A Star for a Starr!

A Star for a Starr!

Ringo is to be awarded the Walk of Fame Honor as Hollywood Walk of Fame celebrates its 50th birthday.

WHO: RINGO STARR
WHAT: 2,401st Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
WHERE: 1750 N. Vine Street in front of the historic Capitol Records Building
WHEN: Monday, February 8, at 7p.m.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Members of the Los Angeles Unified School Districts' All District High School Honor Marching Band will perform a special salute in Ringo Starr's honor

Ringo Starr will be honored with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 2010, the 50th anniversary to the day on which construction first began on the famed sidewalk.

Ringo Starr was born at "a very young age" in Liverpool England on July 7, 1940.

"When I was thirteen, I only wanted to be a drummer," remembers Starr. Four years later at age seventeen, he joined the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Band. In 1959, Starr hooked up with the Raving Texans, which later became Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. In 1962, while playing a summer gig with Storm, Starr was asked to join The Beatles. Worried that he might cost his bandmates the summer gig if he left, Starr delayed his departure until they found a replacement. On August 18, 1962, Ringo Starr officially became a Beatle.

In 1971, Starr began his unprecedented run as the first solo Beatle to score seven consecutive Top 10 singles, starting with the release of "It Don't Come Easy." His second hit single, "Back Off Boogaloo," was written with and inspired by T Rex frontman Marc Bolan. In 1973, Starr released his self-titled smash hit Ringo, which yielded three Top 10 singles, including the #1 hits "Photograph" and "You're Sixteen (You're Beautiful And You're Mine)." Ringo also marked the first time since the breakup that all of The Beatles participated in the same project, though not at the same time.

Starr continued to release more hits, including "Only You" and "The No No Song." In 1981, he recorded Stop and Smell the Roses, his most critically-acclaimed record since Ringo, while the '90s saw him release some of the best records of his career and he also found consistent success as a live act with his revolving All Starr Band. The touring met with great success and yielded Starr's first live album, simply titled Ringo and His All Starr Band.

"If you look at all the bands I've put together, it's an incredible array of musicians, all these different people," says Starr. "Everyone has hit records, hit songs. It's just good music and I'm having a lot of fun and that's what it's all about - great music and fun."

On January 12, 2010, Starr released Y NOT (Hip-O/Ume), supported by Ben Harper and Relentless7 for a promotional tour, and simultaneously announced his 11th All Starr Band line up, which he will take on the road this summer. The 11th All Starrs will feature Edgar Winter on sax and keyboards, Gary Wright on keyboards and Gregg Bissonette on drums. New to the All Starrs are Rick Derringer on guitar, Richard Page (Mr. Mister) on bass and Wally Palmar (Romantics) on guitar and harmonica. Booked by Dave Hart, the tour will kick off on June 24, 2010 at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and will include a July 7 (Ringo's birthday!) show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, endingat the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on August 7.

Y NOT, Ringo Starr's 16th studio album, met with immediate acclaim: Billboard called the collection "some of his best and most poignant songs in years," while Rolling Stone said "Y Not is full of straightforward, sweetly melodic tunes, most of them about Starr's abiding optimism."

About The Hollywood Walk of Fame: It began with the installation of a few demonstration stars in August 1958, the first of which was dedicated to actor Preston Foster. Officially dedicated in November 1960, the Walk now features 2,401 stars in the categories of television, radio, live theatre, motion pictures and recording. The Walk of Fame ceremonies draw international media attention and throngs of people to catch a glimpse of a favorite celebrity or Hollywood industry leader. It is one of the top tourist draws in Los Angeles and most recognizable images of Hollywood, along with The Hollywood Sign.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame, which has become a global icon for Hollywood and Los Angeles, turns 50 in 2010. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has plans for a year-long series of celebrations that will showcase the history of this Historic/Cultural Landmark as well as continue to raise awareness and funds for the Walk of Fame restoration and secure its continued future as a treasure for the city of Los Angeles and the community.