Ringo Starr's 2019 "Peace and Love" birthday celebration to take place in L.A. on July 7

Posted By: Staff
June 20, 2019 @ 7:00 pm
Music News

Credit: Scott Robert Ritchie

Credit: Scott Robert RitchieRingo Starr turns 79 on July 7, and as has become an annual tradition, the former Beatles drummer will celebrate his birthday by holding a special gathering where he’ll call on attendees to shout his “Peace and Love” catchphrase at noon local time.

This year’s event will be held at the Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles, where he hosted previous celebrations in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Among the celebrities who will join Starr and his wife, Barbara, at the bash are several former members of Ringo’s All Starr Band, including Edgar Winter, Sheila E, Nils Lofgren and famed session drummer Jim Keltner, as well as director David Lynch, longtime Tom Petty keyboardist Benmont Tench, comic Richard Lewis and actor Ed Begley Jr.

The festivities will begin at 11 a.m. PT with some tribute performances of Ringo songs, and then Lynch will introduce Starr, who’ll lead the crowd in a group “Peace and Love” moment before being presented with a birthday cake.

The celebration also includes the premiere of an original “peace and love”-themed song composed in Starr’s honor by students of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, in collaboration with a South Central L.A. community arts center. Later on, a video for the song featuring the music students, plus some guest artists, will premiere online.

Since 2008, Ringo has called on fans to pause at noon local time on July 7, wherever they are, and say “peace and love,” or share the #peaceandlove hashtag on social media. So far, official celebrations have been scheduled in more than 30 cities around the world.

“I’ve said it before but I really can’t think of a better way to celebrate my birthday, or a better gift I could ask for, than peace and love,” says Ringo.