Ringo Starr there is one a safe place in music history as a member the BeatlesBut the legendary drummer and singer isn’t resting on his laurels.

Starr, 84, will release her country album “Look Up” on January 10, 2025. The project’s first single, “Time On My Hands”, featuring Starr’s distinctive vocals, was released on October 18. (Hear the song in the lyric video below.)

Grammy winner T Bone BurnettAn established music powerhouse, he was Starr’s primary collaborator on the album, producing all 11 tracks and writing or co-writing most of them. It is Starr’s first full-length album since 2019 and the follow-up to her 1970 album “Beaucoups of Blues,” which had strong country influences.

“I’ve always loved country music,” Starr said via a press release. “And when I asked T Bone to write me a song, at the time I didn’t even think it would be a country song – but of course it was, and it was beautiful. I was making an EP at the time, so I thought we were going to do a country EP, but when he brought me nine songs, I knew we had to make an album. And I’m so glad we did. I want to thank T Bone and all the amazing musicians who helped make this album and send Peace and Love. It was a pleasure to make it and I hope it’s a pleasure to listen to it too.

Many guest artists from country, America and the bluegrass world also appear on “Look Up”: Alison Krauss, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Lucius And Larkin Poe.

“I didn’t want to make one of those records where a face card was added to every song, like Post Malone just did, because I felt like that was beneath Ringo,” Burnett said. Interview with Variety. “Really, why should we attribute fame to Ringo Starr? But I wanted to add some youthful energy. So I went to what I thought were some of the best young country musicians. Molly plays and sings on four songs, and Billy plays and sings on three songs. Billy Strings plays some incredible heavy metal guitar on there.”

Starr and Burnett have a mutual admiration society dating back to the 1970s, according to Variety, but the two had never collaborated in a high-profile way until this album. (Starr played drums on a 1977 album, “Spark in the Dark” by the Alpha Band, one of Burnett’s first bands.)

“He’s a beautiful singer, Ringo,” Burnett told Variety. “He was in a band with two of the best singers in the history of rock and roll, so people never took him as seriously as they should have as a singer. … I was listening to Beatles radio on satellite radio and I heard him singing a Harry Nilsson song, a beautiful ballad, and it knocked me out. I thought, God, this cat is a great singer. So part of it was bringing songs that could reveal what a great singer he is. And at 84, I don’t think he’s ever sounded better than he does on this record, and he’s still getting better.”

Two concerts will be held on January 14-15 to promote the album called “Ringo Starr & Friends”. Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Tickets for the concerts at 19:30 range between $79.50 and $179.50. Axs.com website. Some guest artists from “Look Up” are scheduled to appear onstage with the former Beatle, who usually tours with his All-Starr Band.

Starr didn’t perform often in Alabama, but he rarely appeared on stage. in Birmingham in 2015Playing at BJCC Concert Hall. The two-hour show, held jukebox style, featured “Photograph”, “Don’t Pass Me By”, “It Doesn’t Come Easy”, “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help from My Friends”.

RELATING TO: See photos of Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band performing at Birmingham BJCC Concert Hall

The former Beatle also made two stops in Alabama in 2012. Tuscaloosa Amphitheater And Pier Amphitheater In Orange Beach.

Starr has had health issues recently, but told Variety that she is recovering from an illness that made her sick. cancel two tour dates In September 2024. Starr’s reps initially said she had a coldOthers suggested that COVID was responsible. Starr said it wasn’t COVID, but described the illness this way to Variety: “It was this crazy thing eating my body, and when they took my blood they found out there were 12,000 white cells in there. This is quite high. And this happens. That’s what saved your life; They were fighting the attacker. So I got over it in two weeks with pills and medication.”

Starr is expected to announce more tour dates in the coming weeks and months, but right now his agenda is focused on two Ryman concerts in January.

Here is the full track list of “Look Up”, with the songwriters’ names in italics:

• “Out of breath” (featuring Billy Strings) (T Bone Burnett)
• “To look” (with Molly Tuttle) (Daniel Tashian, T Bone Burnett)
• “Time is in My Hand” (Paul Kennerly, Daniel Tashian, T Bone Burnett)
• “Never let Me Go” (featuring Billy Strings) (T Bone Burnett)
• “I live for your love” (with Molly Tuttle) (Billy Swan, T Bone Burnett)
• “Come back” (with Lucius) (T Bone Burnett)
• “Can you hear me calling?” (with Molly Tuttle) (T Bone Burnett)
• “Rosetta” (featuring Billy Strings and Larkin Poe) (T Bone Burnett)
• “You Want Some” (Billy Swan)
• “String Theory” (with Molly Tuttle) (Daniel Tashian, T Bone Burnett)
• “Grateful” (featuring Alison Krauss) (Richard Starkey, Bruce Sugar)