Grand Ole Opry House

Sir Richard Starkey, born on 7 July 1940, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor known as Ringo Starr. He gained international recognition as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the band, including on the songs 'Yellow Submarine' and 'With a Little Help from My Friends.' He also wrote and sang the Beatles songs 'Don't Pass Me By' and 'Octopus's Garden' and is credited as a co-writer of three others. During childhood, Starr experienced life-threatening illnesses that resulted in extended hospital stays. As a teenager, he developed an interest in the skiffle genre and admired it fervently. In 1957, he co-founded the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group, which secured several local bookings before the skiffle fad declined around early 1958. Prior to joining the Beatles, Starr was a member of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a Liverpool band that achieved moderate success in the UK and Hamburg. He left the Hurricanes in August 1962 to join the Beatles, replacing Pete Best.