Ringo Starr announces upcoming album of entirely country music in the works

7 February 2024, 12:20 | Updated: 7 February 2024, 12:49

The Beatles' legendary drummer Ringo Starr has revealed details of a new album made entirely of country music. Picture: Getty / Alamy

By Thomas Edward

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He's always had a penchant for country music.

The Beatles' legendary drummer Ringo Starr released an album of entirely country and western standards way back when.

After leaving the Fab Four, Ringo pursued a solo career and dipped his toes into the world of country music with his 1970 album, Beaucoups of Blues.

Of course, it's largely forgotten about due to the success he had as a solo star, which in itself is overshadowed by his work in The Beatles.

Even during his time as the band's drummer, he brought his country music influences to the pop rock phenomenon, with the first song he ever wrote, 'Don't Pass Me By', which appeared on 'The White Album'.

Ringo still clearly holds the music genre dear to him however, having recently revealed he's working on a new project made up of entirely of country music.

Ringo Starr has already made a country album, 1970's Beaucoups of Blues. But there's another on the way. Picture: Alamy

In 2023, Ringo revealed that he'd been working on two new musical projects - firstly an EP made up of country music and another collaborative effort with American singer-songwriter Linda Perry.

Now, in his latest announcement, Starr has revealed more about the country music project, saying it's snowballed into a full blown album.

In a post to his social media following, Ringo said on 2nd February 2024: "I was gonna do a country EP, but as things are unfolding, it's probably going to be like a real CD, ten tracks."

"Can you believe it? I haven't done one of them in a long time. So that's getting made ready."

If the project does result in a full-length LP, it'll mark Ringo's first album release since 2019's What's My Name which featured guest appearances from the Eagles' Joe Walsh and even his ex-bandmate Paul McCartney.

Ringo also shed more light on his collaboration with Linda Perry, saying it'll be a four-track EP titled Crooked Boy, revealing the finished vinyl LP in his video.

'She wrote the songs for me. She produced them. She's a beauty, so musical," he said of Perry, "She has a great vibe. Peace and love, Linda."

Ringo Starr’s February 2024 Update

Ringo recalled his love of country music in an interview discussing The Beatles' 'Don't Pass Me By', particularly when his own songwriting was concerned.

"I'd written other songs," he said, 'but they were always other people's songs; I just rewrote the words. I used to say that I was rewriting Jerry Lee Lewis B-sides."

"It was a thrill. I remember writing it at the piano at this home in England that we were living in at the time."

Then for me, and until this day, it's still magic when I write a song and get together with other musicians, and we record it, and it turns into the track."

For Ringo, his love of country music was the result of where he grew up, adding: "I come from Liverpool which is a port."

"So a lot of neighbours went to sea. In fact, Liverpool is sort of the capital of country music in England. So, I just came by it naturally, sailors who would play the records."