Ringo Starr

Critics who questioned Ringo's ability to emerge from behind his Beatles drum kit as a star in his own right couldn't have been more wrong. Cowriter George Harrison contributed an unforgettable hook for Ringo's second solo outing, "It Don't Come Easy." Recorded with an all-star cast, including Stephen Stills, the single established Ringo as a force to be reckoned with. Starr collaborated with Harrison once again on the chart-topping brokenhearted ballad "Photograph," which took on a more emotional undertone at Harrison's memorial concert. Ringo continues to excel, with covers and originals, in Next Steps.

Probably Starr's most famous vocal during his time with the Fab Four, "With a Little Help from My Friends," has taken on a life of its own as the theme for Ringo's All-Starr Band, which has boasted literally dozens of stars, from Peter Frampton to Todd Rundgren, in its various incarnations. On this stripped-down version from VH1's Storytellers series, he's accompanied by his band the Roundheads (which included Night Ranger's Jack Blades and the Eagles' Joe Walsh). In Deep Cuts we'll hear Ringo revisiting his earlier hits in new surroundings.

Some have speculated that Ringo's 1972 hit, "Back Off Boogaloo," was a reference to Paul McCartney (supposedly nicknamed Boogaloo), but the title was actually a pet phrase of T. Rex front man Marc Bolan. The melody came to Starr as he was falling asleep, and he used batteries plundered from his kids' toys to power up his tape recorder. Like many musicians, Ringo had his fling with overindulgence, and "The No-No Song" proves that one doesn't have to approach physical sobriety with musical sobriety, as he pokes fun at his former lifestyle.

Displaying a bounty of musical gifts that extends far beyond his role as the good-natured timekeeper who held together the world's most famous band, Ringo Starr has more than lived up to his adopted surname. Who could have guessed that his solo career would yield more Top 10 hits than any Fab Four member other than Paul McCartney? In addition to cowriting many of his most memorable tracks, Ringo has exhibited a brilliant instinct for choosing songs that suit his style, ranging from pre-WWII standards to rockabilly rave-ups to street-corner doo-wop finger-poppers. Nearly 40 years after inviting us along on his Sentimental Journey, Ringo has lived a dream that most musicians can only dimly imagine — becoming a legend for a second time.