Ringo Starr confirms he’s finished work on a new country album with producer T Bone Burnett, due in 2026, as he rehearses in Milwaukee with his All-Starr Band. British musician Ringo Starr poses during his annual “Peace And Love” birthday celebration, in Beverly Hills, California, on July 7, 2025. On his birthday each year, Starr’s global campaign encourages people around the world to promote peace and love. The Beatles drummer turns 85 today. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
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Ringo Starr has been leaning into country lately, and he’s sticking with the style for another era. The Beatles drummer pivoted to the genre with his 2025 full-length Look Up, and after hinting that he wanted to keep going in that direction, he’s already wrapped another collection.
Ringo Starr Reveals New Album
The musician’s new set – which doesn’t have a title yet – is slated for release at some point in 2026. Starr revealed the status of the project during a press conference at Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater, the venue he’s been using as a rehearsal base with his All-Starr Band. The announcement comes just as the group is about to hit the road again, with an American tour that kicks off September 10 in Chicago.
Look Up
As with Look Up, Starr has re-teamed with producer and songwriter T Bone Burnett. “I’ve just finished my part in another country album,” he confirmed, before distilling his excitement into one line: “I love country music.” Burnett handled much of the writing once again, as he did on Look Up, while Starr co-wrote two cuts with longtime studio partner Bruce Sugar.
Ringo Starr Covers Carl Perkins – Again
Fans can also expect at least one nod to Starr’s musical past on the forthcoming album. “We do a cover of a Carl Perkins song, because T Bone sort of likes the idea that my first recordings with The Beatles were Carl Perkins songs. I love Carl Perkins,” he explained. For Beatles fans, that’s a callback to the early 1960s, when Starr sang lead on “Matchbox” and “Honey Don’t” as part of the band’s Perkins tributes.
Ringo Starr’s First Country Album
Look Up was released on January 10, 2025, and marked Starr’s first full-length set in years, though he had shared several EPs in between projects. The album produced the singles “Time on My Hands,” “Thankful,” and the title tune.
The album performed modestly in the United States, peaking at No. 147 on the Billboard 200 but rising as high as No. 30 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums list. In the United Kingdom, it fared even better, even going so far as to hit No. 1 on the nation’s Official Country Artists Albums ranking.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/09/11/ringo-starr-says-hes-finished-with-his-new-album/
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