Beloved musician, songwriter and Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is sharing another new track from his upcoming country project, Look Up. Released on Nov. 15, his heartfelt cut “Thankful” offers a timely message of appreciation for those who stand by us through the hardest of times.
Joined by fellow multi-talented artist Alison Krauss, Starr offers a mix of nostalgic classic country instrumentation with a sprinkling of sunny, retro psych-pop. The pair deliver an effortlessly dreamy vocal blend that can make even the most curmudgeonly listener start to feel starry-eyed.
“When you came along / My shelter from the storm,” he lovingly declares. “I put my life into your hands / and you made me a better man.”
“I love this track,” Starr shares of “Thankful” in a press release. “I wrote it with my producer and engineer Bruce Sugar, and I feel we put an L.A. country sound to it. For the lyrics, I always like to focus on the positive, and for this song in particular, about what we can be thankful for,” he adds. “I hope it brings you some joy and peace and love.”
“Thankful” is one of 11 new tracks featured on Look Up, which is set for release on Jan. 11, 2025. The 84-year-old rock and roll icon traveled to Nashville and Los Angeles to record the country-focused LP, which includes collaborations with Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Larkin Poe and Lucius. T Bone Burnett, Daniel Tashian and Bruce Sugar co-produced Look Up, which is Starr’s first full-length country album in over 50 years.
“I’ve always loved country music,” reiterated Starr in a statement earlier this year. “When I asked T Bone to write me a song, I didn’t even think at the time that it would be a country song—but of course it was, and it was so beautiful. I had been making EPs at the time and so I thought we would do a country EP—but when he brought me nine songs, I knew we had to make an album! And I am so glad we did,” he continues. “I want to thank, and send Peace & Love, to T Bone and all the great musicians who helped make this record. It was a joy making it and I hope it is a joy to listen to.”
To mark the release of Look Up, Starr will perform at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Jan. 14 and 15. Tickets for both performances are on sale now. You can find more information on upcoming live dates and ticketing options by visiting Ringo Starr’s official website.
Listen to “Thankful” below:
Ringo Starr, Look Up Track List:
1. “Breathless” ft. Billy Strings (Written by T Bone Burnett)
2. “Look Up” ft. Molly Tuttle (Daniel Tashian, Burnett)
3. “Time On My Hands” (Paul Kennerly, Tashian, Burnett)
4. “Never Let Me Go” ft. Billy Strings (Burnett)
5. “I Live For Your Love” ft. Molly Tuttle (Billy Swan, Burnett)
6. “Come Back” ft. Lucius (Burnett)
7. “Can You Hear Me Call” ft. Molly Tuttle (Burnett)
8. “Rosetta” ft. Billy Strings and Larkin Poe (Burnett)
9. “You Want Some” (Swan)
10. “String Theory” ft. Molly Tuttle (Tashian, Burnett)
11. “Thankful” ft. Alison Krauss (Richard Starkey, Bruce Sugar)
