Ringo Didn’t Play On Any Beatle Records?

The Truth Behind The Ringo Rumors.

Ringo didn’t sit behind the drum kit on “Love Me Do,” the Beatles’ debut UK single. Instead, the role was filled by a session musician handpicked by the legendary George Martin. This has been part of Beatles lore for quite some time. Quickly, though, George Martin, their producer, realized Ringo’s tremendous talents and became The Beatles drummer both live and in the studio. Or was he?

Hold on to your…hi-hats. Here’s where it gets intriguing — Bernard Purdie, a session drummer renowned for his work with bands like Steely Dan, has an entirely different story. Purdie claims Ringo didn’t play on any of the records at all, sort of.

Let’s dive right into the revelation from Bernard Purdie, as shared in an excerpt from Max Weinberg’s book “The Big Beat.”

Weinberg: “You played on Beatles’ tracks?”

Purdie: “Twenty-one of them.”

Weinberg: “Can you recall which ones?”

Purdie: “Ummhmm.”

Weinberg: “Could you name them?”

Purdie: “That’s information I don’t…