Happy Birthday, Ringo!
I missed Paul McCartney's birthday because I was busy on June 18th getting to and from Washington, D.C. to sing at a marriage celebration. And I was sore aggrieved, even though I am pretty sure he was not sitting around expecting me to call. No, all the phone-side silent vigils conducted since I first laid eyes and ears on The Beatles on English television (ITV's Thank Your Lucky Stars, January 1963) have been on my side of the line. Though I have sung in front of Paul, I have never actually met him.
But today is Ringo's birthday, and I did meet Ringo, in about 1975 or so, when we (the Manhattan Transfer "we" that had me in it) recorded our second Atlantic album, Coming Out, with Richard Perry producing. As I remember it- and memory is personal and idiosyncratic - the record company was fishing for radio hits. They hooked us up with Perry because of his track record with Leo Sayer, the Pointer Sisters (credit due to Mark di Giacomo for the correction) and Barbra Streisand. And Tiny Tim. Looking back, it seems an odd choice.
Still, there were three big thrills for me. First thrill: Bill Payne of the great Little Feat playing piano on my solo feature of Todd Rundgren's It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference. I had been, and still am, a great fan of Todd, and of course of Little Feat. That these artists are not represented in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is simply absurd. And even embarrassing.
Second thrill: Dr. John on piano on Zindy Lou. He's not in the Hall of Fame, either. Hmm.
Third thrill, same song: two drummers, Jim Keltner and Ringo Starr! The groove was irresistible - thick and sticky. Keltner is one of the all-time great session drummers, and of course he is not in the Hall of Fame, because sidemen never get the credit they deserve. Ringo squeaked in as a member of The Beatles, though he is the only one of the four who is not also in there as a solo artist. I have serious misgivings about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Sad to say, I never met George. I met John (a tale for another time), and almost met Paul (a longer tale). Meeting Ringo? Still a thrill. Happy birthday, dear Ringo. Happy birthday to you.
