The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is grateful for the past and upbeat about the future, saying he’s looking forward to celebrating his 80th birthday on 7 July, even though it will now be online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’ve got a huge birthday; I am going to be 80,” says Starr. “But I am going to celebrate it a little differently this year from the last 12 years, where we had the peace and love moment at noon.”
This annual tradition began in 2008 at a 100-guest gathering for his birthday at the Hard Rock in Chicago. Since then it has expanded to 27 countries, with its epicentre on a big stage in Hollywood.
The Beatles drummer celebrates the event with music performances from himself and his friends, in front of hundreds of fans. But he had to cancel the event this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Instead, Starr will put on a virtual charity concert on YouTube called Ringo’s Big Birthday Show. He’ll be joined by Sir Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark Jr and Sheila E to benefit Black Lives Matter, The David Lynch Foundation, MusiCares and WaterAid.
“I’ve asked several of my friends to either send me footage from a show they’ve done and I’m using some of mine from the All-Starrs [his band] last year and I’ll be there introducing.
“We’re putting the show on at 5 o’clock (PST). But it’s still my birthday and still peace and love,” says Ringo Starr.
It seems neither age nor the pandemic that has forced Starr to cancel his upcoming tours has dimmed his spirit.