On Saturday, August 18, 1962, at Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, England, Ringo Starr played his first official gig as the drummer for The Beatles.

Part of what made Ringo the perfect person for the job was his voice. Before long, John, Paul & George regularly turned the spotlight over to this very entertaining singer for a song during a show.

“Boys,” originally written by Luther Dixon & Wes Farrell for the American group, The Shirelles, became the “drummer’s number.” Ringo’s live performance of the song was so well-received in concert, that the band recorded it for their first album, “Please Please Me,” in February, 1963.

From then on, just about every Beatles album included a song – some written by John & Paul, some not – where Ringo sang the lead.

For instance…

“I Wanna Be Your Man” was “the drummer’s number” on With The Beatles.

Two songs by Carl Perkins, “Matchbox” and “Honey Don’t,” appeared respectively on the 1964 American LP, Something New and the 1964 British LP, Beatles For Sale.

Help (1965) included “Act Naturally,” a 1963 hit for American Country Music star, Buck Owens.

The second side of the British version of Rubber Soul (1965) started with “What Goes On.”

“Yellow Submarine” added some fun to Revolver in 1966.

Ringo sang as the fictional Billy Shears in “With A Little Help From My Friends” on Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967.

Finally, in 1968, Ringo added “songwriter” to his resume.

“Don’t Pass Me By,” Ringo’s first all-original song, was the sixth track on the second side of the two-LP set simply called The Beatles. 

Credited to Richard Starkey (Ringo’s real name), “Don’t Pass Me By” was recorded over four recording sessions starting on June 5, 1968 and concluding on July 22, 1968. The track features Ringo on vocals, drums, sleigh bell and piano – with Paul McCartney on piano and bass guitar and Jack Fallon on violin/fiddle.

“Don’t Pass Me By” is great fun to sing, play and listen to!

Here it is! (Feel free to sing along!)

Richard Starkey – he took on “Ringo Starr” as his stage name a couple of years before he became a Beatle -was born this day, July 7, 1940 in Liverpool, England.

Happy 74th Birthday wishes with Peace and Love to you Ringo!