Ringo STARR: The fourth Beatle celebrates 85th birthday

Ringo Starr shows no signs of aging. The man who once played the drums for the Beatles radiates a timeless coolness – slim, sporty, with black -colored hair and sunglasses. The secret recipe for his eternal youth lies in his diet: because of his sensitive digestion, he has never eaten a pizza or a curry, he only reveals his 85th birthday in January on July 7, 2025, as he is called, Richard Starkey celebrates his 85th birthday.

And what was the past for him for a year of life: in December Starr again stood on stage with Paul McCartney (83), the second remaining Beatle, on stage, in January he released his new album “Look Up”, he was just on tour – and does not think about stopping.

Richard Starkey was born in Liverpool on July 7, 1940 and grew up with his parents in the Dingle workers’ district. After her divorce in 1944, Richard lived with his mother in a small row house. As a child, he was often sick and spent a lot of time in the hospital – the violent abdominal infection is still responsible for his susceptible stomach.

But the music became – despite the technical deficits – his way out: at the end of the 1950s, he called himself “Ringo Starr” for the first time and became drummer in the Liverpool band Rory Storm & the Hurricanes. In 1962 he joined the Beatles founded in 1960 – the rest is music history.

But his solo career after the end of the Beatles was also surprisingly successful: So far, Ringo Starr has sold more than 4.9 million recordings, his most successful publication is the album “Ringo” with over 1.1 million units sold. In his commercially successful time between 1971 and 1975, he published seven top ten singles in the USA alone.

On “Look Up”, his 21st solo plate, the drummer surprised his fans in January with country music-a genre that inspired him in his youth. Already in 1970 he published a country album in Nashville with “Beaucoups of Blues”.

The Brit is also regularly on stage – but has always only been in company. Concerts without his all-star band? Unthinkable. “I only want to be in a band. You can’t go out and only play ‘Yesterday’ with a drum,” he said. Since the 1980s he has been touring with changing musicians under the banner of the all-STARR BAND-currently: Toto guitarist Steve Lukather (67) and men-at work singer Colin Hay (72).

They only played ten concerts in the United States in June, and another eleven are planned for September. “I absolutely love to play live and I love this band,” enthused rigidly for the tour announcement.

His latest television appearance shows that Ringo Starr is still an important part of pop culture. Recently – or his little yellow image – he received a guest appearance in the 36th season of the “Simpsons”: in it he appeared in heaven and kisses the late Marge Simpson. Apparently in this vision of the future, Marge is in a relationship with the Beatles legend after her death in paradise.

Most recently, his son Zak Starkey (59), one of his three children from marriage to Maureen Starkey Tigrett (1946-1994), wrote further headlines. Like his father, Starkey is a drummer and was sitting at The WHO for years. After increased tensions, he was finally thrown out of the band in May. His father stood after the demonstratively behind his son. “I never liked how this little man leads the band”, Starr is said to have let his anger over The Whho front man Roger Daltrey (81) free rein, said.

If it is not exactly his own family, such band-caprioles Ringo Starr, who today lives mostly in Beverly Hills. He also goes to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as Beatle and as a solo artist) and a knighthood by Prince William (43) in his dream of drummer. “I was lucky. I played with the biggest band in the world, I was part of it. And now I’m still playing”, ”

Perhaps the secret really lies in the absence of pizza. Or in humor. Or in the joy of never having to stand alone on stage without the Beatles. The only thing is certain: Ringo STARR is not a man of the past at 85 – but a lively piece of music history.