Ringo Starr at the Ryman: 'My heart is full'

Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band perform at the Ryman Auditorium Sunday, June 19, 2016.
(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)


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Ringo Starr at the Ryman: 'My heart is full'
Dave Paulson
June 20, 2016


Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band perform at the Ryman Auditorium Sunday June 19, 2016. 
(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)

While he was onstage, Ringo Starr imagined his own news headline for his concert in Nashville on Sunday: "Ringo causes a ruckus at The Ryman."

The rock legend and Beatles drummer was playing his second of two nights at the Ryman Auditorium, and teased the crowd, suggesting that his audience on Saturday night had been just a little louder. For a few seconds, a room packed with devoted fans was (playfully) booing Ringo, of all people.

"Oh, let's have a riot! Let's go mad," he said with a smile.

In reality, Sunday's show was very much under control. Heck, it was almost the exact same show Starr and his "All-Starr Band" of rock hitmakers played the last time they were at The Ryman in 2012. Then again, it was still a Beatle — who turns 76 next month — singing some of the most beloved tunes of the '60s on Nashville's most famous stage.


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)


The country Beatle comes home

Of all of the Beatles, Starr was by far the biggest country music fan. He covered songs like "Act Naturally" with the band, wrote twangy originals like "Don't Pass Me By," and when they broke up, he came to Music City to make a country album. Of course, Opry history was on his mind as he stood on the Ryman stage.

"In the late '50s, I could only imagine (playing) The Ryman," he told his audience. "...and now I've got a residency here. I love it. My heart is full, just being on this stage, thinking of all the great country boys and gals who were on this stage."

He mentioned Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb and Kitty Wells — "my hero," he called the Queen of Country Music.

There was also a white lie about playing a tune because he was in Nashville — The Beatles' "What Goes On," which has been a staple of this last tour.

"It was the only song ever written by Lennon, McCartney and Starkey," he told the crowd. (Starr's real name is Richard Starkey). "I know what you're thinking. The names should be the other way in order. But what can I do?"


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)

The crowd

While many in the sold-out crowd were old enough to have experienced "Beatlemania" when it first came around, fans of all ages greeted Starr on Sunday. He noted that he could see somewhere around dozen fans around the ages of 5 and 6.

"How great!" he said. "Bring your kids to gig."

"There's a little tiny girl here, and she's jumping up and down with a big sign that says 'I love Ringo.' I love you."

If the kids had the signs, their parents — and grandparents — had their phones. It seemed like Starr's first few songs were captured on video from at least 100 different angles. But Sunday's crowd knew when to tune back in, too, and they were extremely receptive. Standing ovations and mass singalongs were a regular occurrence throughout the 2-hour show.


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)

The All-Starrs 

Starr's "All-Starr Band" boasted the same lineup (save for new multi-instrumentalist Warren Ham) as they had during their last stop in Nashville — and on Sunday, they played almost all the same songs, in the same order, four years later.

But judging from their response, that's pretty much just what this crowd wanted from Todd Rundgren ("I Saw the Light"), Toto's Steve Lukather ("Africa"), Richard Page of Mr. Mister ("Kyrie") and Santana's Gregg Rolie ("Evil Ways"). In-demand drummer Gregg Bissonette played drums behind and alongside Starr.

Five years in, this crew still seems to relish their gigs with Starr, and when he was behind the drumkit, Rundgren, Lukather and Page were happy to share a microphone like John, Paul and George did all those years ago.


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)

The classics

He enjoyed immediate success as a solo artist after The Beatles broke up — and while he was in the band, Lennon and McCartney gave him a few incredibly catchy songs to sing lead on. Naturally, Starr sang plenty of songs that his Nashville audience knew by heart.

Chief among those was "Yellow Submarine," which had the entire house on its feet. There was also lots of love for his self-penned "White Album" tune "Don't Pass Me By," solo hits "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph." But the warmest moment of the night came at the end, when Starr closed with "With a Little Help From My Friends," and his Ryman crowd essentially turned into a choir.

After a quick reprise of Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance," Starr offered up several more trademark wishes of "peace and love" before saying goodnight and bounding off stage.


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)


(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)



Ringo Starr in Nashville over the years


A jauntily attired Ringo Starr, right, former drummer for the Beatles, chats with Frank Jones, left, president of the Nashville chapter of NARSA, and Wesley Rose, national president of NARAS March 2, 1973. The affair, on the 30th floor of the National Life Building, was a cocktail party for the Grammy awards event in Nashville.


Ringo Starr arrives at the Tennessee Theater for the 15th Grammy Awards show in Nashville March 3, 1973. The show, which will spotlight 11 winners, was televised on CBS.


Harry Nilsson, left, and Ringo Starr are presenters during the 15th Grammy Awards show in Nashville March 3, 1973. The show, which will spotlight 11 winners, was televised on CBS.


Harry Nilsson, left, and Ringo Starr are presenters during the 15th Grammy Awards show in Nashville March 3, 1973. The show, which will spotlight 11 winners, was televised on CBS.


Harry Nilsson, left, and Ringo Starr are presenters during the 15th Grammy Awards show in Nashville March 3, 1973. The show, which will spotlight 11 winners, was televised on CBS.


Ringo Starr, right, reaches for the platter of awards won by George Harrison & Friends for the Album of the Year during the 15th Grammy Awards show in Nashville. The winning album was "The Concert for Bangladesh." Presenters Johnny Mathis, left, and Dusty Springfield are looking on.


Ringo Starr, right, reaches for the platter of awards won by George Harrison & Friends for the Album of the Year during the 15th Grammy Awards show in Nashville. The winning album was "The Concert for Bangladesh." Presenters Johnny Mathis, left, and Dusty Springfield are looking on.


Pete Drake, a steel guitar player, was playing with Ringo Starr when he announced to Ringo how much he liked his shirt. Story goes that Ringo took it off and gave it to Drake. Drake's widow donated the shirt to the museum at The Musicians Hall of Fame, where it is on display Aug. 9, 2006.


Ringo Starr, left, thanks his friends and family during his 72nd birthday celebration before his traditional birthday salute of “Peace & Love” with the crowds waiting outside at the Hard Rock in downtown Nashville July 7, 2012.


Ringo Starr, once the drummer for legendary band The Beatles, talks to the media before his traditional birthday salute of “Peace & Love” during his 72nd birthday celebration at the Hard Rock in downtown Nashville July 7, 2012.


Ringo Starr, once the drummer for legendary band The Beatles, talks to the media before his traditional birthday salute of “Peace & Love” during his 72nd birthday celebration at the Hard Rock in downtown Nashville July 7, 2012.


Ringo Starr, center, and his All Star Band are rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012.


Ringo Starr, center, and his All Star Band are rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012. 


Ringo Starr, center, and his All Star Band are rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012. 


Ringo Starr, center, and his All Star Band are rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012. 


Ringo Starr, center, and his All Star Band are rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012.


Ringo Starr, with his All Star Band, is rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012. 


Ringo Starr, with his All Star Band, is rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012. 


Ringo Starr, with his All Star Band, is rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012. 


Ringo Starr, with his All Star Band, is rocking for a packed audience at the Ryman Auditorium July 7, 2012.