It’s never a bad time to be Ringo Starr

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Ringo Starr and T Bone Burnett were chatting at the Sunset Marquis Hotel recently when Ringo unexpectedly started drumming on a dining table and singing a few lines of “Rock Island Line.”

Ringo Starr, 85, fondly remembers Lonnie Donegan, a British singer who helped launch the careers of many musicians. Donegan’s skiffle music – a lively mix of folk, blues, and country that was popular just before rock and roll – really caught on with young people in England during the mid-to-late 1950s, including the future members of The Beatles.

Starr explained that success seemed to find him everywhere, demonstrated by his ability to effortlessly recreate Donegan’s famous beat, all while Burnett watched with amusement.

I was chatting with a seasoned record producer after watching some footage, and he pointed something out about Ringo Starr that really stuck with me. He said, ‘Did you notice when Ringo hit the table? It just changed the energy in the room.’ He believes that’s Ringo’s special gift – that indefinable feel he brings to everything. And honestly, nobody seems to be able to explain how he does it, it just happens.

The magic behind their connection is clear on Starr’s delightful new album, “Long Long Road,” produced by Burnett. This release follows their first project together, “Look Up,” by just over a year.

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I really loved this new record, and it’s a lot like the last one. It’s a great mix of songs written by Ringo and T Bone Burnett – who’s worked with some amazing artists like Los Lobos and Counting Crows, plus he did the soundtrack for ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ which won a Grammy! It also has some fantastic guest musicians from Nashville, like Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings, and Paul Franklin. They really add something special to the album.

Ringo Starr’s latest album is a step up from his previous one, “Look Up.” It features collaborations with Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent, a cover of a classic Carl Perkins song, and boasts more memorable tunes, richer musical arrangements, and heartfelt vocals from Starr – especially on the touching track, “You and I (Wave of Love).”

Tuttle describes Ringo Starr as a warm and welcoming presence, saying he feels close to her, ‘living inside my mind and heart.’ She fondly remembers playing with Starr and many other musicians at two concerts last year at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and with a chuckle, she recalls how her mother reacted to the performances.

She’s loved the Beatles since childhood, always favoring Paul McCartney. But recently, she’s become completely fascinated with Ringo Starr.

This summer, Ringo Starr, a longtime Los Angeles resident with his wife Barbara Bach, will tour with his All-Starr Band, finishing up on June 14th at the Greek Theatre. He’s also teamed up with Paul McCartney for their first-ever vocal duet, which will be featured on a new album McCartney is releasing next month.

Before getting into that, Starr was excited to discuss “Long Long Road,” the cover of which features a picture of the world-famous drummer wearing a purple, ruffled shirt.

“If you’ve done your homework, you know that shirt is from the ’60s,” he said.

This album is a rare case where the sequel surpasses the original. Ringo Starr recalls thinking it was a clear improvement, not a step backward. They debated the use of the word “psychedelic,” with Ringo playfully questioning producer T Bone Burnett if he had any personal experience with the term’s origins.

And?
T Bone Burnett: Well, yes, I have. In fact, I had some this morning.

Starr: There’s the headline.

I think we’re done here.
Starr: But it worked great.

Ringo felt the song needed a more rock and roll sound, and I think that really brought out his personality and energy in the final version.

Starr: We also got to know each other. I mean, we’d met but never been out for dinner or anything.

So, how did you two first meet?
Starr: Well, back in the ’70s and ’80s, I used to throw a lot of parties, and he’d show up at some of them. I never actually invited him myself; he always came as a guest of someone in The Band – you know, the band The Band. I don’t even remember who brought him, actually.

We’d often find ourselves at the Troubadour with musicians like Van Dyke Parks, Harry Nilsson, or Levon Helm, and unexpectedly, a party would just break out. It didn’t seem like anyone actually planned these parties, they just happened.

Starr: There weren’t many people, no. I could clearly hear the sounds of Los Angeles traffic heading home around two in the morning, when bars and clubs were closing.

Burnett recalled the parties as being wonderful, but one in particular stood out. She remembered walking into the room and seeing Mae West seated at the far end, bathed in perfect light and wearing a white dress. West looked radiant.

Starr recalls a time when the woman hosted them for dinner, arriving an hour beforehand to adjust the lighting. She describes the woman as wonderful, mentioning they worked together on a film. Starr remembers putting his arm around her feeling surprisingly stiff and unyielding, like being held by a metal corset.

Someone asked if the recent songs were recorded during the same session as the earlier ones. Burnett replied that they were actually recorded quite a while after the first album. They followed up that recording with a great performance at the Ryman Auditorium.

I always smile when I remember Molly singing “Octopus’s Garden.” After that, T Bone would send me a recording, I’d add drums and vocals, send it back, and he’d finish mixing it.

Daniel Tashian handled the vocal arrangements, and he’s an incredibly talented collaborator – he both produces and writes songs with Kacey Musgraves. He brought a Beach Boys-inspired sound to the song “Long Long Road.”

Starr: That was a surprise — wasn’t on the track when I sang to it.

Burnett: It was a surprise to me too. I left it to him, and he did that.

Starr: It’s an homage to Brian [Wilson], God bless him.

Music

The 83-year-old rock legend did his latest underplay at L.A.’s Fonda Theatre on Friday night.

The interviewer asked Ringo Starr if there was any album he’d made where he didn’t play the drums. Ringo replied that he always played drums on his albums, and couldn’t recall ever being on a track where he didn’t.

When a record is being made, I’m on drums. As the drummer, that’s just how things are done. I also sing, but I really enjoy playing the drums.

The interviewer asked T Bone about how Ringo Starr’s drumming style influenced songwriting. Specifically, they wondered if songs were constructed differently to complement Ringo’s playing compared to other drummers. Ringo simply replied, “No.”

Burnett: Yes.

Starr: Yes?

Ringo Starr has a completely unique drumming style – there’s no one quite like him. It’s instantly recognizable. Modern drummers often rely on click tracks to stay in time, but Ringo never does, and that’s a big part of what makes his playing special.

Starr: I can’t play to a click track — I get too tense.

Burnett: Ringo is the click track.

I can make very slight adjustments to the tempo – just a tiny bit faster or slower, measured in milliseconds. Jim Keltner is the only other drummer I know who can play with that level of precision.

One of the greats.
Starr: I taught him everything he knows.

Drummers often tell each other they’re someone’s favorite. So, who is your favorite drummer? Ringo Starr says his is Jim Keltner. They’ve played together in the All-Starr Band, and Ringo appreciates that Jim doesn’t feel the need to show off with complicated fills after Ringo plays one. He’s played with drummers who would try to outdo him with fast playing, but with Jim, it was a comfortable and natural connection from the start.

During the recording of the album, was there a particular drum fill from Ringo that really stood out to you, T Bone?

Burnett: What I loved most about Ringo’s drumming was on the choruses of ‘Baby Don’t Go.’ He played something I hadn’t heard him do before—it felt like he was really connecting with the song and created this unique, almost New Orleans-style rhythm.

The music has a New Orleans feel. Starr described his drumming style as improvisational and driven by emotion. He doesn’t plan out his performances; he simply plays from the heart, letting the music flow naturally. Each take is unique because his feelings change, and he can’t consciously recreate a specific performance. He plays purely for the joy of it, and the music unfolds as he’s playing.

You know, growing up in England, I wasn’t necessarily seen as ‘normal’ for loving country music, but honestly, I wasn’t much of a school kid so I didn’t really notice! Luckily, Liverpool had a bit of a country scene – my neighbors and friends were into it. I really feel lucky I was born there, though. Being a port city meant loads of guys from around here were in the Merchant Navy, and they’d bring back records from America. I even tried to get a job on the day boats to join the Merchant Navy myself, but they ended up letting me go!

Burnett: Fortunately for the world.

When you were starting out as a musician in Texas, T Bone, did Ringo Starr’s song “Don’t Pass Me By” from The White Album strike you as a country tune?

Burnett: Absolutely. It had a fiddle, but it sounded like a classically trained violinist attempting to play country music.

Starr: It was English country music.

Someone asked if the musicians who recorded the album might tour. Ringo Starr replied that a tour is possible, and it would essentially be a country version of his All-Starr Band.

I think it would be amazing if Billy, Molly, Sarah Jarosz, and Dennis Crouch all played together. It’s something I’d really love to see happen – a fantastic lineup!

Starr: Not this year, OK? I’ve got enough this year.

Someone asked if this working relationship would continue and if they planned to make another album together. Burnett responded that he didn’t want to jinx things, but that the collaboration had been wonderful.

Starr: Might happen.

Burnett: I’m open to it.

Starr: Now I know we’ve both thought about it.

Ringo Starr was recently asked about Paul McCartney’s new album, which features a duet between the two musicians. Starr explained that the collaboration was completely new, as no one had ever heard it before. He recounted how the track originated during a casual jam session at Andrew Watt’s house about two years prior. Starr had played drums during the session but left before anything formal was discussed. Later, when Starr started recording his own album, he repeatedly asked Watt to send him the recording of their jam, hoping to incorporate it, but Watt never did.

It all started with keeping the initial idea secure. Starr explained that Paul and Andrew were collaborating, and Andrew shared a recording of them playing – Paul on guitar and Starr on drums. Paul then wrote a song based on that recording, which naturally led to him asking Starr to sing on it.

During the album listening event, it was obvious how touched everyone was to hear the two of you performing together. Starr responded, saying they felt the same way, as that’s where their musical roots lie.

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2026-04-30 20:02