Ringo (CD - 1973)

Personnel includes: Ringo Starr (vocals, acoustic guitar, drums, percussion), Jimmy Calvert (guitar), Vini Poncia (guitar, percussion, background vocals), Garth Hudson (accordion), Bobby Keyes (saxophone), Ron Cattermole (saxophone, trumpet), Chuck Finley (horns), James Booker, Tom Hensley (piano), Milt Holland (marimba, percussion), Klaus Voormann (bass, background vocals), Jim Keltner (drums), Lon Van Eaton, Derrek Van Eaton (percussion), Richard Perry (background vocals).

Additional guest artists: Marc Bolan, Stephen Stills, Steve Cropper (guitar), Levon Helm (mandolin), Rick Danko (fiddle), David Bromberg (fiddle, banjo), Nicky Hopkins (piano, organ), Gary Wright (piano), Linda McCartney, Merry Clayton (background vocals).

Principally recorded at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California and Apple Studios, London, England between February, 1970 and September, 1973. Originally released on Apple (3413). Includes liner notes by Staffan Olander.

Personnel: Ringo Starr (vocals, drums); George Harrison (guitar, 12-string guitar, background vocals); Marc Bolan, Robbie Robertson (guitar); Vini Poncia, Jimmy Calvert (acoustic guitar); Steve Cropper (electric guitar); David Bromberg (banjo, fiddle); Levon Helm (mandolin); Rick Danko (fiddle); Garth Hudson (accordion); Bobby Keys (tenor saxophone); Tom Scott, Chuck Finley (horns); Billy Preston (piano, organ); John Lennon (piano, background vocals); James Booker, Nicky Hopkins (piano); Klaus Voormann (bass instrument); Jim Keltner (drums); Lon VanEaton, Milt Holland, Derrek Van Eaton (percussion); Harry Nilsson, Linda McCartney, Martha Reeves, Merry Clayton, Paul McCartney (background vocals).

RINGO, the Fab Four skin-pounder's third solo album, is widely regarded as his finest, due to the happy synchronicity of good songs, good production, and a first-class batch of musicians all coming together in a thoughtful but organic manner. For one thing, George Harrison and "fifth Beatle" Billy Preston are all over this album, as are superdrummer Jim Keltner (Ringo's not too egotistical to share the drum throne) and most of The Band.

Ringo also gets considerable compositional assists from his old mates; Harrison co-wrote the impossibly infectious (and somewhat Badfinger-esque) "Photograph," among others, and Lennon contributes the album's opener, the brash, ironic "I'm the Greatest." Ringo's personable, unassuming vocal style makes a perfect match for Randy Newman's early classic "Have You Seen My Baby." Aided by the popwise but Ringo-friendly production of Richard Perry, our boy makes a convincing case for his way with '50s-style material on "You're Sixteen." "You're Sixteen," "Oh My My," and "Photograph" were all Top 10 hits, which made RINGO the commercial apex of the drummer's solo career. minimize