Ringo Starr Makes a Vulnerable Confession About His Vocal Talents

More than 60 years after becoming one of the most famous musicians in the world, Ringo Starr still admits to some lingering vulnerability when it comes to his musical talents.

The Beatles drummer, who recently released his first full-length album since 2019, said he “always wanted to be someone else” when asked during a recent interview about his abilities as a singer. Though Starr sings on his own solo records now, he mostly provided background vocals while with the Beatles, with a few notable exceptions.

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“I mean, I can hold a tune, as long as it’s in my key,” Starr, 84, told The Sunday Times for an interview that was published on Sunday, Jan. 12. Starr spoke with the British paper in anticipation of his new album, Look Up, which he released on Jan. 10.

Starr went on to explain that his singing contributions “worked out” when he was with the Beatles because his bandmates—John Lennon and Paul McCartney in particular—were “great writers.” Lennon and McCartney “wrote me a lot of really nice songs,” he added.

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee went on to call out a few of the Beatles songs on which he’d provided the lead vocals, such as “With a Little Help From My Friends” and “Yellow Submarine,” that remain “huge” among his fans now. Starr still sings those Beatles songs and others when he tours with his All Starr Band supergroup.

Starr announced last year that Look Up would encompass a full embrace of the country music genre. The decision wasn’t entirely out of the blue for Starr, who sang occasional country-leaning songs—such as his cover of “Act Naturally” from 1965’s Help!—while with the Beatles. His interest in the genre continued in the decades that followed.

“I’ve done 20 albums,” Starr told The Associated Press ahead of the release of his latest project, “and there’s always a track that’s country-ish on each one.”

Next: John Lennon's Son Julian Shares Bold Opinion on His Role in The Beatles' 'Inner Circle'