RINGO HELPS
FIRE VICTIMS GET BY WITH RYMAN SHOWS/
CBS SPECIAL

Ringo Starr’s foray into Nashville is coming to CBS and Paramount+ in the form of a two-hour special titled Ringo & Friends at the Ryman, which tapes tonight (1/14) and tomorrow night at the legendary Music City venue.

The special, which will air and stream on as-yet-unspecified dates this spring, centers on live footage of Ringo and band performing songs from his UMG Nashville debut, Look Up, as well as some of his older favorites “through a country lens.” Special producers T Bone Burnett and Van Toffler of Gunpowder & Sky will also incorporate interviews with Ringo and a number of performers who’ll share stories of the Beatle's impact on their lives.

The guest list includes Jack White, Sheryl Crow, Brenda Lee, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Mickey Guyton, Sarah Jarosz, Jamey Johnson, The War and Treaty, Billy Strings, Larkin Poe and Molly Tuttle. The last three appear on Look Up, which was produced and largely co-written by Burnett.

The performers will make the event a charitable one by donating proceeds from an all-star performance of “With a Little Help From My Friends” to the American Red Cross and those impacted by the Los Angeles County wildfires.

Said Toffler, who's produced such Emmy-nominated projects as Dolly Parton’s Pet Gala and The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s the Limit: A VR Concert Experience, “It’s an honor to produce this special with Ringo and T Bone, bringing together some of music’s finest, who will undoubtedly play the hell out of Ringo’s songs, including some Beatles classics. It feels especially poetic to be airing on the same network that introduced the Beatles to America 61 years ago.”

“It is always a thrill to play the Ryman, and this time we are going country," said Starr. "T Bone has put together a great show. I’m excited to hear my songs done in a country vein and to play with this incredible group of musicians. It will be two nights of peace, love and country.”