Ringo Starr just spilled a wild Beatles secret nobody saw coming—and fans are losing their minds! In a candid new interview, the legendary drummer, 83, admitted he was the “hidden country guy” in the world’s biggest rock band. “People forget, but I brought the twang!” he laughed, reigniting debates about The Beatles’ untold stories.
Speaking to Rolling Stone ahead of his upcoming All-Starr Band tour, Ringo revealed how his love for country music quietly shaped the band’s iconic sound. “Back then, everyone wanted rock ‘n’ roll, but I’d sneak in Nashville vibes,” he said, referencing hits like “Act Naturally” and “Don’t Pass Me By.” Fans quickly flooded social media, with one tweeting, “Ringo invented country rock and didn’t tell us?!”
But why the cowboy flair? Born in working-class Liverpool, Ringo grew up obsessed with American country legends like Hank Williams and Buck Owens. “Those storytellers made me feel alive,” he shared. “When I joined The Beatles, I thought, ‘Let’s mix it up!’” His drumming—simple yet steady—also drew from country rhythms, creating the backbone for classics like “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
Critics argue Ringo’s “country edge” balanced the band’s experimental streak. “Without him, they’d have been too psychedelic,” said music historian Liam Cooper. “He kept them grounded.” Even Paul McCartney once joked, “Ringo’s boots belonged in Nashville, not Abbey Road!”
So what’s next for the rocker-turned-country-icon? Ringo’s dropping a surprise country-tinged EP this fall and touring with “good ol’ foot-stomping tunes.” As for The Beatles? He grinned: “We had magic. But hey—someone had to be the cowboy.”
Tap below to hear Ringo’s unreleased demo and see why fans are calling him “the Beatles’ best-kept secret”!