Full Breakdown
Ringo Starr Releases “Long Long Road,” His Second Country Album with T Bone Burnett
4/26/2026, 8:02:46 PM
Historical Roots of Ringo’s Country Affinity
Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey) first signaled a public love for country music while a Beatle, singing Buck Owens’s “Act Naturally” on the 1965 single and contributing the country-flavored “Don’t Pass Me By” to the 1968 *White Album*. After the Beatles dissolved in the early 1970s, Starr recorded the Nashville-based country album *Beaucoups of Blues* in two days after steel-guitarist Pete Drake persuaded him to travel there. Drake cited Bob Dylan’s 1969 *Nashville Skyline*—recorded in two days—as proof the plan could work. In 2005 Starr released the solo song “Choose Love,” echoing his long-standing mantra “choose love, peace and love.”
Collaboration with T Bone Burnett and Guest Musicians
In 2024 Starr announced a new country project produced by veteran American producer T Bone Burnett, whose résumé includes the *O Brother, Where Art Thou?* soundtrack and work with B.B. King and The Wallflowers. The partnership began “by accident” when Burnett visited Starr, found nine unfinished songs, and agreed to produce an album. Their first joint effort, *Look Up* (2025), earned praise from critics and the BBC. For *Long Long Road* Burnett recruited Americana virtuosos Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle, adding contemporary string-instrument expertise to Starr’s classic country sensibility.
Production Details and Song Selection
*Long Long Road* is Starr’s 22nd solo album and second country-oriented record with Burnett. The decision to record came three days after *Look Up* was completed. The track list includes a cover of Carl Perkins’s 1959 country standard “I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes Anymore” and a re-recording of Starr’s own 2005 composition “Choose Love.” Starr says the album’s title reflects his personal journey from Liverpool to London, New York, and beyond, echoing the lyric “The long and winding road is more than a song.”
Album Themes and Track Highlights
The record blends traditional country instrumentation with Starr’s signature drumming and vocal style. Guest performances by Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle appear on several tracks, providing intricate acoustic textures. The inclusion of Perkins’s classic and the revisited “Choose Love” underscores Starr’s lifelong commitment to the “choose love, peace and love” philosophy.
Reception of “Look Up” and Anticipated Impact
*Look Up* garnered a “great response” from fans and media, including praise from the BBC, prompting Starr to pursue a follow-up. Critics highlighted the album’s warmth and natural feel, suggesting the collaboration with Burnett successfully bridges classic Beatle-era sensibilities with modern Americana trends. *Long Long Road* is expected to reinforce Starr’s role as a cross-generational ambassador for country music.
Official Statements & Responses
Starr described the new album as an autobiographical reflection, noting that the title “captures the road I’ve taken” and that the project “just sort of fell into place” after the success of *Look Up*. He emphasized his continued health at age 85, attributing his fitness to vegetarianism, regular exercise, and daily meditation. Burnett’s participation was framed as a natural extension of his long-standing admiration for the Beatles and his desire to work with veteran artists. The album’s release coincides with a 12-date U.S. tour with the All-Starr Band, scheduled from May 28 to June 14, 2026.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No matter what you choose, choose love. Peace and love.” — Ringo Starr, ABC Country interview
- “It was an accident,” — Ringo Starr, describing the origin of his work with T Bone Burnett
- “He said, 'Long time? We did [Bob Dylan's classic 1969 country album] Nashville Skyline in two days.' So I said, 'I'm coming.'” — Pete Drake, as recounted by Starr
- “I love that expression: no matter what you choose, choose love. Peace and love,” — Ringo Starr, on his 2005 song “Choose Love.”
- “Long Long Road has to do with my life,” — Ringo Starr, on the autobiographical nature of the album
Upcoming Tour and Future Projects
Starr’s U.S. tour will begin in Temecula, California, and conclude in Los Angeles, featuring the All-Starr Band. He also announced a forthcoming best-of compilation, an EP co-written with Bruce Sugar, and no immediate plans to tour Australia.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All source material consistently reports the album’s release date (2026), its production timeline, and the involvement of guest musicians. No contradictory information was identified, though independent chart performance and detailed critical reviews for *Long Long Road* remain unreported.
