Ringo Starr Is Both A Beatle And A Crooked Boy

Artists live a funny life. Their work goes out into the universe and those it touches decide for themselves what to like, love or ignore. The moment art leaves the studio, whether in print, paint, film or on vinyl, each person whose path it crosses gets to decide how they interpret the work.

Ringo Starr held a listening session for Crooked Boy, his new E.P. on April 20^th, 2024 in the Morrison Hotel Gallery at the Sunset Marquis hotel in West Hollywood. It was “record day,” amusingly set on 4/20. Just that sentence alone could spark hours of discussion. Crooked Boy releases in digital format on April 26^th, 2024 followed by vinyl and CD releases on May 31^st.

What there is to discuss is Ringo’s new music, which is fresh, current, and worthy of attention. February Sky is the cut just released. It is not what you would expect if someone said Ringo just released a song. Instead, it’s something for your Spotify playlist. The accompanying video for February Sky has a substantial bonus for longtime Beatles fans. The video incorporates video from Ringo’s archives made public for the first time.

The listening session was populated by a tight list of friends and industry. What would you expect at such an event? How about musicians, studio executives, and professionals who have been around long enough to themselves be iconic. Henry Diltz, master of iconic rock and roll photography was there and he brought his camera. The long friendship between Diltz and Ringo was immediately evident. You cold see it in their rapport, and in the pictures of the Beatles shot by Diltz handing on the walls of the Morrison Hotel Gallery.

After listening to the new songs, I asked Ringo how he got such a different sound from this E.P. than what we’ve been used to from him. Ringo explained how he saw this work as fresh and current. He is not stuck in his past, and the songs are meant to be contemporary. Ringo is proud of Crooked Boy, and the work done by his collaborators. He is particularly effusive about the contributions from Linda Perry who both wrote and produced the four songs. Ringo, true to form, recognized both the depth of Perry’s contributions and praised the positive peace and love aspects of the work.

Linda Perry did more than produce Crooked Boy. She is the songwriter, recording engineer and played guitar, bass guitar, Hammond organ and backing vocals. Perry knows her way around a hit and is perhaps most well known from her time as lead singer for 4 Non Blondes. For Ringo, Perry proposed using an old photograph by Harry Benson repurposed for the cover of the Crooked Boy E.P. This bit of editing magic is how Ringo came to release an EP at age 83, with him shirtless on the cover. And, why not have Ringo on the cover shirtless? There is still endless enthusiasm for all things Beatles, and this cover photograph tracks back to the days when Ringo and the other Beatles were constantly in the public eye. Ringo is in his seventh decade of public life. He still lights up a room and delivers a great image when photographed.

There is a certain magic when you’re in a room with someone who has spent a life navigating the bonhomie of fame. When Ringo entered the small space of the Morrison Hotel Gallery there was a noticeable spark of excitement. The gallery was filled on all walls with historical photographs of musicians. Fair warning, it’s hard to leave that space without taking something home. What was stunning to watch was how Ringo navigated. He was open, quick to recognize friends, and willing to talk to everyone. You could imagine the public life Ringo has lived by how easily he moved through the room. He made sure everyone felt they had shared a personal moment with him.

As the Crooked Boy E.P. played and replayed the room settled, and Ringo had time to talk with his friends and colleagues there. He was entirely comfortable, and elegant in a certain way. Ringo was well dressed, moving to the music, jovial and engaging. One takeaway from the event was the obvious necessity to revisit the classic Beatles song When I’m Sixty-Four. Ringo is nearly eighty-four, fit and seemingly ready to try for the century mark. Sixty-four these days is merely a marker in time.

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band have an upcoming residency at the Venetian hotel Las Vegas for six shows between May 22^nd and June 1 and a series of North American dates through late September. What could be more fun? Get the new Crooked Boy E.P., buy a couple of tickets and spend time with a musician who continues to represent the pinnacle of rock and roll success.