Back in 1970, the music industry appeared to crumble when The Beatles announced they were breaking up. Having sold over 600 million albums and created the frenzy “Beatlemania”, fans clamored to understand the decision. Although decades passed since the band broke up, fans both young and old continue to listen and share the music of the 1960s. While loving what they produced at the time, Ringo Starr recently admitted that watching The Beatles win a Grammy Award for “Now and Then” in February was unexpected.
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When attending the Grammy Awards just a few months ago, Starr knew the song was up for an award. But the category for best rock performance included Green Day, Idles, Pearl Jam, St. Vincent, and The Black Keys. Knowing The Beatles were going up against some great artists, when Starr heard “Now and Then”, he insisted, “I didn’t expect to win, but it was great. It just felt like John was with us.”
Ringo Starr Watched “Now And Then” Get New Life Thanks To Famed Director
Looking at the history of the song, “Now and Then” took decades to make. During the late 70s, John Lennon worked on the song and even recorded a demo. But the song ended up on the shelf. It eventually landed in the hands of Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono, who turned around and offered it to Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Starr. Although they wanted to finish the song, Lennon’s vocals appeared outdated. Enter famed director Peter Jackson.
Having worked with the remaining members of The Beatles on the docuseries The Beatles: Get Back, Jackson knew he could use the AI technology for the film to give the song new life. Proving his capabilities, Starr and McCartney teamed up to finish the song and released it in November 2023. It is considered “the last” song from the legendary band.
Outside of keeping the legacy alive, Starr also expanded his own career when he released the country album Look Up in January. Marking his second country album, the musician celebrated its release with a special concert at the Ryman Auditorium called Ringo & Friends at the Ryman. Thankfully, for those who might have missed the concert, the shows are available to stream on Paramount+.
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ABA)
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