Ringo Starr Inducted Into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame By Paul McCartney: Did He Wear Sketchers? [Videos]
Ringo Starr said it was “an honor” to join the ranks of celebrated solo artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Starr was inducted by fellow former Beatle Paul McCartney in the 30th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland yesterday.
Ringo Starr is already a member of the Hall of Fame as a member of The Beatles, and he was the last of the fab four to be granted the honor of a second membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. Ironically, as noted recently by NBC News, Ringo was the first of the solo Beatles to have commercial success as a solo artist.
See Ringo’s backstage interview from yesterday’s event in the video below. Starr makes clear that he loves to play with Paul McCartney and speaks poetically and with nostalgia about the sound quality of the old vinyl records.
The event in Cleveland sold out in minutes and will be aired as an exclusive HBO special on Saturday, May 30 at 8 p.m. ET. Fashion and rock and roll have always gone proudly together, and many people are wondering whether Ringo wore Sketchers to the posh and exclusive event.
Yoko Ono was in attendance and looked fashionable in a gilded top hat. According to Rolling Stone, she had high praise for Ringo Starr backstage at the event and declared Ringo “the most influential Beatle.” Ono went on to praise Starr for his unwavering gentleness, saying Ringo Starr “embodies peace and love.” Ono also stated that the honor for Starr was important to the “entire Beatles family.”
As reported recently in Adweek, Starr is the superstar of Sketchers’ most recent advertising campaign, and he is looking “relaxed and savvy” in the posters and the recent video ad. The ad, posted below, features a drum and fashion duel between Ringo Starr and a younger talent.
As Ringo sits back in a relaxed posture and assesses the other drummers performance, he comments, “Well, at least you’ve got the shoes right, brother.”
https://youtu.be/9v–q95oeWU
Ringo, 74, might need some good running shoes over the next while since he has a lot going on, as he explains in his April, 2015 YouTube channel update. Ringo Starr’s newest album, Postcards from Paradise, went on sale March 31, and although he says he is taking the summer off, he makes clear in his video update that a tour is a go for the autumn and winter. Starr’s tour will include the East Coast and Canada. Postcards from Paradise is Ringo’s 18th solo album since the breakup of The Beatles.
[Images via Mike Coppola/Getty Images]
