Ringo Starr’s Look Up is a country album with a roots-minded sound and a collaborative cast, shaped by producer and co-writer T Bone Burnett. Released January 10, 2025, its 11 original songs give Starr room to lead while guests including Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Lucius, Larkin Poe and Alison Krauss add distinct voices and instrumental color. The result is an appealing late-career turn toward a genre Starr says has been part of his records for decades.
Is Look Up any good?
Yes—especially for listeners who want a warm, unshowy country record rather than a dramatic reinvention. Look Up makes its case through its musical framework: traditional country and roots influences, a contemporary production approach, and a succession of guest appearances that serve the songs instead of turning the album into a parade of cameos. Starr remains the central presence, singing and playing drums across the record.
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That balance is the album’s defining strength. Burnett’s role as producer and co-writer gives the project a clear country identity, while the guests broaden its texture. The arrangements leave space for the songs to move between balladry and livelier material without losing the record’s overall character. It is more a confident exploration of a longstanding interest than a bid to remake Starr’s musical identity.
Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield’s January 10, 2025 review called the record “the sound of Ringo being himself.” That is Sheffield’s characterization, not a consensus verdict; the album’s own appeal lies in how naturally Starr’s familiar presence fits its country setting.
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Why did Ringo Starr make a country album?
Country music is not a new detour for Starr. In an Associated Press interview published November 15, 2024, he said, “I’ve done 20 albums and there’s always a track that’s country-ish on each one.” He added, “I just thought, I’m going to do it.” The AP interview frames Look Up as a fuller commitment to an affinity that had previously appeared in individual songs.
Burnett, who produced and co-wrote the album, described making it with Starr as the realization of a “60-year dream” and a way to thank Starr and his band for what they had given him. The quotation comes from Starr’s album announcement, which also lays out the record’s credits and track list.
Rank #2
- Recorded at Nashville's historic RCA Studio A, with additional production at The Castle and Blackbird Studio, Traveller was produced by Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell) and recorded by Vance Powell (Jack White)
Who plays on Look Up?
Starr sings and plays drums. Burnett is the principal producer and co-writer; Daniel Tashian and Bruce Sugar are co-producers. “Thankful” has a separate production credit: Starr and Sugar produced it with Burnett. The guest roster brings together bluegrass players, vocal groups and roots-rock performers:
- Billy Strings appears on “Breathless,” “Never Let Me Go” and “Rosetta.”
- Molly Tuttle appears on “Look Up,” “I Live For Your Love,” “Can You Hear Me Call” and “String Theory.”
- Lucius appears on “Come Back.”
- Larkin Poe appears on “Rosetta.” The official store listing also credits the duo on “String Theory.”
- Alison Krauss appears on “Thankful.”
The two official track listings differ on Larkin Poe’s “String Theory” credit: the album announcement lists Molly Tuttle, while the official store’s CD listing names both Tuttle and Larkin Poe. Check the credits for the specific edition when that detail matters.
Rank #3
- Featuring all of George Straight's big hits, this ICON album is now available on vinyl for the first time
What songs are on Look Up?
The official announcement lists these 11 original songs in album order:
- “Breathless” (featuring Billy Strings)
- “Look Up” (featuring Molly Tuttle)
- “Time On My Hands”
- “Never Let Me Go” (featuring Billy Strings)
- “I Live For Your Love” (featuring Molly Tuttle)
- “Come Back” (featuring Lucius)
- “Can You Hear Me Call” (featuring Molly Tuttle)
- “Rosetta” (featuring Billy Strings and Larkin Poe)
- “You Want Some”
- “String Theory” (featuring Molly Tuttle; the official store listing also credits Larkin Poe)
- “Thankful” (featuring Alison Krauss)
The sequence mixes guest-led collaborations with tracks where Starr’s own performance is more exposed. Its range—from country ballads to more upbeat songs—keeps the album from settling into a single pace, while the roots instrumentation and production provide continuity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Look Up a country album?
Yes. Starr and his official materials present it as a country album, and its roots-oriented instrumentation and songwriting place it squarely in that tradition. The production is contemporary rather than an attempt at a period-piece sound, and the guest players bring bluegrass and other roots influences into the arrangements. The blend makes the record accessible beyond a narrow country audience without obscuring its genre.
Release and formats
Look Up was released January 10, 2025. Starr’s official store lists a CD, opaque-white vinyl, a digital download and a CD-plus-T-shirt set; those are listed product formats, not a guarantee of present stock or pricing. See the official store’s Look Up listings.
Best Value
- Tim McGraw- Biggest Hits
Look Up is no longer Starr’s newest album. His site describes Long Long Road, released April 24, 2026, as the follow-up to this record. Starr’s announcement of Long Long Road provides that release context.
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