He's the greatest

I was watching the Father’s Day episode of CBS Sunday Morning the following Saturday morning. That’s not an unusual situation for me, time shifting TV programs.

This particular show had a segment about Ringo Starr and the postcards he kept that had been sent to him by the other Beatles. I had seen the segment before but decided to watch it again, and I’m glad I did. For one thing, the producers added material to the piece including an art retrospective of Ringo’s artwork that premiered the day before the show aired. It also highlighted Ringo’s new album, Choose Love, with guest singer Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, as well as the previous album, Ringorama. So, an old piece, spruced up with new material, was actually more enjoyable to watch than the original segment.

The part about the postcards highlighted these cards:

"You’re the greatest drummer in the world. Really." – from Paul at a point in early 1969 when Ringo briefly quit the Beatles. Ringo thought the other three were tight and that he was the odd man out, but he went to John and he told Ringo that he thought that HE (John) was the odd man out. Similarly, Paul told Ringo that HE (Paul) was the outsider.

"Hello, Toots." - Ringo has no idea.

"I never thought it would come to this."- John (& Yoko) after the break up.

George and wife Olivia also sent a card from Hawaii.

The volume contains about 100 postcards and the drummer's commentary. The proceeds from the Postcards from the Boys book are going to charity.

Richard Starkey, the oldest Beatle, turns 65 today. Barbara Bach STILL needs him, Barbara Bach STILL feeds him. Though it didn’t always come easily, he’s still the greatest. While he can tire of taking a sentimental journey (and has to wrack his brain for those lost pieces of history), it seems that the tango all night bad boy of the 1980s has drifted away; he gave it all up. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.