Remember When Ringo Starr Made a Rock Movie with David Essex, Billy Fury, and Keith Moon
After the Beatles broke up in 1970, drummer Ringo Starr faced a crossroads. The Beatles’ Let It Be would close the book on that iconic group. It was a transitional time for the famed musician, who had already acted in the movies Candy and The Magic Christian, the latter with Peter Sellers. With his time in the most famous rock band of all time coming to a close, new adventures awaited him. These included an unexpected cinematic character study that begat an incredible sequel.
On the music front, Starr was the first Beatle to release a proper solo album on March 27, 1970 entitled Sentimental Journey. This was even before Let It Be hit stores. It was his take on the Great American Songbook, which he followed with the country collection Beaucoup of Blues on September 27. These two releases sold decently, with his debut going Top 10 in the UK and Top 30 in America. Two non-album singles co-written with his former bandmate George Harrison, “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Back Off Bugaloo,” went Top 5 in the UK and Top 10 in the U.S.
But it was in 1973 that his third album Ringo became a bonafide hit, going Gold in America and eventually Platinum. The two singles “Photograph” (co-written with Harrison) and the Sherman Brothers cover “You’re Sixteen,” both hit the Top 5 in the UK and shot to No. 1 in America.
Source: Bryan Reesman/americansongwriter.com
