Ringo Starr Celebrates New Country Album With A Little Help From Some Friends

He may be best known as one of the Beatles, but Ringo Starr’s love for country music goes back long before he became one of the Fab Four. He began listening to it in the 1950s.

‘It was emotional music when I started listening to it and I’m quite an emotional person myself,” he told members of the media gathered at a press conference before one of two shows he played at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville this week. He named a few of the early artists whose music touched him – like Hank Williams, Hank Snow, and Kitty Wells.

“Who can sing better than Kitty Wells?” he asked.

Ringo Has Been a Country Music Fan for Decades

His appreciation of country has shined throughout his career, first with his early band Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, his years with the Beatles with songs like “Act Naturally,” “Honey Don’t,” “Don’t Pass Me By,” and others, then, in 1970 when he traveled to Nashville to record his first country album Beaucoups of Blues.

Now, more than five decades later, he’s released his second…an album called Look Up.

Produced by T Bone Burnett, Look Up features 11 songs with Ringo playing drums and singing on all of them. On some of the songs, he’s joined by other artists like Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings, Alison Krauss, Larkin Poe, and Lucius.

Ringo co-wrote the final track, a song called “Thankful.”

Ringo Kicks Off Album Release with Nashville Shows

He celebrated the album’s released with shows on two consecutive nights (January 14th and 15th) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

The show had an all-star cast of friends including Jack White, Sheryl Crow, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Rodney Crowell, Sarah Jarosz, Larkin Poe, Mickey Guyton, The War & Treaty, and Jamie Johnson.

“Ringo & Friends at the Ryman” was taped for broadcast and will be aired on CBS at a later date.

The show was dynamic and high-energy with exceptional musicianship, and artists singing Beatles songs, Ringo favorites, and a few songs from his new album.

A Celebration of Beatle Hits and Ringo Songs Old & New

Familiar songs included “Matchbox,” “It Don’t Come Easy,” “Octopus’s Garden,” “Honey Don’t,” “Photograph,” and others.

From the new album, Ringo sang the soulful “Time on My Hands.”

He and Molly Tuttle sang the title track “Look Up.”

And sister duo Larkin Poe joined Ringo for “Thankful.”

And twice during the show, Ringo wowed the crowd by heading to the back of the stage, taking a seat, and playing drums.

Emmylou Invites Ringo to Make Grand Ole Opry Debut

At one point, Emmylou Harris took came out to officially welcome Ringo to the Ryman, asking everyone, “Is he not the coolest guy on the planet?

Then, as the country community continues to embrace Ringo, Harris surprised him by inviting him to make his debut on the Grand Ole Opry February 21st.

As the night wrapped up, Harris, the artists who’d performed, and Ringo’s longtime friend, Brenda Lee, all came onstage to sing “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help from My Friends.”

The audience clearly didn’t want to let him go chanting “Ringo, Ringo, Ringo.”

He smiled, danced, and sashayed a little in response, but after more than two hours, the show had, indeed, come to an end.

Earlier in the evening, Ringo – who has played the Ryman before – explained what it means to perform at the intimate, historic venue known as the Mother Church of Country Music.

“To be here is such a blessing and the vibe is so great,” he said, “I just feel an extra little beat in my heart every time I play here.”

On this night, the crowd felt it, too.

Ringo heads out on tour later this year. And Nashville will welcome him back next month when he plays the Grand Ole Opry.