There are few rock bands out there that are more iconic than the Beatles. Formed in Liverpool in 1960, the group went on to become the most influential rock band of that era—and of all time. With international hits like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Twist and Shout,” the Beatles took the world by storm. The band was originally made up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. Yesterday, (July 7) was the Ringo Starr birthday and we wanted to give him a shout out! If you’re wondering “How rich is Ringo Starr?” you’ve come to the right place. In honor of his birthday, we’ve come up with everything about the richest drummer in the world and his music career with the Beatles. Here you’ll find information on the Ringo Starr net worth (which is an impressive $350.0 million), on Ringo Starr art, on Ringo Starr songs, and on Ringo Starr quotes. We’ve even got the latest scoop on his family, with the latest details about his wife and kids, especially on the Ringo Starr son. So, sit back, relax, and help us celebrate the birthday of the richest drummer in the world!
Breakdown of the Ringo Starr Net Worth
| Sale of Surrey estate | $20.5 million |
| Profit from Startling Music company | $4.2 million |
| Earnings from The Beatles Stereo Box Set | $3.8 million |
| Estimated net worth | $350 million |
Source: The Richest
Early Life
Ringo Starr, whose real name is Richard Starkey, was born on July 7, 1940 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Before becoming a superstar drummer for the Beatles, Starr was just your average, run-of-the-mill apprentice equipment manufacturer at the British Rail.
As a kid, he was afflicted with two life-threatening illnesses and, due to long hospitalizations, had to fall behind in school.
When the notorious U.K. skiffle craze broke out in the late ‘50s, Starr jumped on the bandwagon and co-founded his first band in 1957 called the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group. The band had quite an impressive roster of talent and even went on to earn several prestigious local bookings before the fad died out and was replaced by American rock ‘n’ roll.
The Beatles
It’s not every day that a musician is invited to be part of such an influential rock group, but that’s exactly what happened to Starr. When the Beatles formed in 1960, he was actually already a member of another Liverpool band called Rorry Storm and the Hurricanes. The group was doing moderately well in the U.K. and Hamburg, but Starr decided to quit to join the Beatles in 1962. In fact, he was asked to join by none other than John Lennon himself! That’s when it all changed.
Starr went on to be an integral part of the Beatles and even showed off his lead singer talents. In 1966, the band released their seventh U.K. LP, Revolver, which included the song “Yellow Submarine,” on which Starr was the lead singer. He later went on to also lead the vocals in the Lennon-McCartney composition “With a Little Help from My Friends,” which was from their 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Starr’s salary skyrocketed when he signed the contract with the Beatles, and it just kept on going up the more he was involved with making albums with the band. Today, the drummer is at an estimated net worth of $350.0 million.
Photo: AdMedia / Splash News
Charities and Endorsements
Starr is a good-hearted man who has used his wealth and influence to benefit the greater good. Just recently, in December 2015, he auctioned off some of his personal belongings at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles. Among the things he sold off were his first Ludwig Black Oyster Pearl drum kit and the first copy of the Beatles’ White Album numbered 0000001. The auction went on to raise a whopping $9.0 million, and a portion of the proceeds went to the Lotus Foundation, which is a charity founded by Starr and Barbara Bach.
Ringo has also ventured into other endorsements to promote himself. Most recently, he became the brand ambassador for Sketchers’ “Relaxed Fit” footwear, which was featured in a giant advertising campaign that spread across TV, print, outdoor, online, and point of sale from spring 2015 to June 2016.
Personal Life
Starr got married to Maureen Coz in 1965, and the couple had three children together: Zak, Jason, and Lee. They purchased fellow band member John Lennon’s old home in Tittenhurst Park at Sunninghill in Berkshire.
Sadly, the couple divorced in 1975, and Maureen died from leukemia at the tender age of 48 in 1994. Starr married once more, this time to actress Barbara Bach, in 1981, and they split their time between their house in Crainleigh, Surrey, Los Angeles, and Monte Carlo.
He also reportedly has a 200-acre Surrey estate in Rydinghurst, which is a Grade 11-listed Jacobean house that went up for sale. He is still married to Bach and his kids have given him many grandkids (a total of seven). Although he is at the age of 76, he is still active in his line of work. Most recently, he released two books, one of which is for children and is called Octopus’s Garden; it was released in 2014. His second book is called Photograph and was released in 2015. He also wrote Postcards From the Boys in 2004.
Sources:
“Ringo Starr Net Worth,” The Richest, last accessed July 7, 2016; http://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/celeb/musician/ringo-starr-net-worth/.
O’Reilly, Lara. “Sketchers Makes A Really Odd Choice For Its Next Spokesmodel,” Business Insider, last accessed July 7, 2016; http://www.businessinsider.com/ringo-starr-becomes-skechers-brand-ambassador-2014-10.
