Millions of us Baby Boomers felt a little older on July 7 when we read the story about Ringo Starr’s 70th birthday party at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Everybody loves Ringo, the drummer for The Beatles. We have loved him since 1964, when the Fab Four took the States by storm. We watched them on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” we bought their 45s, we memorized their hits, we went to their movies. A generation of American girls cried and screamed through their concerts, bought Beatles dolls and fan magazines, and dreamed of dating Paul, George or Ringo (John was married). Every girl, including my older sister, had a favorite Beatle … and many went for Ringo.
There always has been something special about Ringo Starr. He was the oldest Beatle, and the last to join the group. He didn’t have a great voice, but he still supplied the vocals for several hits. He was content to stay in the background, pounding his Ludwig drum kit so hard that it jumped off the floor. Ringo provided the driving beat and sonic foundation that framed the Beatles music.
The gritty streets of Liverpool never left Ringo. As years went by, the other Beatles became pretentious, self-absorbed pseudo-intellectuals, but Ringo never did. In interviews, he came across as a regular guy who joined a little rock-’n-roll band and somehow found himself a multi-millionaire, with reporters hanging on his every word and girls chasing him.
Ringo was a beer, cigarettes and Buddy Holly kind of guy, never really comfortable with psychedelic drugs, Indian mysticism, lavish orchestral accompaniments and being seen as an heir to Beethoven.
I admire Ringo. At 70, he’s having the time of his life, beating the skins with his All-Starr band, performing his own hits, some Beatles stuff and lots of covers.
There was bad blood among the Beatles after their breakup, but that’s over. John and George Harrison are dead; only Ringo and Paul survive.
Paul showed up, unannounced, for the birthday bash. He and Ringo performed “Birthday,” a drum-heavy hit from The Beatles’ “White Album,” and nearly tore the roof off the place.
Paul hugged Ringo, and kissed his cheek. Everybody was screaming, crying, smiling.
Ringo’s grandchildren wheeled a cake onto the stage. It was made in the shape of a Ludwig drum set. Six thousand adoring fans sang “Happy Birthday.”
Ringo said in an interview that he wouldn’t want to be a Beatle again, because it was “too mad.”
“We’re blessed, we musicians, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “As long as I can hold a stick, it can go on forever. It’s great. It’s something you don’t have to retire from.”
Who could ask for more? Rock on, Ringo.
Danville native Kevin Cullen is a former Commercial-News reporter. Reach him at irishhiker@aol.com.
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