Ringo Starr talks going country, fitness at 85 and outlasting Paul McCartney on tour

Kim Willis, USA TODAYThu, April 23, 2026 at 3:30 PM UTC

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Ringo Starr is delivering a good-natured lecture on bone and joint health.

“Get in that gym, loosen up,” he advises. “You can blame me. ‘That Ringo made me come in here.’ ”

Famously fit at 85, the Beatles drummer still scrambles up to his kit with ease. "You know, there's no special way. It's just that no one can do it for you," says Starr, clad in a black track jacket, a peace-sign necklace and his ever-present shades. "You've got to get out of bed and do it."

His new album, “Long Long Road,” is out April 24, again cowritten and produced by T Bone Burnett with guest appearances by Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent. It’s Starr’s third country album − after 1970’s “Beaucoups of Blues” and last year’s “Look Up” − and he’ll chase it with a tour with his long-running All-Starr Band in May and June.

After the success of his 2025 collaboration with Burnett, “we just sort of thought, let's do another one,” he says. “I sing, I play drums. He puts some meat on them. And it’s worked really well.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Ringo Starr will hit the road in May and June in support of his latest country album "Long Long Road," co-written and produced by T Bone Burnett.

Question: Do you consider yourself a country artist primarily now? Or is this a detour?

Ringo Starr: Right now, that's all I am is a country artist. I think just “artist” is enough, you know? We play pop, we play rock, and we got back very strongly into country because of T Bone.

Your tour runs right up to your 86th birthday (July 7). Do you intend to play as long as you're physically able?

No, I just intend to play this year. That's as far down the line as I'm going. We'll see what happens at the beginning of next year or the end of this year. For the last five years, I've told my kids, "That's it, I can't go on anymore." (And they say), “Oh, Dad, you said that last year.” I'm just doing the 12 gigs. But in my head, at least twice a day, (I’m thinking), “Nah, we should do September as well.” But so far, I'm holding up.

It feels like you've got some sort of competition going with Paul McCartney to see which one of you can stay on the road longer.

Well, it may look like that, but I'll be the longest (laughs).

I think you will.

We went to see him playing the Fonda Theatre. It was great to see him in a tight venue like that. The sound was great, and he was on. He’s from Liverpool: You shout at him, he's going to shout back. I've seen him at many stadiums. And I missed the contact, really.

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You've joked that the secret to your fantastic health is blueberries and broccoli. What have you learned over the years about taking care of yourself?

I have a trainer still three times a week. And the gym's just there (points off camera). I go in on my own at least one day, usually two days, when she's not there. Just to get my heartbeat (up) and get on the treadmill, do a bit of running and weights. I’ve been doing it so long, it's just like, oh, I'll go over to the gym.

Paul has a new song out (“Days We Left Behind”) in which he’s reminiscing about The Beatles. Have your memories of the band changed over time?

No, no, I love that band. I love the front line. That's why I left Rory (Storm and the Hurricanes, his pre-Beatles band). But what made them make the phone call, I don't know.

You're still surprised by that?

I am. Yeah, yeah. You’ll have to ask Paul, only Paul, I'm afraid, now.

Your son Zak Starkey (former drummer for The Who) went through a very public career shift. As a father, how did you help him keep perspective about what was going on?

I did talk to him quite a bit through that. He was just having one of those moments we all have. You've done something that wasn't really a cool thing to do, and now I know that. I didn't know that then; I just thought Roger (Daltrey) was being crazy. Zak was not in a good space, but he's in a much better space now and I'd like to tell you and everyone else he’s back to being himself.

Irish actor Barry Keoghan (right) has been cast as drummer Ringo Starr (left) in the upcoming Beatles biopics.

Do you think Barry Keoghan, who's playing you in the four Beatles’ biopics, looks like you?

In a way. You've got to say yes. You know what I mean? He's got the gig. And he came up one afternoon before they started shooting. We just hung out and let him get the vibe of what I am. And he was a really kind, good guy. And he's a fine actor. We can't doubt that. So I'm going to look great.

I was blessed because last summer-ish, I went to the set. And I saw the guys who were playing John and Paul (Harris Dickinson and Paul Mescal). And they were great. It was one of those days where they were having an argument. I'm waiting for the documentary because, oh, that didn't happen. That happened there. No, it's a film. Let it go. It's hard to talk about it because you're going to give it away.

Ringo Starr (right) and Barbara Bach are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary this month. The couple is seen here on Starr's 84th birthday on July 7, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California.

Congratulations to you and Barbara Bach on 45 years of marriage (April 27). What does Barbara understand about you that most people don't?

Well, I think everything. She knows how I am. And I know how she is. We have a great time. And, you know, we've had rows. We do things like that. And in the very early days, we came to the conclusion that nothing goes past midnight, no matter how the day has been. Midnight, OK, that's the end of that. Start again the next day.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ringo Starr shares his secret to being famously fit at 85

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