Ringo Starr Biography

Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr’s real name), better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to international prominence as the Beatles' drummer. He sang lead vocals with the band on occasion, generally for one song per album, such as "Yellow Submarine", "With a Little Help from My Friends", and their cover of "Act Naturally". He also penned and sang "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden" for the Beatles, as well as being listed as a co-writer on additional songs. There are several Ringo Starr biography books where his life story is elaborated.

In this Ringo Starr Biography, we will learn about his early life, achievements, career, and some interesting facts about him. 

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Ringo Biography: His Early Life

Childhood of Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr was born Richard Starkey in Liverpool, England, on July 7, 1940. He was an only child, and while his mother adored him, his father showed little interest in his upbringing. Starkey's parents divorced when he was four years old, and he never saw much of his father after that. To support them, his mother worked as a maid and subsequently as a barmaid.

Starkey had an appendectomy at the age of six and subsequently developed peritonitis, forcing him to spend a year recovering at a local children's hospital. He fell behind in school as a result, but just as he began to catch up (with the help of a tutor), he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent the next two years in a sanatorium. The staff sought to distract and entertain their patients by having them form a band (ringo starr band), and it was here that young Starkey first found percussion, striking the cabinets next to his bed with a wooden mallet. He was a drummer from then on, despite his musical skill on other instruments.

Throughout his childhood, Starr was plagued with life-threatening ailments that caused him to spend his days in the hospital. He worked for British Rail for a short time before landing an apprenticeship as a machinist with a Liverpool equipment manufacturer. Soon after, he became fascinated by the UK skiffle craze and acquired a deep love for the genre. He co-founded his first band, the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group, in 1957, and it received a number of important local gigs before the fad was supplanted by American rock and roll in early 1958. Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes when the Beatles formed in 1960. He left the Hurricanes in August 1962, after moderate success in the UK and Hamburg, to join the Beatles as a replacement for Pete Best.

Aside from the Beatles' films, Starr has been in a slew of others. Following the band's disbandment in 1970, he had a string of hit songs, including the US top ten hits "It Don't Come Easy" as well as number ones "Photograph" and "You're Sixteen". "Back Off Boogaloo" his most successful UK single, reached number two. His 1973 album Ringo was a commercial and critical success, charting in the top five in both the UK and the US. He has appeared in a number of documentaries, hosted television shows, narrated the first two seasons of the children's television show Thomas & Friends, and played "Mr. Conductor" in the first season of the PBS children's television show Shining Time Station. He has performed with thirteen different versions of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band since 1989.

Many drummers were encouraged by Starr's playing approach, which emphasized feel over technical virtuosity, to re-examine their drumming from a compositional standpoint. He also inspired modern drumming techniques such as the matched grip, lower tuning of the drums, and the use of tone ring muffling devices. His best-recorded performance, in his opinion, was on the Beatles' "Rain". He was elected to the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1999. He was voted the fifth-greatest drummer of all time by Rolling Stone readers in 2011. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, as a Beatle in 1988 and as a solo artist in 2015, and was knighted for services to music in the 2018 New Year Honours. With a net worth of $350 million in 2020, he was named the world's wealthiest drummer.

Personal Life of Ringo Starr

In 1962, the same week he joined the Beatles, Starr met his first wife Maureen Cox In February 1965, they tied the knot. The best man was Beatles manager Brian Epstein, and witnesses included Starr's stepfather Harry Graves and fellow Beatle George Harrison. The Chicklettes' novelty song "Treat Him Tender, Maureen" was inspired by their marriage. Zak (born September 13, 1965), Jason (born August 19, 1967), and Lee (born August 19, 1967) were the couple's three children. Starr bought Tittenhurst Park at Sunninghill in Berkshire from John Lennon in 1971 and moved his family there. 

Starr and Bach (his present wife) live in Cranleigh, Los Angeles, and Monte Carlo, respectively. With an estimated personal wealth of £150 million, he was ranked number 56 on the Sunday Times Rich List 2011. He was reported to be the world's wealthiest drummer in 2012. Starr stated in 2014 that his 200-acre Surrey estate at Rydinghurst, which includes a Grade II-listed Jacobean house, was for sale. He does, however, keep a home in the Chelsea neighbourhood of London, off King's Road, as well.

Starr stated his support for the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union in 2016. He remarked, "I thought the European Union was a terrific idea," but "I didn't see it moving anywhere lately.". He expressed his desire for Britain to "get on with" Brexit in 2017, adding that "being in control of your country is a wonderful move.". Starr is a vegetarian who practices daily meditation. "Peace and love" is his tagline and life mantra.

Achievements of Ringo Starr

• In the 1965 Birthday Honours, Starr and the other Beatles were named Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), and they received their insignia from Queen Elizabeth II at an investiture at Buckingham Palace on October 26. 

• For their roles in the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night, he and the other Beatles were nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer. 

• For the film Let It Be, the Beatles won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score in 1971. 

• Brian A. Starr discovered the minor planet 4150 Starr on August 31, 1984. Skiff, at the Lowell Observatory's Anderson Mesa Station, was named for Starr. 

• For his portrayal as Mr. Conductor in the television series Shining Time Station, Starr was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series in 1989.

• Starr was the last Beatle to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a solo career in 2015, twenty-seven years after he was honoured as a member of the Beatles. Starr was inducted into the "Musical Excellence" category, as opposed to the "Performers" category for the other three Beatles. Starr, George Martin, and his son Giles accepted the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Love at the 50th Grammy Awards. 

• During the 2008 World Music Awards ceremony in Monaco on November 9, 2008, Starr accepted a Diamond Award on behalf of the Beatles. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce awarded him the 2,401st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 2010. It's at 1750 North Vine Street, right across from the Capitol Records building, where the stars for Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison are displayed.

• In the 2018 New Year Honours, Starr was named a Knight Bachelor for his contributions to music. On March 20, 2018, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge knighted him in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Facts About Ringo Starr

• Ringo has a natural flair for clowning around and humour, and he did star in several films with the Beatles. After the band was dissolved, he devoted himself entirely to filmmaking.

• Ringo was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. (The Beatles had been inducted as a group in 1988). Ringo, on the other hand, was (eventually) elected on his own.

• He went for the Beatles instead of the Dominoes. In August of 1962, Ringo was asked to join the Beatles. At the same time, he received another offer from the Dominoes, a local band. He was offered extra money by the Beatles.

• Ringo is allergic to a variety of things. He also suffers from a weak stomach. He despises tomatoes, onions, Chinese food, and anything spicy.