Ringo Starr To Release Solo CD 'Liverpool 8' On January 15, 2008

LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Capitol/ EMI) - On January 15 (January 14 internationally), Ringo Starr will release Liverpool 8, his first new album with Capitol/EMI since 1974's Goodnight Vienna. Liverpool 8 will be available worldwide on CD and digitally, and the album's title track will debut as a digital single on December 4. Starr will launch the album with a hometown performance on January 12 to commence Liverpool's 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations.

Liverpool 8, also the title of the album's upbeat, vibrant lead track, "refers to the section of Liverpool where I used to live," explains Ringo. "The song was actually Dave Stewart's idea, as a mini autobiographical travelogue: 'I was a sailor first' and then, 'Liverpool I left you' - because I did. 'but I never let you down,' which is true."

Although Starr and Stewart have known each other for years, this is the first time they have collaborated. It began when Dave asked Ringo to lay down some drums on a track Stewart had done with George Harrison. "After I did the drums I asked Dave to add some guitars to my album, which Mark Hudson and I were working on at Mark's Whatinthewhathe? Studio in LA. After Mark and I parted ways, Dave and I took over producing the record," Starr said. Then added in his trademark wit, "and that's why the credits say: Produced by Ringo Starr and Mark Hudson and Over-produced by Ringo Starr and Dave Stewart."

Liverpool 8's 12 original tracks were all co-written by Starr and were recorded in England and in California. "The writing of the records is always the same," Ringo explains, "it's the same group of guys and we all sit together and write about what's happening." That "group of guys" who joined Starr on the album's songwriting and recording are (in alphabetical order): Gary Burr, Steve Dudas, Mark Hudson, Sean Hurley, Zac Rae, and Dave Stewart.

Since beginning his career in the 1960s with The Beatles, Ringo Starr has been one of the world's brightest musical luminaries. Starr has enjoyed a successful and dynamic solo career as a singer, songwriter and drummer, an active musical collaborator, and as an actor. Drawing inspiration from classic blues, soul, country, honky-tonk and rock 'n' roll, Starr continues to play an important role in modern music with his solo recording and touring. His last studio album, Choose Love, was released in 2005.

Ringo has said that as time goes on there is more and more of his personality in his music, and the songs on Liverpool 8 feel personal. Starr's candor, wit and soul are evident in the lyrics and the heartbeat of every song; I always followed my heart and I never missed a beat. Peace and love are Ringo Starr's primary life beats, and Liverpool 8 propels this universal message in each of its evocative songs, which are imbued with joy, insight, reflection and wisdom from the music icon the world knows and loves simply as 'Ringo.'