Rock legend goes country, teams with famed producer: '84 years old, and he's still getting better'
Ringo Starr has a secure place in music history as a member of the Beatles, but the legendary drummer and singer isn’t resting on his laurels.
Starr, 84, is releasing a country album, “Look Up,” on Jan. 10, 2025. The first single from the project, “Time On My Hands,” was released on Oct. 18, featuring Starr’s distinctive vocals. (Listen to the song in a lyric video below.)
Grammy winner T Bone Burnett, a roots music powerhouse, was Starr’s primary collaborator on the album, producing all 11 tracks and writing or co-writing most of them. It’s Starr’s first full-length album since 2019, and the followup to a 1970 record with strong country influences, “Beaucoups of Blues.”
“I’ve always loved country music,” Starr said via a press release. “And when I asked T Bone to write me a song, I didn’t even think at the time that it would be a country song — but of course it was, and it was so beautiful. I had been making EPs at the time and so I thought we would do a country EP — but when he brought me nine songs I knew we had to make an album. And I am so glad we did. I want to thank, and send Peace & Love, to T Bone and all the great musicians who helped make this record. It was a joy making it and I hope it is a joy to listen to.”
Several guest artists from the country, Americana and bluegrass worlds are featured on “Look Up,” as well: Alison Krauss, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Lucius and Larkin Poe.
“I didn’t want to do one of those records like Post Malone just did, where there’s a face card added onto every song, because I felt it was beneath Ringo,” Burnett said in a interview with Variety. “Really, why throw celebrity at Ringo Starr? But I did want to bring some young energy in. So I went to who I thought were some of the best young country musicians. Molly plays and sings on four songs and Billy plays and sings on three. Billy Strings plays some incredible heavy metal guitar in there.”
Source: al.com
