Ringo Starr Biography

Ringo Starr

The oldest of the Beatles, though last to join the group, Starr replaced Pete Best on drums in 1962 and rode the group's juggernaut to fame and fortune. Though overshadowed musically by the songwriting mastery of the John Lennon-Paul McCartney team and the accomplished fretwork of guitarist George Harrison, Ringo's sad-eyed appearance and self-effacing manner won him a large portion of the group's teenage fans. Ringo's appeal was instrumental in the success of the group's efforts on film: both A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965) used his underdog persona for comic effect. His onscreen appeal later resulted in numerous film roles without the Beatles, including Candy (1968), The Magic Christian (1969), and Caveman (1981). After the Beatles disbanded in 1970, Ringo launched a successful solo recording career, landing two No. 1 singles in the U.S. with “Photograph” (1973) and “You're Sixteen” (1974). In 1989, Ringo embarked on the first of his successful “Ringo's All-Starr Band” concert tours featuring a supporting cast of prominent rockers such as Todd Rundgren and Peter Frampton.