Ringo Starr’s Look Up is a heartfelt return to his love of country music. Produced by T Bone Burnett, and with guests including Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, and Alison Krauss, it's his first true country album in over 50 years.
Ringo Starr’s Look Up marks a defining moment in the legendary drummer's career. The album, his first full-length in six years, serves as a stunning return to his roots in country music - a genre he has long cherished and integrated into his work. Produced and mostly co-written by T Bone Burnett, Look Up includes 11 original tracks, recorded between Nashville and Los Angeles, with a remarkable lineup of collaborators, including Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Lucius, Larkin Poe, and Alison Krauss.
This album sprouted from a serendipitous meeting between Starr and Burnett in 2022. Despite their decades-long acquaintance, this meeting set the stage for an unexpected and inspired musical journey. Starr, at the time working on his Crooked Boy EP, asked Burnett to write a song for it. Burnett’s response? A collection of nine country-infused songs that captured Starr’s heart, igniting the spark for Look Up. The new album showcases not only Starr’s deep love for country music but also his unmistakable voice and drumming, contributing to every track. He also co-wrote the poignant closer, “Thankful,” which features Krauss, underscoring his dedication to the project.
Starr’s love affair with country and western stretches back to his days in the Beatles, where songs like “Act Naturally” and “Don’t Pass Me By” hinted at his country inclinations. His 1970 album Beaucoups Of Blues marked his full immersion into the genre, with Look Up standing as his first significant country project in over 50 years.
The partnership between Burnett and Starr has proven to be one of mutual admiration. Burnett, who has always revered Starr for his innovative drumming and emotive singing, describes the experience of making the album as a dream realized. “None of the work that I have done through a long life in music would have happened if not for him and his band,” Burnett says. With Look Up, Burnett offers a musical thank you to Starr, a thank you that rings clear with every note played and every heartfelt lyric sung.
Look Up is a celebration of collaboration, legacy, and the enduring love for country music that has defined Ringo Starr’s career. With a wealth of talent surrounding him, he has crafted an album that honors the past while looking forward to the future.