Ringo Starr has announced details of a new country album titled ‘Look Up’. Find the full tracklist below, as well as new lead single ‘Time On My Hands’.
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The record is set for release on January 10, and sees the soloist and former Beatles legend team up with some huge names from the world of country music.
Comprised of 11 songs, Starr wrote the album alongside T Bone Burnett, Billy Swan and Bruce Sugar, and it marks his first full album in the country style in over 50 years and first LP since 2019.
According to a new press release, the drummer and singer-songwriter has been a fan of the genre his whole life, and contributed various country-tinged tracks into his work with the iconic Liverpool four-piece, including ‘Act Naturally’, ‘What Goes On’ and ‘Don’t Pass Me By’. He also honed in on it during his earlier work with Rory Storm And The Hurricanes, before sharing country album ‘Beaucoups Of Blues’ in 1970 and his second solo LP.
To celebrate the announcement of ‘Look Up’, Starr has shared the sombre lead single titled ‘Time On My Hands’. Written alongside Paul Kennerly, co-producer Daniel Tashian and Burnett, the song deals with themes of heartache, and staying resilient after the end of a relationship.
“I used to have a true love/ Everything was fine/ But now she’s found a new love/ she’s no longer mine,” he sings. “I thought it was forever/ But she had other plans/ Now these arms are empty and I’ve got time on my hands.” Check it out below and visit here to pre-order the album.
Starr’s love of country led him to move from London to Texas while still a teen, and the collaboration with Burnett comes after a chance meeting in 2022 – around five decades after they first met. They decided to join forces when Starr asked the record producer and guitarist to write a song for the EP he was recording. Burnett reported back with nine songs for Starr to choose from, and all of them ultimately went towards ‘Look Up’.
“I’ve always loved country music. And when I asked T Bone to write me a song, I didn’t even think at the time that it would be a country song – but of course it was, and it was so beautiful.” Ringo said. “I had been making EPs at the time and so I thought we would do a country EP -but when he brought me nine songs I knew we had to make an album! And I am so glad we did. I want to thank, and send Peace & Love, to T Bone and all the great musicians who helped make this record. It was a joy making it and I hope it is a joy to listen to.”
Burnett added: “I have loved Ringo Starr and his playing and his singing and his aesthetic for as long as I can (or care to) remember. He changed the way every drummer after him played, with his inventive approach to the instrument. And, he has always sung killer rockabilly, as well as being a heartbreaking ballad singer.
“To get to make this music with him was something like the realisation of a 60-year dream I’ve been living,” he added. “None of the work that I have done through a long life in music would have happened if not for him and his band. Among other things, this album is a way I can say thank you for all he has given me and us.”
The full tracklist for ‘Look Up’ has also been shared and shows that Starr has guest appearances coming from Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Larkin Poe, Alison Krauss and Lucius. Check it out below.
Ringo Starr and T Bone Burnett in 2024. CREDIT: Dan Winters
The ‘Look Up’ tracklist is:
1. ‘Breathless’ (featuring Billy Strings)
2. ‘Look Up’ (featuring Molly Tuttle)
3. ‘Time On My Hands’
4. ‘Never Let Me Go’ (featuring Billy Strings)
5. ‘I Live For Your Love’ (featuring Molly Tuttle)
6. ‘Come Back’ (featuring Lucius)
7. ‘Can You Hear Me Call’ (featuring Molly Tuttle)
8. ‘Rosetta’ (featuring Billy Strings and Larkin Poe)
9. ‘You Want Some’
10. ‘String Theory’ (featuring Molly Tuttle)
11. ‘Thankful’ (featuring Alison Krauss)
The announcement of the new album comes just weeks after news broke that Starr had been forced to cut his 2024 autumn US tour short due to illness. The Beatles star and his band kicked off their latest tour on September 7 in San Diego, performing a total of 10 shows before falling ill.
He seems to have made a full recovery since then, and is set to bring his new music to Nashville as he headlines the Ryman Auditorium on January 14 and 15. Tickets go on sale next Friday (October 25) and will be available here.
As for Beatles news, fans of the Liverpool rock veterans have had a lot to look forward to this year, including an upcoming documentary from producer Martin Scorsese, a 60th anniversary reissue of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, a huge 1964 US albums boxset celebrating 60 years of global Beatlemania, and the first performance of ‘Now And Then’ by Paul McCartney.
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