RICHARD STARKEY, JR.
Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey on 7 July 1940) is an English drummer, singer, songwriter, and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the Beatles. When the Beatles formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool group, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He joined the Beatles in August 1962, replacing Pete Best. After the band’s break-up in 1970, he released several successful singles including the US number four hit “It Don’t Come Easy”, and number ones “Photograph” and “You’re Sixteen”. He narrated the first two seasons of the children’s television series Thomas & Friends. Since 1989, he has successfully toured with twelve variations of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Starr – already inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Beatles in 1988 – will go in for his solo career in 2015, making him a two-time inductee. (More from Wikipedia)
Much of the overheated rhetoric about J. Reuben Silverbird is about his name changes; even the minor switch from Ruben to Reuben is mentioned. Using stage names is hardly limited to rock musicians – the very term itself shows that its origin is in the theatre. You needn’t go any further than the drummer for the Beatles to find one: Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey). Guitarist and songwriter Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones used the name Keith Richard for many years. The John Birch Society called Stones frontman Mick Jagger “Mick Jaeggert” back in the 1970’s; a Google search brought up only two websites using this name – one French and one Hungarian – so this is probably not for real.
(August 2013)
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Ringo Starr is without a doubt the most under-appreciated member of the Beatles, so it is not surprising that, when us four Winfree kids divvied up the Fab Four among ourselves, I wound up with Ringo as my favorite Beatle.
Ringo Starr (real name: Richard Starkey, Jr.) was the final addition to the classic line-up when he was brought in as the band’s drummer, replacing Pete Best. He is the oldest of the Beatles (all of 23 when they hit the big time), having been born three months before John Lennon.
Ringo Starr (real name: Richard Starkey, Jr.) was the final addition to the classic line-up when he was brought in as the band’s drummer, replacing Pete Best. He is the oldest of the Beatles (all of 23 when they hit the big time), having been born three months before John Lennon.
While working as a machinist in a local factory, Richard Starkey befriended Roy Trafford, who introduced him to skiffle music. The two began practicing together and were joined by another co-worker Eddie Miles, forming the Eddie Miles Band that was later renamed Eddie Clayton and the Clayton Squares. (Interestingly, Eric Clapton took the pseudonym “Eddie Clayton” in his credits for Wonderwall Music, perhaps from this connection).
(September 2014)
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The Beatles also includes “Don’t Pass Me By”; other than “Octopus’s Garden” (from Abbey Road), this is the only song written solely by Ringo Starr (listed under his real name, Richard Starkey as is normal in songwriting credits) that appears on an official Beatles album. Starr also shares a songwriting credit with John Lennon and Paul McCartney on “What Goes On” (from Rubber Soul), and the instrumental “Flying” (on Magical Mystery Tour) shows all four bandmembers as the writers.
(June 2015)
