Ringo Starr Confirms One Long-Standing Rumor Is Indeed True
The iconic Ringo Starr has officially confirmed that one persistent rumor about his life holds true.
During his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, January 28, the 84-year-old musician promoted his latest country and western album, Look Up. Host Jimmy Kimmel took the opportunity to clear up facts since Starr has been “famous for a very, very long time.”
With several Beatles biopics on the way, Starr was asked if he indeed first “smoked weed” with Bob Dylan (true!) and why he has never eaten a slice of pizza.
“I’ve never had a pizza. There goes the people in the back going, ‘What?’” Starr joked.
The audience seemed stunned when Starr confessed he has never tried curry either, but he provided a valid reason for his food choices.
“I’m allergic to several things,” Starr explained. “With pizza, you can never predict what they might be putting in it. Same with curry. So, I’m pretty strict with my diet because it makes me sick right away.”
As a child, Starr faced several serious health challenges, including a bout of appendicitis that caused him to briefly lapse into a coma due to abdominal inflammation. In 1953, he was hospitalized for two years after contracting tuberculosis.
Starr shared with Kimmel that he did indeed learn to knit during his hospital stay as a teen, in addition to discovering a passion that would significantly influence his future.
“A lady entered [the hospital] with maracas, tambourines… and a little drum,” he remembered. “She handed me a drum… and from that moment, I knew I only wanted to be a drummer.”
Kimmel and Starr—whose real name is Richard Starkey—discussed how he adopted his stage name, a nod to his habit of wearing rings while part of a Liverpool street gang.
“[The gang members] would say, ‘Hey Rings! What’s happening?’ That’s where the start of my name transformation came,” he elaborated.
He ultimately shortened his last name from ‘Starkey’ to ‘Starr’ just as he was about to achieve fame with the Beatles.
“I was part of a band called Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and we got a three-month job which prompted us all to change our names,” Starr recounted. “I thought… ‘Ringo Starkey’ doesn’t quite cut it. ‘Ringo Starr’—now that’s fabulous!”
A playful rumor Starr chose not to confirm was whether he ever “owned and operated” a yellow submarine, aside from humorously stating: “I can’t discuss that!”
Earlier in January, Starr released his first album in five years, Look Up. This country and western album is co-produced by 12-time Grammy winner T Bone Burnett and features contributions from Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh and bluegrass vocalist Alison Krauss.
The former Beatle also recorded a tribute concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, which will air on CBS and Paramount+ as a benefit for the American Red Cross and victims of the California wildfires. Ringo & Friends at the Ryman will showcase some of Starr’s most unforgettable hits alongside Sheryl Crow, Jack White, and The War and Treaty, among others.
“It’s always a thrill to perform at the Ryman, and this time we’re going country,” Starr shared regarding his CBS special. “T Bone has assembled a fantastic show. I’m eager to hear my songs interpreted in a country style and to perform with this remarkable lineup of musicians. It promises to be two nights filled with peace, love, and country music.”
Ringo & Friends at the Ryman is set to air this spring on CBS and will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
