Ringo’s big birthday bash
Ringo Starr’s 80th birthday goes live on YouTube.
Ringo Starr will be hosting his own big 80th birtday party live on YouTube. It’s a charity gig featuring guest stars and will benefit Black Lives Matter Global Network, The David Lynch Foundation, Musicares and Wateraid.
The show will air on AXS YouTube channel on July 7, 2020 at 5 PM PST, and will feature performances from Ringo, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh and Gary Clark jr, Sheryl Crow, Sheila E, Ben Harper and others.
“As everyone knows I love gathering with fans for peace and love on my birthday. But this year, I want everyone to be safe at home – so I called up a few friends and we put this Big Birthday Show together so we could still celebrate my birthday with you all, with some great music for some great charities. I hope you will all join me! Peace and Love, Ringo.”
The broadcast will also feature the premiere of a guest star version of Ringo’s “Give More Love” that was created to benefit Musicares and features Jeff Bridges, Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnette, Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Peter Frampton, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Keb Mo and Willie Nelson.
Additionally there will be a playlist of unique tribute performances on Ringo’s YouTube channel. This will include musicians who have previously recorded Ringo’s songs, performances from past birthday celebrations as well as some new versions which artists will be posting on their socials. Look for musical tributes from Ben Folds, Ben Dickey, Bettye LaVette, Colin Hay, Elvis Costello, Gregg Rolie, Judy Collins, Peter Frampton, Richard Marx, Steve Earle, Steve Lukather and many more.
While Ringo won’t be gathering with family, friends and fans at Capitol Records this year for his birthday, he invites everyone everywhere to think, say or post #peaceandlove at Noon their local time on July 7th. Fans are already organizing online events around the world to fulfill Ringo’s birthday wish of a wave of Peace & Love across the planet. Look for details on Ringo’s Facebook page for events starting in New Zealand and ending in Hawaii. Ringo began these in 2008 at the Hard Rock Café Chicago and in 2018 he celebrated the 10th Anniversary at the Hard Rock Café Nice. In the ensuing years it has grown enormously and in 2019 there were over 30 Peace & Love events in countries all around the world including Argentina – Buenos Aires; Chascomus, Armenia – Yerevan Australia -Sydney, Bolivia – La Paz, Brazil – Sao Paulo, Columbia -Bogota, Costa Rica – San Jose, Cuba – Habana, Czech Republic – Prague, El Salvador – San Salvador, Estonia – Tallin, Finland – Helsinki, Germany – Hamburg and Halle, Italy – Venice, Japan – Osaka; Tokyo, Panama – Panama City, Paraguay -Asunción, Peru – Lima, Russia – Moscow, Spain – Barcelona; Madrid, United Kingdom – London; Liverpool, United States – Chicago; Minneapolis, Hawaii, Los Angeles, New York City.
HISTORY OF RINGO’S ANNUAL JULY 7 PEACE & LOVE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS:
2008 – Chicago, IL Hard Rock Cafe
2009 –Online campaign including in store salutes at Noon at all Hard Rock Cafes worldwide
2010 – New York City, NY: Hard Rock Cafe, Times Square
2011 – Hamburg, Germany: Hard Rock Cafe
2012 – Nashville, TN: Hard Rock Café
2013 – Online celebration including a video message from Ringo
2014 – Los Angeles, CA: Capitol Records Tower
2015 – Los Angeles, CA: Capitol Records Tower
2016 – Los Angeles, CA: Capitol Records Tower
2017 – Los Angeles, CA: Capitol Records Tower
2018 – Nice, France: Hard Rock Café
2019 – Los Angeles, CA: Capitol Records Tower
Previous performers at Ringo’s Birthdays have included:
2012: Toad The Wet Sprocket;
2014: Adam Arcuragi and Spirit Family Reunion;
2016: Vandaveer, Alberta Cross and Dave Stewart with Jon Stevens; Emmanuel Jal and Paul Beaubrun,
2017: Don Was with Jenny Lewis, Michael Breardon and Van Dyke Parks;
2018: Joe Walsh with Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band including Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Graham Gouldman, Gregg Rolie, Gregg Bissonette and Warren Ham:
2019: Ben Kyle of Romantica with Sarah Watkins, The Jacks and the Lennon Bus High School kids.
I found it odd and disappointing that Paul didn’t appear at all, apart from an old concert clip.
Well, people seem to be disappointed because of their expectations, and also because they would want to see more of Paul. My own expectation was that perhaps they will show the clip of Paul singing “Birthday” at Radio City Hall at Ringo’s 70th. So I was pleasantly surprised when they showed “Helter Skelter” from last years Dodger Stadium concert. Amateur clips have appeared on YouTube before, but man this was a professionally filmed concert clip with great audio! Never broadcast, never published before! And Paul had sent this for Ringo to use. That was far better than the contributions of anyone else on the show as far as I was concerned (maybe except for Shery Crow’s one woman band plus trumpet). People wanted a specially recorded video message from Paul to Ringo – but what we got was far better. And Paul did send greetings on Twitter and Facebook. I’m sure he called, too.
I found the show to be just what you’d expect from Ringo. It was fun, entertaining and he’s was surrounded by friends and family. Sheryl Crow was great as a one woman band doing AYNIL. If i had to register a complaint, we could’ve done with one less version of Come Together. As for Paul, watching Helter Skelter, man, it doesn’t get any better than that.