Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr is a British musician, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. In this article, we will discuss where he was born, who his family is, and we will also focus on the artist's work.

Biography of Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr is a stage name; the musician's real name is Richard Starkey. The artist was born on 7 July 1940 in Liverpool.

The Liverpool Beatles Museum has a large collection of exhibits related to Ringo's life and career, including rare photographs, stage costumes and musical instruments. The museum allows visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Liverpool at that time and better understand Starr's role in the Beatles phenomenon.

Ringo Starr's youth

Ringo was often ill during his childhood and adolescence: after graduating from primary school, he spent a year in hospital with peritonitis. He subsequently had to miss another two years of school due to tuberculosis. The musician never received his school certificate. In his youth, he developed an interest in music.

Ringo Starr was the only child in his family, but he considered George Harrison, Paul McCartney and John Lennon, who appeared in his life as an adult, to be his brothers.

His family environment influenced the formation of his character and interest in music, as well as his early contacts with the local music scene.

Parents

The family environment influenced Ringo Starr's character. His father, Richard Starkey Sr., and mother, Elsie Gleave, separated when he was only three years old.

The musician's father worked in the railway industry, while his mother was a housewife and looked after the child. His parents always supported Ringo in his desire to pursue music, even despite financial difficulties. Their support and influence played a key role in their son continuing to develop in this direction and becoming the famous drummer of The Beatles.

Ringo Starr's career

Ringo Starr's career has been quite successful, and today his name is known throughout the world.

Early bands

At the age of 17, Ringo Starr Royal began playing in various Liverpool bands, and at that time he could not have imagined that he would soon be performing at the famous Royal Albert Hall. One of the bands he played in was called Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. It was during those years that the musician came up with his stage name. The stage name was inspired by his love of wearing rings on his fingers (from the English word ‘ring’). His unique drumming style and charisma helped the artist stand out on the Liverpool music scene in the early 1960s.

Ringo is left-handed, but plays on a standard drum kit designed for right-handed drummers.

The Beatles

Ringo met the members of The Beatles in Hamburg in October 1960, and in August 1962 he became their drummer. During his time with The Beatles, Starr proved himself not only as an excellent drummer, but also as a singer, performing a number of songs from the band's repertoire.

Ringo Starr replaced the previous drummer, Pete Best, in The Beatles. His arrival in the band proved to be fateful: Ringo brought stability to the rhythm section, and his sense of timing and original playing style made the band's sound more cohesive and recognisable.

He participated in the work on all of the band's studio albums, from Please Please Me (1963) to Let It Be (1970). Although another member of the band was the lead singer, Ringo performed vocal parts in a number of songs that became cult classics, including:

1. ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’.
2. ‘Yellow Submarine’.
3. ‘Act Naturally’.
4. ‘Don't Pass Me By’.

These songs gave Ringo the opportunity to demonstrate his charisma combined with humour, bringing variety to the Beatles' sound. The artist's drumming style was simple, yet very musical. He had a gift for making the drums melodic and emphasising the rhythm.

In addition to his studio work, Ringo toured with The Beatles and participated in television projects. He appears in all of The Beatles iconic films, including A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965). This cemented his image in popular culture.

Ringo's contribution to the Beatles' popularity cannot be underestimated: his rhythm and drumming technique inspired a whole generation of drummers, and his stage charisma made the band more accessible to fans. Even after the band broke up in 1970, their work lived on.

In 1964, when The Beatles first toured the USA, Ringo was the most popular member of the band, receiving the most fan mail.

Solo Career

After The Beatles broke up, Ringo embarked on a solo career. He recorded several albums and songs and participated in collaborative projects with other artists.

Albums

Sentimental Journey is Ringo Starr's debut solo album, featuring covers of classic songs, released in 1970. In 1973, the commercially successful album Ringo was released, featuring George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon, and including the hits Photograph and You're Sixteen.

His solo career continued with the album Goodnight Vienna, released in 1974. This album also included several singles and was the result of collaboration with other members of the music scene.

Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band

In 1989, Ringo created the Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band project, featuring a rotation of well-known musicians, in which he acted as the band's leader. The concerts featured both the members' solo hits and Beatles compositions. This project provided Ringo with the opportunity to continue touring and helped maintain his popularity on the international stage.

Awards and nominations

Ringo Starr is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Beatles (1988) and as a solo artist (2015). He has received numerous awards for his contribution to music and culture, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award with The Beatles.

The artist received the Order of the British Empire (MBE) as a member of The Beatles (1965) and was later recognised for his personal achievements in the music scene.

In 1970, Ringo Starr was awarded an Oscar for the soundtrack to the film Let It Be and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting work.

Ringo Starr received his knighthood (becoming ‘Sir Ringo’) on 20 March 2018 at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The investiture was conducted by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. The news of the musician receiving such a prestigious award came out in December 2017, after which the musician was included in the list of New Year's honours. The knighthood was awarded to the artist for his contributions to music and charity work.

What is Ringo Starr doing now?

Ringo Starr continues to tour actively with the All-Starr Band, works on new solo albums, and collaborates with other musicians. He leads a busy creative life, participates in charity events, remains an influential figure in the world of rock music, and inspires new generations of musicians and fans.

Not long ago, Ringo Starr appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The episode featuring him aired on 28 January 2025. Ringo came to talk about his new album, Look Up.

He also recalled his recent performance with Paul McCartney at a concert in London and commented on it in an interview. In addition, the artist dispelled several rumours about himself — for example, he admitted that he had never eaten pizza or curry, which surprised the audience.

Ringo Starr's personal life

Ringo Starr's personal life attracts as much public interest as his creative work. The public wants to know who his wife is and how many children he has. It is known, for example, that the artist is interested not only in music, but also in furniture design and painting.

Partner

Ringo Starr has been married twice. His first wife was Maureen Cox. This marriage lasted from 1965 to 1975. They met in Liverpool when the artist was already the drummer for The Beatles. Maureen supported him at the peak of his career, but the marriage ran its course.

Ringo Starr's second wife was Barbara Bach. The wedding took place in 1981. Barbara is a famous actress who played a role in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. The couple have been together for several decades. Ringo has said many times that his marriage to Barbara is a source of stability and happiness for him.

Children

Ringo Starr has three children from his marriage to Maureen Cox:

1. Zak Starkey — son, born in 1965. He is a well-known drummer who has collaborated with The Who and Oasis.
2. Jason Starkey — son, born in 1967. The artist's second heir is less public, but he has also linked his life to music.
3. Lee Starkey — daughter, born in 1970. She works in fashion and design.

Ringo has no children with Barbara Bach, but he is the stepfather of her children from a previous relationship, Francesca and Gianni Gregorini.

Grandchildren

Ringo Starr is the father of three children and grandfather of a large family — he has eight grandchildren. The most public of his children, drummer Zak Starkey, has two children who, however, remain out of the media spotlight. His son Jason Starr is the father of four children: three sons, Louis, Sonny and Rocky, and a daughter, Mabel. Ringo's daughter, Lee Starr, became the mother of twins — a boy and a girl — in 2009. Despite the musician's worldwide fame, the Starr family carefully guards the privacy of the younger generation, so little is known about their lives, and Ringo himself avoids publicity in order to give his grandchildren the opportunity to grow up away from the public eye.

Net worth

Ringo Starr's net worth is estimated at approximately £280–320 million. His main source of income was The Beatles — income from performances, as well as solo activities, touring with the All-Starr Band and royalties from a number of songs.

In 2012, Ringo Starr was recognised as the richest drummer in the world. At that time, his fortune was estimated at more than £300 million.

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