The drummer of The Fab Four will get together with former bandmate Paul McCartney to celebrate his 80th birthday on July 7 with a virtual YouTube concert for charity.
- Jul 6, 2020
AceShowbiz – The Beatles once walked away from a multi-million dollar offer to reunite for a one-off concert because the opening act was “a guy biting a shark.”
Drummer Ringo Starr claims The Fab Four were offered $62.4 million (£50 million) – worth around $250 million (£200 million) in today’s money – back in 1976 to stage the comeback show, just five years after they parted ways.
He discussed the idea with Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison, but they were ultimately deterred from accepting showman Bill Sargent’s deal by the odd warm-up act, which involved a man wrestling an 18-foot (5.49 metre) long Great White.
“We did talk (about reuniting) one time,” Ringo told Britain’s The Sunday Mirror.
“There was a crazy offer out there. We called each other to see what we think. We decided not to do it because the opening act was a guy biting a shark. So we thought, ‘No.’ “
According to the rocker, it was the only offer the band had seriously considered before Lennon was shot and killed outside his New York home in 1980.
Harrison later died of cancer in 2001, but had they both still been alive, Ringo is sure the gang would have got back together eventually.
“If John and George had not died there was surely a possibility of that,” he mused. “Paul and I are still on the road. John would have still been on the road. I don’t know about George. We’d still be doing what we love to do.”
Ringo will be reuniting with McCartney to celebrate his 80th birthday on Tuesday (July 07) with a virtual YouTube concert for charity. Also on the bill for the “Ringo Starr Big Birthday Show” are Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark Jr., Sheila E., and Ben Harper, while tribute performances will come from Steve Earle, Peter Frampton and Judy Collins.
Tune into the star-studded bash from 8 P.M. ET on the birthday boy’s YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqESxycliXwDheOseXqmq8w).
Source: Music - aceshowbiz.com
