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Listen to Ringo Starr's new country collaboration with Alison Krauss

19 November 2024, 13:43

Ringo Starr at a listening party for his new country album Look Up. Picture: Getty Images

By Mayer Nissim

Ringo Starr co-writes his new single from his upcoming country album.

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Ringo Starr has always been a big fan of country music and last month announced a return to the genre for his first studio album in six years, a new record called Look Up.

Hot on the heels of the first teaser track 'Time On My Hands' comes a storming collaboration with one of the big names of country, Alison Krauss.

The track is called 'Thankful', and is the only song on the album the Beatles drummer had a hand in writing.

"I love this track. I wrote it with my producer and engineer Bruce Sugar, and I feel we put an LA country sound to it," Ringo said.

"For the lyrics, I always like to focus on the positive, and for this song in particular, about what we can be thankful for. I hope it brings you some joy and peace and love."

Listen to the song below.

Ringo Starr - Thankful ft. Alison Krauss (Official Lyric Video)

Of the remaining 10 songs on Look Up, nine of them have been written or co-written by producer and country legend T Bone Burnett, with the other written by Billy Swann.

T Bone said: "I have loved Ringo Starr and his playing and his singing and his aesthetic for as long as I can (or care to) remember.

"He changed the way every drummer after him played, with his inventive approach to the instrument. And, he has always sung killer rockabilly, as well as being a heartbreaking ballad singer."

Alison Krauss in concert in 2023. Picture: Getty Images

He added: "To get to make this music with him was something like the realization of a 60-year dream I’ve been living."

For his part, Ringo said: "I've always loved country music. 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."

Look Up is released on January 10, 2025.