Ringo Starr inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Ringo Starr has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 19.
The former Beatles drummer was the last of the Fab Four to be inducted as a solo artist, where he was hailed as “one of the greatest and most creative drummers”.
“Finally, I’m invited and I love it,” Ringo Starr said at the ceremony.
Ringo Starr, 74, was introduced by fellow Beatle Paul McCartney and together they performed their 1967 hit, With A Little Help From My Friends.
While inducting Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney said he could always rely on his former bandmate to perform on every song.
“You don’t have to look with Ringo – he’s there,” he said.
Ringo Starr was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the Beatles in 1988.
Although he was the last Beatle to be recognized for his solo efforts, Ringo Starr was the first to establish a career following the band’s split in 1970, releasing two albums and scoring two top five songs within a year.
Ringo Starr has released 18 solo studio albums, including his latest – Postcards From Paradise – released earlier this month.
Among the other honorees at the ceremony were singer Bill Withers, rock band Green Day, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and Lou Reed – who died in 2013.
Green Day were inducted in their first year of eligibility – which rules state must be 25 years after the release of an artist’s first record.
Bill Withers was inducted by Stevie Wonder.
Joan Jett – who was inducted by Miley Cyrus – opened the show with her rock hit Bad Reputation, and was joined by Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl for a performance of Cherry Bomb.
Patti Smith inducted Lou Reed and thanked him for “brutally and benevolently injecting poetry into your music”.
The 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will be broadcast on HBO on May 30.