When it comes to the topic of retirement, Ringo Starr’s kids have let it be.
Most likely because their famous dad, who gained notoriety in the 1960s as the drummer of The Beatles, is as busy as ever at the age of 84.
“Sometimes when I finish a tour, I’m like, ‘That’s the end for me.’ And all my children say, ‘Oh, Dad, you’ve told us that for the last 10 years.’ And they get fed up with me,” Starr told People magazine on Wednesday.
“I do feel, ‘Oh, that’s got to be enough,’ and then I get a phone call: ‘We’ve got a few gigs if you’re interested.’ Okay, we’re off again!”
The drummer has sons Zak, 59, and Jason, 57, and daughter Lee, 54, with his late ex-wife, Maureen Cox.
These days, Starr is gearing up to embark on a 10-date tour with his All Starr Band in June. In September, his namesake band will play six shows during a Las Vegas residency at the Venetian Theatre.
Starr founded the group in 1989, and these days, the musical lineup includes Steve Lukather, Warren Ham, Colin Hay, Gregg Bissonette, Hamish Stuart and Buck Johnson.
“In those days, I had a phone book, so I found guys who were musicians and I’d call them,” he recalled of the group’s early days together. “We opened in Texas in a field and it was great. And we’ve been doing it ever since because I love to play live. I love the audience, I know they love me and we have a great time.”
Starr has since leaned into the country sector of music, which he will show off at upcoming shows.
His new country album “Look Up” debuted in January and is only the second country record he’s done. “Look Up” went on to garner massive success and earned him his first ever No. 1 album in the UK.
“It sort of took its own way. We can make the right turns sometimes,” Starr said. “It’s working out really well. I’ve been surprised a lot lately.”
But the artist does take time to decompress when he isn’t behind the drums, revealing he doesn’t play when he’s not obligated to.
“I don’t even look at them,” Starr confessed to USA Today in 2024. “I’ve never liked just drumming by myself. I always want to be in a band with players. If you play whatever, I’ll play with you all night. [As a kid] I went upstairs the traditional way from all of those black and white movies where the drummer goes upstairs to his kit and hits them.”
He added, “Well in my neighborhood, I was this close to being stabbed! Everyone in the neighborhood was going, ‘SHUT UP!’ But I’ll play anywhere. My first band was the guy from next door, Eddie Miles, and my best friend Roy taught us bass and that’s what we’ve done: just keep playing with other guys.”
