Ringo Starr has released a new country album, “Long Long Road,” and has more than a dozen tour dates scheduled with an all-star band. The energetic drummer talks about his fitness routine and the set of the Beatles biopic.
Beatles bandmates McCartney and Starr perform classical music at UK show
Paul McCartney took out Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr during his ‘Got Back Tour’ stop in London.
Ringo Starr gives a friendly lecture on bone and joint health.
“Go to the gym and relax,” he advises. “You can blame me. ‘That apple got me here.'”
The Beatles drummer, famously healthy at 85, still puts together his kit with ease. “There’s no special way. There’s just no one else doing it for you,” says the star, wearing a black track jacket, peace sign necklace and ever-present shades. “You have to get out of bed and do it.”
His new album, Long Long Road, will be released on April 24th and was also co-written and produced by T. Bone Burnett and features guest appearances by Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent. This is Starr’s third country album, following 1970’s Beaucoup of Blues and last year’s Look Up, which he plans to follow up with a tour with his longtime all-star band in May and June.
After the success of his 2025 collaboration with Barnett, “I kind of thought, let’s do another one,” he says. “I sing and play drums. He adds meat to it. And it worked out really well.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Question: Do you consider yourself primarily a country artist now, or is it more of a detour?
Ringo Starr: For now, I’m a country artist. I think “artist” is enough, right? We play pop, we play rock, but T-Bone brought us back to country very strongly.
Tour continues until age 86th Birthday (July 7th). Are you going to play as much as physically possible?
No, I plan on playing this year. That’s as far as I’m aiming. We’ll see what happens early next year or at the end of this year. For the past five years, I’ve been telling my kids, “No more. I can’t go on anymore.” (And they say) “Oh, Dad, you said that last year too.” We’re just doing 12 shows. But at least twice a day in my head, I’m (thinking), “Oh, I should do this in September too.” But so far, I’m holding out.
It feels like he and Paul McCartney are in some kind of competition to see who can continue touring the longest.
Well, it may seem that way, but I’m the one who takes the longest (lol).
I think that will happen.
We went to see him perform at the Fonda Theatre. I was happy to see him in such a small venue. The sound was great and he was fine. He is from Liverpool. If you yell at him, he’ll yell back. I’ve seen him in many stadiums. And I really missed contact.
You’ve joked that the secret to great health is blueberries and broccoli. What have you learned over the years about taking care of yourself?
I still see a trainer three times a week. And the gym is right there (points off camera). When she’s not around, I go alone for at least one day, usually two. All you need to do is get your heart rate up, get on the treadmill, and do a little running and weight training. I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I’m like, oh, I should go to the gym.
Paul has released a new song (“Days We Left Behind”) that reminisces about the Beatles. Have your memories of the band changed over time?
No, no, I love that band. I love being on the front line. That’s why I quit Rory (pre-Beatles band Storm and the Hurricanes). But I don’t know why they called.
Are you still surprised by that?
I. yeah yeah. You’ll have to ask Paul, unfortunately only Paul, for now.
Your son Zak Starkey (former The Who drummer) went through a very public career change. As a father, how did you help your son understand what was going on?
I talked to him quite a bit through it. He was just having one of those moments we all experience. You did something not so cool and now I know it. I didn’t know that at the time. I thought Roger (Daltrey) was crazy. Zach wasn’t in a good place, but he’s in a much better place now. I want to let you and others know that he is back to his true self.
Do you think Barry Keoghan, who plays you in the Beatles biopic, looks like you?
In a sense. I have to say yes. you know what i mean? he’s got the job. And then one afternoon, before filming started, he came over. We just hung out and let him get my vibe. And he was a really kind and good person. And he’s a great actor. You can’t doubt it. So I’m going to look nice.
I was lucky because I went to the filming location last summer. And I saw the guys playing John and Paul (Harris Dickinson and Paul Mescal). And they were great. It was the day they were arguing. Oh, that didn’t happen, so I’m waiting for the documentary. That’s where it happened. No, it’s a movie. Leave me alone. It’s hard to talk about it because it means letting go.
Happy 45th wedding anniversary to you and Barbara Bach (April 27th). What does Barbara understand about you that most people don’t?
Well, I’m thinking of everything. She knows how I am. And I know what condition she is in. We are having a great time. And, you know, we lined up. we are doing something like that. And very early on we came to the conclusion that no matter what the circumstances of the day were, nothing would go past midnight. Late at night, okay, that’s it. Please start again the next day.
