Sir Ringo, who turned 82 on Thursday, celebrated his birthday in his traditional way. The Beatles drummer and solo star asked for his fans to make peace hand signs and say “Peace and love” to one another.
The other surviving member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney, shared his best wishes to Starr on his Instagram account.
“Peace to the world on Ringo’s birthday,” the 80-year-old McCartney wrote. “Same day as my Dad. Two very special men!”
Sure, Starr achieved stardom as a member of The Beatles, who took England by storm in 1963 and followed it up by spearheading the “British Invasion” to the United States in 1964. But the man born Richard Starkey Jr. in Liverpool on July 7, 1940, was a sickly child who spent a year in the hospital due to peritonitis and two years in a sanitarium for pleurisy.
The oldest Beatle has led a charmed life. Here are some fun facts about Ringo:
His nickname came from his penchant for wearing several rings.
Starr played drums for several bands in Liverpool before joining The Beatles, most notably with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes from 1959 to 1962.
He joined The Beatles on Aug. 18, 1962, replacing Pete Best.
When The Beatles went into the EMI studios on Sept. 4, 1962, to record their first single, “Love Me Do,” producer George Martin was unhappy with Starr’s ability. He subsequently hired session drummer Andy White to play on the single, Rolling Stone reported.
Starr was called upon in several Beatles albums to take the lead vocal, including “Boys” on the band’s debut album in Britain. Other vocals included “I Wanna Be Your Man” on “With the Beatles,” “Act Naturally” on “Rubber Soul” and “Yellow Submarine” on “Revolver.” On the band’s seminal work, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Starr was the lead singer on “With A Little Help From My Friends.”
Starr had his first writing credit with The Beatles on the song “Flying” from “Magical Mystery Tour.” All four Beatles received songwriting credits for this instrumental. Starr’s first self-penned composition came on the White Album, “Don’t Pass Me By.” His second came on “Abbey Road” with “Octopus’ Garden.”
As a solo artist, Starr hit No. 1 in Canada and No. 4 in the United States with his 1970 song, “It Don’t Come Easy.” Starr performed the song at George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971, but forgot some of the lyrics during the live show and mumbled them.
Other Starr hits include “Photograph,” “You’re Sixteen” (both No. 1 hits in 1973), “Only You,” “The No No Song” and “Back Off Boogaloo.”
Starr has appeared in 15 films, beginning with “Candy” in 1968 and “The Magic Christian” the following year. He met his future wife, Barbara Bach, on the set of “Caveman,” which was released in 1981.
Starr was nominated for 27 Grammy Awards and won nine times during his career. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award as a member of the Beatles.
He won an Academy Award in 1971 for Best Musical Score with his Beatles bandmates for “Let It Be.”
On Dec. 17, 2017, Starr became the second Beatle knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. McCartney was knighted by the queen in 1996.
Information from wire services and Ringo Starr’s website was used in compiling this report.
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years UNITED KINGDOM - CIRCA 1959: Drummer Ringo Starr of the rock and roll band "The Beatles" poses for a portrait with a pompadour hairstyle in circa 1959 in when he played drums for "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes"before joining the Beatles in circa 1959 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years UNITED KINGDOM - CIRCA 1960: Ringo Starr playing with a cash register at home, in the United Kingdom, circa 1960. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) (Keystone-France)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr, 24, at the BBC's Lime Grove Studios, a day after the premiere of The Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images) (PA Images)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, 1963. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Keystone)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years The Beatles 1964 Summer Tour of United States and Canada. Ringo Starr in his room at the Lafayette Motor Inn, Atlantic City, New Jersey during the band's first USn tour, 30th August 1964. (Photo by Henry Grossman/Mirrorpix/Getty Images) (Mirrorpix)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Drummer Ringo Starr of The Beatles giving a "thumbs up" sign before leaving Heathrow Airport to rejoin his band currently touring Australia. The 23-year-old Ringo left the hospital after being bedridden for eight days with tonsillitis and pharyngitis. (Bettmann)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years 1964: Drummer Ringo Starr of the rock and roll band "The Beatles" poses for a portrait holding a tambourine. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years 1964: Drummer Ringo Starr of the rock and roll band "The Beatles" performs onstage in 1964. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Beatles drummer Ringo Starr with his 19-year-old wife Maureen, and their first child Zak, at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images) (PA Images)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years UNITED KINGDOM - DECEMBER 15: THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS Photo of BEATLES and Ringo STARR, with The Beatles, posed, holding drum sticks, at Alpha Television Studios, Aston, Birmingham (Photo by David Farrell/Redferns) (David Farrell)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years UNSPECIFIED - 1st JANUARY: Posed studio session of Ringo Starr from The Beatles in 1965. (Photo by Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns) (Mark and Colleen Hayward)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years (Original Caption) A Corporation at Work. Nassau: Ringo Starr, a member of that swingin's quartet, The Beatles, listens to the chords of a sea shell during a brief break in the filming of a new movie in Nassau. Ringo, who recently gave up his bachelorhood, picked up the Conch shell while doing some scenes at the Bayshore Marina. (Bettmann)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Beatles drummer Ringo Starr in a scene from their film Help! (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images) (PA Images)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Drummer Ringo Starr at the press launch for the Beatles' new album 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', held at Brian Epstein's house at 24 Chapel Street, London, 19th May 1967. (Photo by John Downing/Getty Images) (John Downing)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years LONDON - JUNE 25: English musician and drummer for The Beatles, Ringo Starr, during their recording of "All You Need Is Love" by the BBC for their show "Our World." This event was the worldâs first live television satellite link-up and was seen by 400 million people across five continents. June 25, 1967, in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images) (Icon and Image)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years British singer and member of The Beatles Ringo Starr playing drums. 1970 (Photo by Mondadori Portfolio by Getty Images) (Mondadori Portfolio)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr, drummer for the legendary British pop group, The Beatles, circa 1970. (Bettmann)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years British musician Ringo Starr plays drums during the Concert For Bangladesh benefit perfomances at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, August 1, 1971. (Photo by Bill Ray/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images) (Bill Ray)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr, former drummer for the legendary British pop group, The Beatles, circa 1975. (Bettmann)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years (MANDATORY CREDIT Ebet Roberts/Getty Images) Ringo Starr performing with the Beach Boys on the Capitol Mall in Washington DC on July 4, 1984. (Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns) (Ebet Roberts)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years WESTWOOD, CA - JUNE 23: Ringo Starr poses for a portrait during the 'Together For Our Kids' as Musicians Unite To Immunize Kids on June 23, 1993 at UCLA, Royce Hall in Westwood, California. (Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images) (Ron Davis)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr attends the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show in London. (Photo by rune hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images) (Rune Hellestad - Corbis)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr poses at GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! Press Room at The Conga Room at L.A. Live on December 2, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage) (Steve Granitz)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr with his 'Knotted Gun' statue at the Gibson Guitar Studio, in central London. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski/PA Images via Getty Images) (Dominic Lipinski - PA Images)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years HOLLYWOOD, FL - JUNE 30: Ringo Starr displays his art work at Hard Rock Cafe on June 30, 2012 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Larry Marano/Getty Images) (Larry Marano)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 11: Ringo Starr attends the "Ringo: Peace & Love" media preview at The Grammy Museum on June 11, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic) (Jason LaVeris)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years Ringo Starr is seen during the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, London. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/PA Images via Getty Images) (Anthony Devlin - PA Images)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 20: Ringo Starr launches his New Book "Photograph" at Indigo Manulife Centre on October 20, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage) (George Pimentel)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years THOUSAND OAKS, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Ringo Starr of Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band performs at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on November 11, 2016 in Thousand Oaks, California. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images) (Jeff Golden)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years THOUSAND OAKS, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Ringo Starr of Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band performs at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on November 11, 2016 in Thousand Oaks, California. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images) (Jeff Golden)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 18: Inductee Ringo Starr speaks onstage during the 30th Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall on April 18, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kevin Kane/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) (Kevin Kane)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 18: Inductee Ringo Starr speaks onstage during the 30th Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall on April 18, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) (Theo Wargo)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 07: Musician Ringo Starr attends the Ringo Starr "Peace & Love" birthday celebration at Capitol Records Tower on July 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic) (Paul Archuleta)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years TOPSHOT - Richard Starkey, better knonwn as Ringo Starr, poses with his medal after being appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London on March 20, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / John Stillwell (Photo credit should read JOHN STILLWELL/AFP via Getty Images) (JOHN STILLWELL)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 07: Musician Ringo Starr attends the 11th Annual Peace and Love Birthday Celebration honoring Ringo Starr's 79th birthday at Capitol Records Tower on July 07, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images) (Scott Dudelson)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 15: Musician Ringo Starr of Ringo Starr & His All Star Band performs at the St. George Theater on June 15, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images) (Mark Sagliocco)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JUNE 23: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Ringo Starr performs at Menora Mivtachim Arena on June 23, 2018 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Guy Prives/Getty Images) (Guy Prives)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years English musician Ringo Starr performs onstage at the 50th anniversary celebration of Woodstock at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on August 15, 2019 in Bethel, New York. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) (ANGELA WEISS)
Photos: Ringo Starr through the years BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 02: Musician Ringo Starr attends a public art dedication for his donated sculpture "Peace and Love" at Beverly Gardens Park on November 02, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images) (Michael Tullberg)