#ringostarr #beatles #biography #story
Ringo Starr was born Richard Starkey on July 7, 1940, in Liverpool, England. He was an only child, and while his mother doted on him, his father lost interest in family life early on. His parents split up when Starkey was only four, and he never saw much of his father after that. His mother worked as a cleaning woman and then a barmaid to support them.
At age six, Starkey had an appendectomy and then contracted peritonitis, forcing him to live at a local children's hospital for 12 months while he recovered. This put him considerably behind in school, but just as he caught up (with the help of a tutor), he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and spent the next two years in a sanatorium.
One of the ways the staff tried to distract and occupy their patients was to have them form a band, and it was here where young Starkey first discovered percussion, using a wooden mallet to strike the cabinets next to his bed. From then on, despite musical talent with other instruments, he was a drummer.

A few years later, he joined a real band with real instruments, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and started going by the name Ringo Starr to reflect both the rings he wore and his interest in country and western music. His drum solos were called "Starr Time." The band grew in popularity, and on a tour in Hamburg, they first met the Beatles, a new group consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best. In October of 1960, Starr played with Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison on a track backing Hurricanes singer Lu Walters.
In 1962, he officially joined the Beatles, replacing Pete Best. After their first gig at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, Best's fans were so angry about the switch that they gave Starr a black eye. The group's followers eventually came around, and Starr became a beloved member.

First, musically, he had to get past George Martin, who had signed the Beatles to EMI and was producing their first singles. Not ready to trust Starr yet, he replaced him with another drummer and assigned him to tambourine and maracas. Starr thought he was going to be fired, but things started to jell with the fans as well as the group itself; soon all four were on the same wavelength and the alchemy began.
The Beatles' single "Please Please Me" made the group a pop sensation in England. Their first album together, Please Please Me, added fuel to the already growing frenzy that would soon become known as Beatlemania. Starr made a rare appearance on lead vocals for the song "Boys" on the album.

With their "mop top" hair and matching suits, the Beatles crossed the Atlantic Ocean to launch their own pop invasion of America in 1964. Beatlemania was in full force during their first U.S. television appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Their single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had already climbed to the top of the charts before the taping and was followed by a succession of hits. And throngs of screaming fans —many of whom were lovestruck teenagers— filled the audiences of their live shows.
In June of 1964, Starr became ill again, when he was hit by pharyngitis and tonsillitis, and he was temporarily replaced on the road by Jimmie Nicol. He rejoined the tour a few weeks later, relieved to find out he wasn't being permanently replaced.

John Lennon:
   • The Remarkable Life and Legacy of Joh...  

George Harrison:
   • The Inspiring Life and Legacy of Geor...  

Ringo Starr
   • Ringo Starr: A Life in Music  

Paul McCartney
   • Paul McCartney - His History, Music a...