On this day 49 years ago, Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best as the drummer of The Beatles.
The English rock band went on to sell hundreds of millions of records over the following decade and soon established itself as one of the most influential groups of all time.
Yet Starr’s contribution to the band was usually overshadowed by the massive celebrity and formidable talents of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
The drummer was known as “the fourth Beatle” and was often portrayed as the least musically talented of the group, with some critics describing his joining the band as a stroke of pure chance.
It is a narrative that has stuck over the years – regardless of whether it is true.
And perhaps no one captured the popular view better than British comedian Jasper Carrott in 1983.
“Ringo isn’t the best drummer in the world,” he said.
“He isn’t even the best drummer in the Beatles.”
Over the years, though, this view has given way to a growing appreciation of Starr’s understated talents.
He may not have been the most technical drummer, but many believe he had great musical instincts and gave The Beatles just what it needed.
He wasn’t flashy because he didn’t need to be. And he understood that only other drummers enjoy listening to drum solos.
As Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl said in a tribute video for Starr’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame presentation: “Ringo was the king of feel.”
