Ringo Starr explains pivot to country music as he takes “CBS Mornings” backstage in Nashville

Starr will celebrate his longtime love for the genre alongside country greats like Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow at the world-famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in a new 2-hour concert special called “Ringo & Friends at the Ryman,” airing Monday, March 10 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

“When I was a teenager with Hank Williams and people like that the name of the game was to get here,” he told CBS News senior culture correspondent Anthony Mason in an interview for “CBS Mornings” while walking backstage at the Ryman, once home of the Grand Ole Opry. 

“Peace, love and country music”

Mason met up with Starr at the start of his 2-day country “tour” at the Ryman following the release of his new country music album, “Look Up,” produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett. 

“It was two nights of peace, love and country music,” Starr reflected on the concert in a CBS news release.

Burnett says Starr floated the idea for the country collaboration after the pair met up in Los Angeles.

Burnett was sold, especially “knowing that his name is Ringo Starr because he wanted to be a cowboy singer when he was a kid,” joking that it “sounds like the sheriff of Dodge City or something.”

So, Burnett decided to write a Gene Autry-inspired song, “Time On My Hands.” It would be the catalyst for the album, released in January.

Crossover to country 

As a teenager, Starr applied to emigrate from Liverpool to Houston, where his favorite blues singer Lightnin’ Hopkins was. Ultimately, he had to scrap the plan, but his failed cross-continent move changed the course of music history. Starr stayed in Liverpool and The Beatles were born. 

However, Starr still brought his country roots into the DNA of The Beatles. 

One of his first lead vocals for the Beatles was Carl Perkins’ country classic “Honey Don’t.” He also wrote the country rock tune “Don’t Pass Me By” from the Beatles’ 1968 “White Album.”

“I mean, from the beginning you were kind of the country guy in The Beatles really,” Mason said to Starr.

“I was,” Starr said.

A little help from his friends

Jack White, the former frontman of the White Stripes, performed a cover of “Don’t Pass Me By” at the January concert at the Ryman with Starr.

“It’s a treat for me,” White said. 

The “White Album” was the first vinyl he bought when he was just 14 years old.

“I skipped school and went downtown Detroit and I went into Harmony House Records and I bought the ‘White Album’ and so for me to be able to sing from that record is pretty cool,” he said.

Molly Tuttle, who sang on Starr’s new album, also played at the Ryman with Starr and Billy Strings.

“I don’t know when I’ve worked on, like practiced something more. I was like I have to do a good job,” Tuttle said of the tracks on the album.

Strings said it was an honor to play with Starr – someone he’s admired since he was young.

“I was spoon-fed that music. I remember my mom showing me the ‘White Album’ when I was just a little kid and playing it backwards for me and stuff, you know,” Strings recalled.

Sheryl Crow also joined Starr and company onstage at the Ryman in January.

“It’s easy to forget when you are where you are, that you’re getting to play with those people you used to listen to,” Mason commented to Crow.

“It is never lost on me,” Crow replied. 

“Just running through stuff being this close to him, I wanted just, it was like Jesus, I just wanted to touch the cloak, you know what I mean,” Crow laughed.