The new album from former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, What’s My Name, arrives today via Universal Music Enterprises. The album notably features a collaboration with Paul McCartney on “Grow Old with Me”, a song written by their former Beatles bandmate, John Lennon.
“Grow Old With Me” is one of the last songs Lennon wrote before his death in 1980. Starr was inspired to record the song after listening to Lennon’s Bermuda Tapes, a collection of demos recorded during the year he was killed.
“I sang it the best that I could,” Starr said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “I do well up when I think of John this deeply. And I’ve done my best. We’ve done our best. The other good thing is that I really wanted Paul [McCartney] to play on it, and he said yes. Paul came over and he played bass and sings a little bit on this with me. So John’s on it in a way. I’m on it and Paul’s on it. It’s not a publicity stunt. This is just what I wanted. And the strings that Jack arranged for this track, if you really listen, they do one line from [George Harrison’s] ‘Here Comes The Sun.’ So in a way, it’s the four of us.”
Starr recorded What’s My Name, his 20th studio album, at his home studio Rocabella West. The album also features collaborations with Colin Hay, Joe Walsh, Benmont Tench, Edgar Winter, Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Warren Ham, Windy Wagner and more.
“I don’t want to be in an old-fashioned recording studio anymore, really,” Starr told Rolling Stone. “I’ve had enough of the big glass wall and the separation. We are all together in here, whoever I invite over. This is the smallest club in town… it’s just been good for me and the music.”
Listen to What’s My Name on Spotify below. For more information on the new album head to Ringo Starr’s website.
Ringo Star –What’s My Name