Richard Starkey was the drummer for the Beatles from 1962 through 1970. He has used the stage name "Ringo Starr" since the late 1950's. He was born in Liverpool, England on July 7, 1940. After the Beatles disbanded, Starr had a solo career, recorded several records of his own, produced records for other artists, acted in films, and performed with several different musical groups. As a child, Ringo was often ill. At six he suffered a coma from complications of appendicitis. At thirteen he spent two years in a sanatorium to recover from chronic pleurisy. He did not finish his secondary schooling as a result. The long-term effects of his illness were a collection of food allergies and sensitivities that have stayed with him during his adult life. He is a vegetarian, not out of conviction so much as necessity. Whenever he traveled internationally as a Beatle, he packed food as ...more»

John Lennon was born in Liverpool, England on October 9, 1940. He was murdered in the streets of New York on December 7, 1980 by a delusional fan. He was married twice, to Cynthia Lennon (1962) and to Yoko Ono (1969). He had one son by Cynthia, Julian, born April 8, 1963, and a son, Sean, born October 9, 1975. Lennon was a co-founder of the Beatles with Paul McCartney and George Harrison. He was 15 at the time. He and Paul McCartney became the 20th century's most popular, well-known and influential team of song writers and composers. After Paul McCartney, John Lennon wrote more number one hit singles than any other artist, with 27, according to Billboard. He authored three books: In His Own Write, published in 1964; A Spaniard in the Works, published in 1965, and the posthumous compilation, Skywriting by Word of Mouth (published in 1986). Yoko Ono ...more»

The Beatles recorded an improvised jam session called "12-Bar Blues." Lennon and McCartney frequently commented that they enjoyed covering songs that were basically "12.bar blues" in structure and chord progression. Most guitarists learn about the "12-bar blues" early on in their studies of the instrument. This article describes what the "12-bar blues" is all about and how it relates to the rock and roll era, which the Beatles enriched and then changed forever. "The Blues" come from African-American roots in the deep South of the US, notably New Orleans and Memphis. Urban versions sprang up in more modern times in the larger cities all over the North American continent. Genres such as gospel and jazz also enriched the creative mix, leading to "rhythm & blues," essentially an urban development within African-American culture, and later, to "rock and roll." Two prominent features of the "blues" are: Structured Lyrics: Traditional blues songs had several verses ...more»

"It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. I love the album so much. I've just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life ... I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album ... I love the orchestra, the arrangements ... it may be going overboard to say it's the classic of the century ... but to me, it certainly is a total, classic record that is unbeatable in many ways ... I've often played Pet Sounds and cried. I played it to John so much that it would be difficult for him to escape the influence ... it was the record of the time. The thing that really made me sit up and take notice was the bass lines ... and also, putting melodies in the bass line. That I think was probably the big influence that ...more»