“It Was All About Me”: Ringo Starr Gets Candid on His Battle With Alcoholism, Thanks the Lord for 37 Years of Sobriety

While gaining worldwide fame as the drummer for the Beatles, Ringo Starr helped the band far beyond being a musician as he wrote and performed songs like “Octopus’s Garden.” Outside of his time with the Beatles, Starr also explored a career in the movie industry and even a solo music career. His latest album, Look Up, saw Starr dabble in country music. Although holding numerous accolades thanks to his musical talents, the musician recently celebrated another milestone when he crossed 37 years of sobriety. 

Videos by American Songwriter

Following the lifestyle of a rockstar, Starr found himself in a little trouble as his drinking eventually got out of hand. Recalling that time in his life, the drummer said, “Well, I ended up in a rehab because I was not treating myself or anyone around me with any respect.” He continued, “It was all about me, and I came out, and I haven’t had a drink since. Thank the Lord.”

[RELATED: Ringo Starr Went Over Sam Mendes’ Beatles Biopic Script Line by Line: “We Would Never Do That”]

Ringo Starr Lost Decades Due To His Alcohol Abuse

Showing just how much his drinking impacted his life, Starr revealed that he could barely remember most of the 1970s and 1980s due to alcohol. “I was drunk. Some of those years are absolutely gone.” And after the Beatles decided to break up, the drinking got worse. “I was mad. For 20 years, I had breaks in between of not being.” 

With Starr knowing he needed to change his life, he sought treatment. “Eight days in, I decided, ‘I’m here to get help because I know I’m sick. ‘I just did whatever they asked me and, thank god, it pulled me through.”

Admitting he had a problem, Starr now celebrated nearly 40 years of sobriety. And with the musician turning 85 on July 7th, he suggested he never made it past 24. “It blows me away. I look in the mirror and I’m 24. I never got older than 24.” 

Not ready to end his career in the music industry, Starr looked forward to the future. But when it came to how he lived his life, the past and future were just thoughts as he insisted, “I live in the now.”

(Photo by Tibrina Hobson/CBS via Getty Images)