Richard Starkey born on July 7, 1940 in Liverpool, England used the show name Ringo Starr (due to his penchant for gaudy rings) became a permanent member of the Beatles in August of 1962. Sumerized from bio found at: http://www.angelfire.com/pa/OneAbbeyRoad/starrbio.html Text of bio listed below Born: Richard Starkey on July 7, 1940 in Liverpool Parents: Richard and Elsie Starkey, divorced in 1943, step father, Harry Graves Childhood: Although remaining cheerful throughout his childhood, it was filled with hospital time, for appendicitis at 6, at which time he went into a coma for two months, and a cold which developed into pleurisy when he was 13, causing him to miss much school. By fifteen he could just barely read and write. Music: Like the other Beatles, young Ritchie also eventually became caught up in Liverpool's Skiffle craze. After starting his own group with Eddie Miles called The Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group in 1957, he joined The Raving Texans in 1959, a quartet which played while Rory Storm sang. During this time, he got the nickname Ringo, because of the rings he wore, and because it sounded "cowboyish", and the last name Starr so that his drum solos could be billed as "Starr Time". The Beatles: Ringo first met the Beatles in Hamburg in October 1960 while there performing with what had become Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. Ringo joined the Beatles on August 18, 1962. Rory Storm was magnanimous about the theft of his drummer, but Pete Best fans were upset, holding vigils outside Pete's house and rioting at the Cavern Club, shouting "Pete Best forever! Ringo never!" His health would cause him problems again later, he missed three quarters of the 1964 tour of Scandanavia, Holland, the Far East and Australia, to have his tonsils out. Love and Marriage: Ringo married his long-time girlfriend Maureen Cox on February 11, 1965, and they had three children, Zak, Jason and Lee.

Richard Starkey

lols. It's Richard Starkey. Ringo Starr is his stage name.

Richard Starkey.