The legendary Ringo Starr will release his 22nd studio album Long Long Road in April, featuring collaborations with Sheryl Crow and St Vincent.
by Paul Cashmere
Ringo Starr is proving that the road truly does go on forever. Following the massive global success of his 2025 country chart topper Look Up, the world’s most famous drummer has announced his next studio venture, Long Long Road.
Set for release on 24 April 2026 the 10 track album marks a continued creative partnership between Ringo Starr and producer T Bone Burnett. To celebrate the announcement, Ringo has shared the first taste of the record, a new single titled It’s Been Too Long. The track features the exquisite vocal harmonies of Americana stars Molly Tuttle and Sarah Jarosz, setting a sophisticated tone for what is being described as an aural mosaic of Starr’s storied musical legacy.
The connection between Ringo Starr and T Bone Burnett has become one of the most fruitful late career pairings in rock history. “I’m blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records,” Ringo said in a statement. “After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for Look Up, and now for this one, which I’m calling Long Long Road, because I’ve been on a long long road.”
While Look Up was a firm dive back into the country sounds Ringo first explored on the 1970 classic Beaucoups Of Blues, the new project expands the palette. Long Long Road maintains those Americana roots while incorporating a broader range of influences. One significant touchstone for the album is the legendary Carl Perkins.
The Beatles famously covered Perkins during their BBC sessions and on early albums, with Ringo taking the lead on Honey Don’t and Matchbox. For this new collection, Burnett unearthed a hidden gem for Ringo to tackle. “I recorded two Carl Perkins songs with The Beatles, and both T Bone and I wanted one on this record,” Ringo explained. “He found this beautiful track I’d never heard before, I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore.”
The album features a stellar cast of guest contributors, including Sheryl Crow, St Vincent, and bluegrass virtuoso Billy Strings. Recording took place across Nashville and Los Angeles, reuniting the core band T Bone Burnett refers to as “The Texans,” a nod to the 1959 skiffle and rock groups Ringo performed with in Liverpool before joining The Beatles. The line-up includes Paul Franklin, David Mansfield, Dennis Crouch, Daniel Tashian, Rory Hoffman, Patrick Warren, and Colin Linden.
Burnett’s admiration for the drummer remains the driving force behind these sessions. “I’ve loved Ringo’s playing and his singing for my whole life,” Burnett stated. “I wrote him a Gene Autry type song because I always heard Ringo as a Texas artist, the way he played felt just like Texas music to me. Ringo Starr is a recording artist of the highest calibre, and I wanted to surround him with these young masters, bringing in some of this extraordinary young energy that’s happening around Nashville.”
At 85 years of age, Ringo Starr is experiencing a significant career Indian Summer. His 2025 effort, Look Up, landed him his first solo Number 1 on the UK Official Country Chart and a Top 10 position on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. It also led to a historic debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where he was invited to the stage by Emmylou Harris.
Long Long Road features six songs written or co-written by Burnett, two collaborations between Ringo and Bruce Sugar, one track penned by Ringo with Mark Hudson and Gary Burr, and the aforementioned Carl Perkins cover.
Long Long Road Tracklist:
Side One:
Returning Without Tears
Baby Don’t Go
I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore
It’s Been Too Long
Why
Side Two:
You And I (Wave Of Love)
My Baby Don’t Want Nothing
Choose Love
She’s Gone
Long Long Road
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
