Ringo, his All-Starr Band and more at Radio City Music Hall

Most recording artists have a back up band with excellent musicians who are not weel known. The following musicians were in the 2010 version of the All-Star Band:

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Wally Palmar - guitar, bass, harmonica, vocals
Rick Derringer - guitar, vocals
Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Gary Wright - keyboards, vocals
Richard Page - Bass, vocals
Gregg Bissonette - drums, vocals

Ringo sang many of his solo hits and songs with the Beatles where he sang lead. They included:

• It Don't Come Easy
• Boys
• Photograph
• Act Naturally
• Peace Dream
• Other Side of Liverpool

Some of the songs fby the band members were:

• Dream Weaver - Gary Wright
• Hang on Sloopy - Rick Derringer of the McCoys
• Frankenstein - Edgar Winter (this had to be the show stopper)

At the end of the show Ringo asked for some help from his friends. Many famour musicians came out and sang "With a Little Help from my Friends." They included Yoko Ono, Steven Van Zandt, and Jeff Lynne. They then sang John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance. See this article from Hollywoodnews.com for a complete list and more details on the concert.

The biggest surprise of the evening was when Paul McCartney came out and sang the Beatles song Birthday from the White album. It was Ringo's 70th birthday. I noticed that Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono were not on the stage together. In this day and age someone already posted a YouTube Video of With a Little Help from My Friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDNTVuoskOU

Below is a video of Paul McCartney singing Birthday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5sgVi88SXU

Happy Birthday Ringo Starr

Where did all these years go?  Ringo Starr is 75 years old today.  I remember seeing the movie Yellow Submarine for the first time in 1968 at the Fresh Meadows theater.  Happy Birthday Ringo!

Ringo Starr to join Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney in Recording This Summer

I read the news today oh boy! Ringo Starr will be joining Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan as they record this summer. It is just too said that George Harrison and John Lennon will not be there to join them. Bob played with George and Ringo in 1971 at the Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden. As far as I know he never played with John Lennon, but in the documentary Eat the Document about Dylan's 1966 tour of England there is a long scene of Bob and John taking in the back seat of a limosine. See below:

Paul McCartney 2009 - Ringo Starr 2010

Today I bought tickets to see Ringo Starr at Radio City Music Hall on July 7. The last time I was at Radio City was a few years ago when we got free tickets to see a taping of Jeopardy. I think the last time we saw a show there was when Lee was a little boy and we took him to see Barney there. I never saw the Beatles in concert since back in the 1960s I didn't have the money to buy tickets. I never saw George or John as solo artists. Unfortunately Ticketmaster is a ripoff since 25% of the price goes for their fee. Below is a video of Ringo singing "It Don't Come Easy" at the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971. Facebook friends may see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1HX3MIJE-U

Ringo Starr says that Come Together is His Favorite Beatle Song

 

Ringo Starr was interviewed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  He explicitly stated that Come Together was his favorite Beatle song.  I am surprised that he didn't say Yellow Submarine.😀

Reading about Phil Spector While Waiting for Ringo Starr

And to add to the confusion I am listening to Dylanradio.com while I am writing this journal entry. I bought tickets for for Ringo Starr at Radio City Music Hall back in February when it was good and cold. I heard that the temperature only reached 99 F today which is 4 degrees "cooler" than yesterday. Since I have plenty of vacation time, I decided to take the day off so I could go without work or commuting on my mind. My next journal entry will be a review of the concert.

After seeing the movie about Spector I used my library research skills to find out that there was a biography written about him in 2007.

Brown, Mick. Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.

I was able to get it from the Queens Library. I started reading it today while I sat in my air conditioned living room. Mick Brown interviewed Spector shortly before the murder of Lana Clarkson in February 2003. I reached page 86 today. He discusses how Spector got started in the music business. He quickly met many of the major performers, executives, and song writers active in the early 1960s. I am sure that many of the points discussed in the film including the murder will be considered in this book.

Act Naturally 4 Times

The Beatles

Ringo Starr

Buck Owens

Buck Owens and Ringo Starr

Happy Birthday Ringo Starr

Here is a trivia question for readers of Bruce's Journal.  When did Ringo Starr play drums for Bob Dylan?

Belated Happy 80th Birthday to Ringo Starr

I certainly did not forget about Ringo's 80th birthday, I just forgot to post about it in this journal. He certainly doesn't look 80 years old. I actually donated to his foundation a few days ago.  I chose Postcards from Paradise since it contains more than 20 references to song titles from The Beatles; Starr's post-Beatles solo work (Back Off, Boogaloo); and other efforts by his former bandmates.  I just heard it on Dennis Mitchell's Breakfast with the Beatles.

I remember that 10 years ago we went to his 70th birthday concert at Radio City Music Hall.

Happy 86th Birthday to Ringo Starr

 

I have saluted Ringo on his birthday several times in the past.  For this year, I am featuring the Beatles version of Boys where Ringo sings lead.  The Shirelles had the original version of  Boys in the early 1960s.  

I certainly didn't forget Ringo Starr

I have featured the other 3 former Beatles in my journal over the past few days.  I certainly didn't forget Ringo who has appeared in several of my blog entries over the years.  Anyway, one of my favorite Ringo hits is It Don't Come Easy.


It don't come easy,
You know it don't come easy.

It don't come easy,
You know it don't come easy.

Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues,
And you know it don't come easy.
You don't have to shout or leap about,
You can even play them easy.

Forget about the past and all your sorrows,
The future won't last,
It will soon be over tomorrow.

I don't ask for much, i only want your trust,
And you know it don't come easy.
And this love of mine keeps growing all the time,
And you know it just ain't easy.

Open up your heart, let's come together,
Use a little love
And we will make it work out better.

(ah -)
(ah -)
(ooh-ooh)
(ah-ooh-ooh)


Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues,
And you know it don't come easy.
You don't have to shout or leap about,
You can even play them easy.

Peace, remember peace is how we make it,
Here within your reach
If you're big enough to take it.

I don't ask for much, i only want your trust,
And you know it don't come easy.
And this love of mine keeps growing all the time,
And you know it don't come easy.

It Don't Come Easy - George Harrison Version

 

It was 23 years ago today that George Harrison passed away.  Ringo Starr had the hit version in 1971 as I discussed in this journal in October 2011. George produced Ringo's version also helped write the song, but Ringo received the writing credit on the record.  Bob Radil played both versions on his show tonight.

Happy 79th Birthday to Ringo Starr

It's hard to believe that he is 79 years old already.  Nine years ago today we saw him at the Radio City Music Hall for his 70th.  Happy birthday and many many more.

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will Collaborate with the Rolling Stones on a New Album

 

I thank Frank D'Agostino for bringing this to my attention.  The article he sent me from Hot Press does not provide many details but states that drumming parts by the late Charlie Watts will be included.  There was no mention of the title of the album, the names of the songs, or a project release date.  Phlash Phelps also mentioned this on his morning show on 60s Gold on SiriusXM.  We'll just have to wait.

Yellow Submarine - John Lennon on Vocals

 

I found this version of Yellow Submarine with John Lennon on lead vocal on YouTube.  I have a talent for finding things accidentally.  It is not AI generated.

2022 remix with Ringo Starr on lead vocal

George Harrison - Living in the Material World Part 1

Part 1 of this documentary focused on the Beatles years in the career of George Harrison. It was obvious that George did not get the recognition he deserved playing behind Lennon and McCartney arguably the best song writing team in the history of popular music. During those years, very few Harrison compositions were on Beatles albums.

There were interviews with Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Patti Boyd, George Martin and other figures involved with the Fab Four. I believe much of the footage with George was taken from the Anthology which was released in the mid 1990s. This special is really aimed at people who grew up with the Beatles and have followed them from the 1960s till today. Certainly, the Beatles appeal spans the generations, but in my opinion the casual fan would not appreciate the details of this documentary. Don’t expect a concert from this documentary. Martin Scorcese certainly did an excellent job.

DVD of the Day

When I ordered the DVD of the Byrds I also requested the DVD John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.  This  video described how John's first album after the breakup of the Betles was made.  It includes interviews with Jann Wenner, Yoko Ono, Klaus Voorman, and Ringo Starr among others. Since there were no Met or Yankee games on TV tonight, we had time to watch it.  It is sad to think what music John would have made had henot been tragically taken away from us on December 8, 1980.

Echo in the Canyon Another Documentary Another Dylan

Jakob Dylan, son of Bob, is the executive producer of this documentary that examines folk-rock stars of the 1960s who were part of the Laurel Canyon music scene.  He interviewed musicians including:

• David Crosby
• Roger Mcguinn
• Brian Wilson
• Michelle Phillips
• John Sebastian
• Stephen Stills
• Graham Nash
• Tom Petty
• Ringo Starr
• Eric Clapton

The "Echo" refers to a group of younger musicians who gather for a tribute concert covering some of the hits of the artists mentioned above. These included:

• Fiona Apple
• Beck
• Norah Jones
• Cat Power
• Regina Spektor

I highly recommend this film for all 60s music enthusiasts.  I was able to see it at the Kew Gardens Cinema.  Luckily, I didn't have to travel to Manhattan to see it.

Nashville Vacation Day 2 - The Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Sounds Baseball

On  Day 2 we started out bright and early at the Country Music Hall of Fame which was right across the street from our hotel.  We were on a tour when we visited in 2004, so we could not spend too much time there.  In 10 years this museum grew tremendously.  We started at the top floor and worked our way down as the exhibits traced the history of this musical genre from its very early days to the present.  There was an exhibit covering the long career of Glen Campbell.  There was an interesting exhibit of the Bakersfield  Sound featuring Buck Owens and others.  There was video of the Beatles singing Act Naturally in 1965 followed by a duet of  Ringo Starr and Buck Owens doing the same song in 1989. There was a rotunda with plaques of all the inductees.  We spent 6 hours there and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Nashville has major league football and hockey teams, but the Nashville Sounds are in the AAA Pacific Coast League.  We took a short cab ride to Greet Stadium which is closing after this season as there is a new ballpark being constructed for the minor league team.  There will still be a scoreboard shaped like a guitar in the new stadium.  The Round Rock Express defeated the Sounds 6-4 in a game that featured 3 home runs.

Bob Dylan at Terminal 5 November 24

It's night time in the big city as I get off the New Jersey Transit train at Penn Station.  The place is a mad house as people are traveling to their destination for Thanksgiving.  I am early so I decided to walk up 8th avenue to 57th Street where I met Karen and Lee at 6:30.  We walked over to Terminal 5 at 6:45 where there is already a long line. Some people likely arrived hours earlier to get a close standing spot.  When we entered we got a standing place in the middle of the floor.  Many of the early birds were standing in the balcony where they had a birdseye view of the stage.  My only complaint was that the people were standing very close to each other like a rush hour subway train.  In the past I stood up for Bob at the Roseland Ballroom, Manhattan Center, and William Paterson University where there was some room to move around.  A loyal Dylan fan does mind standing.

At 8:10 the show began with Gonna Change my Way of Thinking. Before I write any further I must applaud Bob's backup band who was absolutely superb:

Tony Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums
Stu Kimball - rhythm guitar
Charlie Sexton - lead guitar
Donnie Herron - banjo, violin, electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel

Here is the set list from Bill Pagel's web site.  It actually appeared on Facebook before 11:15 PM.


1. Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking (Bob on keyboard)
2. The Man In Me (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on electric mandolin)
3. Beyond Here Lies Nothin' (Bob on guitar, Donnie on trumpet)
4. Tangled Up In Blue (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on electric mandolin)
5. The Levee's Gonna Break (Bob on keyboard)
6. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard and harp)
7. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on guitar)
8. Can't Wait (Bob center stage on harp)
9. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)
10. Forgetful Heart (Bob on center stage on harp, Donnie on violin)
11. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)
12. Nettie Moore (Bob on keyboard)
13. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard)
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp)

(encore)
15. Jolene (Bob on keyboard)
16. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
17. All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard)

Dylan fans know that he varies the set list with each performance.  This set leaned heavily on the more recent recordings.  I was disappointed that there was no acoustic set but he can't please all the people all of the time.  He did play Lee's favorite Tangled Up in Blue as #4.  I just loved the harmonica part on this.  Bob's voice was good considering that he performed for the third night in a row.  When I heard Like A Rolling Stone, I just wished that Al Kooper was on stage with him.  All of the concerts had only 16 songs, but we were surprised to hear Watchtower as the third encore.

As I left the concert I wondered when the Never Ending Tour will end.  We have seen him in NYC 3 Novembers in a row.  Next year will mark Bob's 70th birthday.  Will there be a special concert on 5/24/11 as there was for Ringo Starr on 7/7/10?

Thanks for a great concert.  At least I got a seat on the subway going home :)