Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr, the musical heartbeat of The Beatles and arguably the most adored drummer ever, has a lot of awards, from two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions to a knighthood bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II. So what does it mean to be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame, which honors the legendary players who craft, perform and record songs?
"It means I've done all of that," the 83-year-old quipped at his induction ceremony in Nashville before flashing the easy smile fans have loved since The Beatles arrived in the U.S. nearly 60 years ago.
Starr was honored for both his time with the Fab Four and his lengthy solo career in a Sunday afternoon ceremony. The event featured guitar icon Peter Frampton, ’60s country, rock and pop giant Brenda Lee and a band performing hits from across Starr’s repertoire.
"It's as magic to me as it is to you," Starr told reporters. "We loved each other, and we supported each other, and we listened to each other. That's how that sound arrived, and even still today, the kids are listening to it."
Peter Frampton and Ringo Starr
Frampton called his friend's southpaw drumming feel "incredibly unique."
"From the earliest Beatle recordings, Ringo was already orchestrating songs with his playing, not just playing along," Frampton said.
Lee brought a unique perspective to the event: She had The Beatles open for her at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, before Beatlemania became a global sensation.
"Even as raw as that time was — and we were still befuddled about where we were going to go musically — you still could hear the start of it," Lee said. "Even though it was a little raw, it was there. It was always there."
The ceremony took place the same day Ringo & His All-Starr Band played at the Ryman. The magnitude of playing such a storied country music stage still isn't lost on Starr even after his long career. He recounted seeing pictures of a clean-shaven, suited-up Willie Nelson in the early 1960s and said Liverpool was a hub for country music thanks to merchant navy ships that brought American songs to English shores.
"It's a really cool thing," Starr said. "If you've ever seen us at the Ryman, it just blows me away because I love country music. And I come from a city, Liverpool, which is — in all of England — the biggest country outlet for anybody. I just love country music. A lot of story, a lot of joy and happiness."
He also teased a forthcoming country EP of his own that he worked on with famed producer T Bone Burnett. Another EP, titled Rewind Forward, is set for Oct. 13.
With his induction, Starr became the first recipient of the Joe Chambers Musicians Legacy award. The award was named in honor of Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum founder Joe Chambers, who died in September 2022.
