Ringo Starr Had to Beg During His Early Days as a Drummer, but He Made Sure Other Drummers Didn’t Have To
Every musician’s journey starts somewhere. For Ringo Starr, his path to being a drummer started in a hospital. The kit man for The Beatles spent time in and out of hospitals as a youngster, a trying time he relived during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the facilities he stayed at brought percussion instruments to the patients, and Ringo took a shine to banging away. Before he became the impressively skilled drummer we all know and love, Ringo had to beg for favors during his early days, but he made sure to pay it back.
Two twists of fate helped Ringo join The Beatles
Ringo’s drumming talent led to him playing in several skiffle groups in Liverpool, England, before he hooked up with his first band. Rory Storm and the Hurricanes performed residencies in Hamburg, Germany, just like The Beatles did. As most music fans know, Ringo didn’t remain with Rory Storm. Fate intervened twice and helped him join The Beatles.
First, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were scheduled to play on a bill with Eddie Cochran. They missed their chance because of Cochran’s tragic death, and it might have saved The Beatles as we know them.
Fate intervened a second time when Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein asked Ringo to join the band for an early show in Hamburg. Ringo agreed, nailed a tricky drum part that proved to Paul McCartney he was the perfect drummer for The Beatles, and started playing with the Fab Four in short order.
Before any of that happened, though, Ringo had to beg during his early days as a drummer, but he paid it forward when his fortunes changed.
Ringo Starr had to beg during his early days as a drummer, but he made sure others didn’t have to
Before joining a hall of fame the other Beatles had no shot at entering, the former Richard Starkey cut his teeth playing gigs around Liverpool. However, Ringo had to beg before he took the stage for many of those concerts, writes Michael Seth Starr in the biography With a Little Help:
“It was very difficult for a drummer in those days. I’d take the snare drums to the gigs, and I begged a drummer who drove his whole kit there. ‘Let’s use your kit, man.’ I’d use my snare and his kit. Sometimes he said, ‘Yes,’ and sometimes he said, ‘No.’ And then, when I did get a car and would be able to take my kit to the venues, other drummers would ask me, ‘Can I use your kit, man?’ and I said, ‘Sure.’”
Ringo Starr describes how he had to beg to share drum kits during his early days
Guitarists have it easy. They can unplug, pack up their instrument into a relatively slim case, and travel to a gig. Drummers, even those using a spartan kit with a snare, bass drum, floor tom, high tom, and a couple of cymbals, don’t have that luxury.
Ringo eventually could afford any kit he wanted and had the means to take it with him anywhere, including a maple wood set that gave him a reason to love the Abbey Road sessions. But when he started out, he couldn’t afford to haul his entire kit to shows. It could have been lost, stolen, or broken. So Ringo begged his more well-equipped counterparts to share their kits. However, he made sure to pay it forward and let other drummers use his skins without hesitation.
He never stopped letting other drummers get in on the action
Ringo had to beg other drummers to share their kits when he was an up-and-comer, but there was no shame in it for him. He knew he wanted to be a professional musician and would do whatever it took to make that dream come true. He freely shared his kit with Liverpool timekeepers back in the day, but Ringo never stopped sharing the spotlight with other drummers.
Every iteration of Ringo’s All-Starr Band has included at least one other drummer sharing the stage with The Beatles legend. Gregg Bissonette has been part of every All-Starr band since 2008. Levon Helm (from The Band), Simon Kirke (Bad Company, Free), Sheila E., and Zak Starkey (The Who’s current touring drummer) have also joined the All-Starr bands in the past.
Ringo Starr had to beg to share drum kits when he was still a fledgling timekeeper. He made sure others drummers didn’t have to do the same thing.
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