Ringo Starr, at 85, Releases Third Country Album and Reflects on Beatles Room-Sharing Rule

Key facts

• Ringo Starr's new country album 'Long Long Road' is released on April 24, his 22nd solo album.
• The album is co-written and produced by T Bone Burnett, with guest appearances by Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, and Billy Strings.
• Starr's All-Starr Band will tour 12 dates in May and June 2025, leading up to his 86th birthday on July 7.
• Starr revealed that the Beatles always shared two hotel rooms among the four members, even on the last night of their final tour.
• Starr credits producer T Bone Burnett for his return to country music, following the success of their 2025 collaboration 'Look Up'.
• Starr's son Zak Starkey, former drummer for The Who and Oasis, introduced him to Ray Charles records.
• Starr's stepfather taught him to never criticize his children's music choices, a principle he applied with his own kids.

A New Album and a Tour at 85

Ringo Starr, the 85-year-old Beatles drummer, is releasing his third country album, 'Long Long Road,' on April 24. The 10-song record is his second collaboration with producer T Bone Burnett, following last year's acclaimed 'Look Up.' The album features guest appearances by Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, and Billy Strings. Starr will support the album with a 12-date tour by his All-Starr Band in May and June 2025, culminating just before his 86th birthday on July 7. Despite joking with his children that he cannot continue touring, Starr admitted he often considers adding September dates. 'I'm just doing the 12 gigs. But in my head, at least twice a day, I'm thinking, 'Nah, we should do September as well,'' he said.

Fitness and Longevity: Starr's Advice for Staying Active

Starr, known for his energetic stage presence, offered a good-natured lecture on bone and joint health. 'Get in that gym, loosen up,' he advised. 'You can blame me. 'That Ringo made me come in here.'' He emphasized that there is no secret to his fitness: 'It's just that no one can do it for you. You've got to get out of bed and do it.' When asked if he intends to play as long as he is physically able, Starr replied, 'No, I just intend to play this year. That's as far down the line as I'm going. We'll see what happens at the beginning of next year or the end of this year.' He acknowledged the perceived competition with Paul McCartney, saying, 'Well, it may look like that, but I'll be the longest,' adding with a laugh.

The Beatles' Unbroken Room-Sharing Rule

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's show, Starr revealed that the Beatles always shared two hotel rooms among the four members throughout their touring years. 'Well, we were always four of us in two rooms,' Starr said. 'So, I was roommates with everybody. You know, Paul was roommates with everybody. Depended where they put the suitcases. We just went and shared a room.' Kimmel asked whether that changed once the band became the biggest on the planet. Starr confirmed it did not. 'No, right up to the last day of the last tour — or the last night of the last tour — we shared,' he said. When Kimmel joked about whether they now get into bed together when visiting each other, Starr laughed and replied, 'No. No, not anymore.'

A Lifelong Love for Country Music

Starr's affinity for country music predates his time with the Beatles. He recalled collecting records as a young man in Liverpool, tuning into the Alan Freed show on the BBC via a powerful antenna in Gibraltar. 'Country came to me first and it's the first time I realised I was trying to collect the records,' Starr said. 'Pop was all going on, but there was very little pop in England.' Paul McCartney once credited Starr as being 'the first guy in the Beatles to really turn us on to country music.' Starr remembered introducing country songs to the band, sometimes rewriting well-known tunes without realizing it, causing his bandmates to laugh. 'I would bring other people in to play tracks for, because when I first started writing songs I would sing them and play them to the other three, and they would fall on the floor laughing,' he said.

Family, Vinyl, and Musical Curiosity

Starr shared a story about his son Zak, who as a young boy excitedly introduced him to Ray Charles. 'I did the whole father thing, 'Oh, you kids. I've been listening to him for years!'' Starr recalled. He credited his stepfather for teaching him to never dismiss his children's musical tastes. 'He never once said, 'Get that crap off!' He'd say, 'Oh, what are you listening to, son?'' Starr applied that principle with his own three children. Starr also spoke about his vinyl collection, which he initially planned to give away to his children when he moved to Los Angeles in 2014. 'I looked and went, 'I'm not giving them these, I love these!'' he said. 'I've still got them in storage.'

The Future: More Music and Possible Tour Extensions

Starr remains noncommittal about extending his touring career beyond this year, though he hinted at the possibility. 'For the last five years, I've told my kids, 'That's it, I can't go on anymore.' (And they say), 'Oh, Dad, you said that last year,'' he said. He attributes his longevity to a simple love of music and the need to collaborate, especially with his All-Starr Band. As for the upcoming Sam Mendes Beatles biopics, Starr revealed he has provided input, though he did not elaborate. With 'Long Long Road' marking his 22nd solo album and his second country release in as many years, Starr shows no signs of slowing down creatively.

The bottom line

• Ringo Starr's 'Long Long Road' is his third country album, produced by T Bone Burnett, and features collaborations with Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, and Billy Strings.
• Starr continues to tour with his All-Starr Band at age 85, with 12 dates scheduled for May and June 2025.
• The Beatles maintained a strict room-sharing policy throughout their touring years, with four members in two rooms until the very end.
• Starr credits his stepfather for teaching him to respect his children's musical choices, a lesson he applied with his own kids.
• Country music has been a lifelong passion for Starr, who introduced the genre to the Beatles and continues to explore it in his solo work.