Happy 85th Birthday Ringo

7th July 2025

I was a small kid in the early 1960s. I can still clearly remember hearing The Beatles for the first time on the radio. It was ‘Love Me Do’ that was all over the airwaves in the UK in 1962. I was a four-year-old fan on day one. It was only a year or so later that my sister, my mum, and I were standing at London’s Heathrow Airport in Terminal 2, waiting for my dad to arrive from Switzerland, when we met Paul McCartney. He was rushing through the airport with his girlfriend. I couldn’t help myself as I ran after him, pulling his coat and asking if he was Paul McCartney. I must have been so annoying, because he finally stopped and said, “YES I AM”. Smiled, then he casually walked off. I was thrilled to have met a Beatle. I was probably five years old. I was then a big Beatles fan and have been ever since.

Years later, as a music photographer, I had the opportunity to meet and work with Paul, George and Ringo all separately. Sadly, I never worked or met John Lennon.

Here is a photo I took of Ringo in 1978, the same year I met his son, Zak, who has been a great friend of mine ever since. Ringo has been for me one of the greatest drummers ever. All of my drummer mates agree. He has a style all his own, and to add to that, he was a major part of the greatest band in the history of music.

My wife Lyn is here with Ringo in New York in 2003.

Lyn Clifford, backstage with Ringo, Radio City, New York, USA 2003

Happy 85th birthday, Ringo. I hope you are having a wonderful day.