the initial All-Starr tour led to the release of ''Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band'', a compilation of live performances from the tour, in the fall of 1990. In the same year, Starr recorded a version of the song "I Call Your Name" for a television special marking the 10th anniversary of John Lennon's death and the 50th anniversary of his birth. The track, produced by Jeff Lynne, features a supergroup composed of Lynne, Tom Petty, Joe Walsh and Jim Keltner.

In 1991, he made an animated appearance as himself on ''The Simpsons'' episode "Brush with Greatness" and contributed an original song, "You Never Know", to the soundtrack of the John Hughes film ''Curly Sue''. Starr released his first studio album in nine years, 1992's ''Time Takes Time''. The album was produced by four of the top producers in music: Phil Ramone, Don Was, Jeff Lynne and Peter Asher, and featured guest appearances by various stars including Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson. In 1995, Starr appeared with Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork of the Monkees in a Pizza Hut commercial. In the commercial, he claims he is trying to reunite "the lads." The commercial ends with the three Monkees joining Starr. He looks into the camera and says "wrong lads."

In 1997, Starr guested on drums on two songs on the McCartney album ''Flaming Pie''. McCartney had written a song about Starr's ex-wife Maureen Starkey Tigrett ("Little Willow") and asked Starr if he'd play on another ("Beautiful Night"). The day after the "Beautiful Night" session, the two recorded a jam session which developed into another ''Flaming Pie'' song, "Really Love You", notable for being the first song ever credited to McCartney/Starkey and officially released on an album. In 1998, he released two albums on the Mercury label. The studio album ''Vertical Man'' marked the beginning of a nine-year "partnership" with Mark Hudson, who produced the album and, with his band the Roundheads, formed the core of the backing group for the album. In addition, many "famous guests" joined on various tracks, including Martin, McCartney, and—in his final appearance on a Starr album before his death—Harrison. Most of the songs were written by Starr and the band. The Roundheads and Joe Walsh joined Starr for his appearance on ''VH1 Storytellers'', which was released as an album under the same name. On the show, he performed greatest hits and new songs, and told anecdotes relating to them.

2000s

In 2000, he appeared in a television commercial for Charles Schwab Investments. As he sits with a group of young musicians trying to find a word that rhymes with "elation", Ringo suggests such financial terms as "dividend reinvestment participation", "market capitalisation" and "asset allocation". As the song "Money" plays in the background, the musicians stare at him in confusion. He finally says, "What? Too many syllables?"

In 2002, Starr was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame joining an elite group of percussive inductees, which includes Buddy Rich and William F. Ludwig, Sr. and Jr.

On 29 November 2002 (the first anniversary of George Harrison's death) , Starr performed "Photograph" and a cover of Carl Perkins' "Honey Don't" at the ''Concert for George'' held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. According to the official ''Concert for George'' website, "Ringo Starr caught everyone with a tear in their eye with a rendition of 'Photograph', a composition he wrote with George, which seemed to sum up how everyone felt." The song includes the lines, "Every time I see your face / it reminds me of the places we used to go / But all I've got is a photograph / and I realise you're not coming back any more".

In 2003, Starr formed Pumkinhead Records with All-Starr Band member Mark Hudson. The label was not prolific, but their first signing was Liam Lynch, who produced a 2003 LP entitled ''Fake Songs''.

Starr was an "honorary Santa Tracker" and voice over for the London stop in Santa's annual Christmas Eve journey in 2003 and 2004 as depicted in the annual NORAD tracks Santa program. According to NORAD officials, he was "a Starr in the east" who helped guide North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa-tracking tradition.

In September 2005, Liverpool City Council decided they would bulldoze 9 Madryn Street, Starr's birthplace, as it had 'no historical significance', despite a previous reprieve back in July. The LCC later announced that the building would be taken apart brick by brick and preserved after all.

In 2006, Starr featured on the Jerry Lee Lewis duet album, ''Last Man Standing''; he performed a cover, with Lewis, of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen". It was also announced he would be the star in a Pow! Entertainment animated film and comic book produced by comics creator Stan Lee.

In the 24 December 2007 issue of ''Time'' (European edition), Starr was profiled in a three-page article focusing on his happiness in life and his music. The article mentioned the ''Liverpool 8'' album, but only briefly. It also stated that Starr and Dave Stewart were collaborating on writing a musical, to be called ''The Hole in the Fence'', and discussed Starr's then-upcoming performance in Liverpool on 11 January 2008.

In January 2008, the studio album ''Liverpool 8'', produced by Dave Stewart, Mark Hudson and Starr himself, was released. Mark Hudson was the initial producer of the record but was replaced by Stewart after a falling out with Starr. (The album's production credits read, "Produced by Ringo Starr and Mark Hudson; Re-Produced by Ringo Starr and David Stewart." All of the songs but one were written with members of the Roundheads, although Stewart also has several co-writing credits.) Starr's attorney Bruce Grakal told journalist Peter Palmiere that the partnership between Hudson and Starr was over and they would never work together again. This happened after Hudson dropped out of the 2006 tour as musical director to do the TV show ''The One: Making a Music Star''. According to Palmiere, Hudson now claims that the split was over Starr's insistence on using synthesised sounds, for which Stewart is known, whereas Hudson wanted real guitars, pianos, strings etc.

On 10 October 2008, Starr posted a video on his website stating that he will not be signing autographs after 20 October 2008. He stated that he is too busy and that anything after that date sent to any address will not be signed.

On 4 April 2009, Starr reunited with McCartney at the David Lynch "Change Begins Within" Benefit Concert at Radio City Music Hall. After separate performances from Starr and other artists, McCartney's set came last, and towards the end he announced "Billy Shears", whereupon Starr joined him to perform "With a Little Help from My Friends" and, with all performers, "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Cosmically Conscious". In late May 2009, it was announced that Starr will collaborate with Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney to record some new tracks to record an entire album.

Starr appeared on-stage at Microsoft's 1 June 2009 E3 press conference with Yoko Ono, McCartney and Olivia Harrison to promote ''The Beatles: Rock Band'' video game.

Starr remains the only Beatle not to top the UK singles charts as a solo artist, although he did chart two number one singles in the US. He is also the only Beatle not to top the UK album listings, his highest position being #7, achieved in the UK with both ''Sentimental Journey'' and ''Ringo''; the latter reached No.2 in the US charts, giving Starr his highest album position there. In the USA, Starr's Apple singles fared rather well. Of all four members of The Beatles- in their respective solo careers- he has the second most consecutive top ten singles in the US with seven in a row: "It Don't Come Easy" (#4), "Back Off Boogaloo" (#9), "Photograph" (#1), "You're Sixteen" (#1), "Oh My My" (#5), "Only You (And You Alone)" (#6) and "No No Song" (#3). McCartney has the most with eight in a row.

In November 2009, Starr once again performed the voice of Thomas the Tank Engine for "The Official BBC Children in Need Medley". This is the first No.1 UK hit Starr has been involved in since The Beatles disbanded in 1970 (not counting guest appearances on other singles by other artists).

2010s

On 12 January 2010, he released his fifteenth studio album ''Y Not''. On 13 January 2010, Starr and his band performed "Walk With You" from the album on ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' and closed out the show with a rousing rendition of "With a Little Help from My Friends". Starr also appeared on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'', performing with Ben Harper. Starr was also featured on ''The Jay Leno Show'', where he played "The Other Side of Liverpool". On 22 January 2010, Starr appeared on ''Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief'' as a Celebrity phone operator. Starr appeared at the 52nd Grammy Awards with Norah Jones to present 'Record Of The Year' to Kings Of Leon on 31 January 2010 .

On 11 April 2010, Starr appeared on ''Weekend Wogan'', a live radio show on BBC 2 Radio presented by Sir Terry Wogan, to promote his album ''Y Not'' in the UK and on 12 April 2010 he appeared on ''Loose Women'', a lunchtime chat show on ITV. On 13 April 2010 Starr appeared on CNN's ''Connect the World'' on CNN International. On 7 July 2010, Starr celebrated his 70th birthday at Radio City Music Hall, New York with another All-Starr Band concert, topped with friends and family joining him on stage including Yoko Ono and his son Zak, and Paul McCartney as a surprise guest.

On 13 May 2011, Starr appeared on The One Show on BBC One, where he announced that he was working on a new album featuring a song called "In Liverpool".

Starr has recently contributed a cover of Buddy Holly's "Think It Over" for the upcoming tribute album, ''Listen to Me: Buddy Holly'' to be released on 6 September 2011.

Personal life

Starr married Maureen Cox in February 1965, and they had three children Zak (b. 13 September 1965), Jason (b. 19 August 1967), and Lee (b. 11 November 1970); the couple divorced in 1975, and Cox died in 1994. In 1980, on the set of the film ''Caveman'', he met actress Barbara Bach, well known for her role as Major Anya Amasova (female lead and main 'Bond girl') in ''The Spy Who Loved Me''. They were married on 27 April 1981, just a few weeks after the release of ''Caveman''. In 1985, Starr was the first of The Beatles to become a grandfather upon the birth of Zak's daughter, Tatia Jayne Starkey.

Zak Starkey is also a drummer, who until August 2008 was a semi-official member of Oasis—one of the many bands influenced by The Beatles. Starr arranged for Zak to receive drumming instruction from Zak's idol, The Who's drummer Keith Moon, who was Zak's godfather and a close friend of Starr's. Zak also performs with the Who live (such as during the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime show in 2010) and sometimes in the studio. Zak has performed with his father during some All-Starr Band tours.

Like fellow ex-Beatle McCartney, Starr is a vegetarian, albeit for different reasons. McCartney is vegetarian for ethical reasons, but in Starr's case it is because of stomach problems he had in the past. As a child, Starr was left-handed until he became ambidextrous when his grandmother helped him learn to write with his right hand.

In the Sunday Times Rich List 2011 Starr was listed at number 56 with an estimated personal wealth of £150m.

Like many drummers, Starr collects percussive instruments from around the world and has the largest Wobble board collection outside of Australia.

Films

Aside from The Beatles' films ''A Hard Day's Night'' (1964), ''Help!'' (1965), ''Magical Mystery Tour'' (1967), ''Yellow Submarine'' (1968), ''Let It Be'' (1970), Starr has acted in several films such as ''Candy'' (1968), ''The Magic Christian'' (1969) (alongside Peter Sellers), ''Blindman'' (1971), ''Son of Dracula'' (1974) and ''Caveman'' (1981). Starr directed and appeared in ''Born to Boogie'' (1972), a concert film featuring Marc Bolan and T.Rex. For the 1979 documentary film on the Who, ''The Kids Are Alright'', Starr appeared in interview segments with fellow drummer Keith Moon. He starred as Larry the Dwarf in Frank Zappa's ''200 Motels'' (1971). His voice is also featured in Harry Nilsson's animated film ''The Point!'' (1971). He appeared in ''The Last Waltz'', the Martin Scorsese film about the 1976 farewell concert of The Band, a favourite of The Beatles. He co-starred in ''That'll Be the Day'' (1973) as a Teddy Boy. He played 'The Pope' in Ken Russell's ''Lisztomania'' (1975), and a fictionalised version of himself in the Paul McCartney-penned ''Give My Regards to Broad Street'' in 1984.

Awards and recognition

In the Queen's Birthday Honours of 12 June 1965, Starr and the three other Beatles were appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE); they received their insignia from Queen Elizabeth II at an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 26 October. He and the other Beatles were cumulatively nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer for their performances in the 1964 film ''A Hard Day's Night''. The Beatles won the Academy Award for 'Best Original Song Score' for the 1970 film ''Let It Be''. Each Beatle received an Oscar statuette.

The minor planet 4150 Starr, discovered on 31 August 1984 by Brian A. Skiff at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory, was named in his honour. Starr was nominated for a 1989 Daytime Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series' for his role as Mr. Conductor in the television series ''Shining Time Station''.

All four of The Beatles were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when the group was inducted in 1988. Since then, Lennon (1994), McCartney (1999), and Harrison (2004) have been inducted for their solo careers as well. Starr remains the only Beatle not to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his solo career. However, it was announced on 5 September 2007 that Starr would be on the ballot for membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. If Starr is inducted, it would be the only time both a rock group, and each of its individuals members, were inducted separately.

During the 50th Grammy Awards, Starr, George Martin and Giles Martin accepted the Best Compilation Soundtrack award for ''Love''.

On 9 November 2008, Starr accepted a Diamond Award on behalf of The Beatles during the 2008 World Music Awards ceremony in Monaco.

On 8 February 2010, Starr was honoured with the 2,401st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. It is located at 1750 North Vine Street, in front of the Capitol Records building, as are the stars for Lennon and Harrison.

Discography

;Studio albums

''Sentimental Journey'' (1970)

''Beaucoups of Blues'' (1970)

''Ringo'' (1973)

''Goodnight Vienna'' (1974)

''Ringo's Rotogravure'' (1976)

''Ringo the 4th'' (1977)

''Bad Boy'' (1978)

''Stop and Smell the Roses'' (1981)

''Old Wave'' (1983)

''Time Takes Time'' (1992)

''Vertical Man'' (1998)

''I Wanna Be Santa Claus'' (1999)

''Ringo Rama'' (2003)

''Choose Love'' (2005)

''Liverpool 8'' (2008)

''Y Not'' (2010)

Filmography

''The Beatles Come to Town'' (1963) (short subject) – with The Beatles

''A Hard Day's Night'' (1964) – with The Beatles

''Help!'' (1965) – with The Beatles

''Reflections On Love'' (1966) (short subject)

''Magical Mystery Tour'' (1967) – with The Beatles

''The Beatles Mod Odyssey'' (1968) (short subject) – with The Beatles

''Yellow Submarine'' (1968)- with The Beatles

''Candy'' (1968)

''The Magic Christian'' (1969)

''Let It Be'' (1970) (documentary) – with The Beatles

''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)

'' Ringo (1978) TV Movie

''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)

''Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends'' (1984–1986) (Narrator)

''Water'' (1985) (Cameo)

''Alice in Wonderland'' (1985)

''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)

''Shining Time Station'' (1989) (Mr. Conductor)

''The Beatles Anthology (1995) (documentary) – with The Beatles

''Concert for George'' (2003) (documentary)

''Oh My God'' (2009) (documentary)

== All-Starr Band editions ==

: ''For a detailed list of bands and members, see: Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band''

To date, Starr has toured with eleven versions of his All-Starr Band, where "everybody on stage is a star in their own right." The band has consistently toured for over a decade, and, in similar fashion to Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, rotates its line-up depending on the musicians' projects at a given time.

References

Bibliography

External links

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band

Ringo Starr's Drummerworld profile

Ringo Starr Artwork

Press Conference with Ringo Starr on The BackStage Pass internet radio show

The art of Ringo Starr

NYTimes interview for his 70th birthday

Ringo Starr (Paris Le Palais des Sports 2011)

Category:The Beatles members Category:Academy Award winners Category:Actors from Liverpool Category:Apple Records artists Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Category:British expatriates in the United States Category:English baritones Category:English film actors Category:English rock drummers Category:English vegetarians Category:E1 Music artists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Music from Liverpool Category:Musicians from Liverpool Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:Plastic Ono Band members Category:Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Category:World Music Awards winners Category:1940 births

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