CMT Blog: Ringo Starr

I promised myself I wouldn’t write about the Grammys, if only for the fact that there have already been several blogs about it. But how else I am going to boast about being at the greatest music award ceremony in the world? What a perfect way to impress upon thousands and thousands of people how incredibly important I am! I could talk all day about the incredible parties, the mango martinis made at a bar constructed of ice, the stroll down the red carpet…. In fact the only way to get me to shut up is to ask me who won - not us. Brad Paisley stole it from us. An obvious miscarriage of justice and I demand a recount!OK, I’m just kidding - I’m not nearly that bitter about it. I thought Brad was very gracious in his acceptance speech, dedicating his award to the late great John Hughey who used to play steel guitar with fellow nominees The Time Jumpers. It was a fantastic honour to get the nomination (in the category of best country instrumental) and we were all treated like winners during the whole affair.

And so, for The Greencards, life returns to normal. The telephone bill came this morning, I went out and bought a pint of milk, spent the afternoon booking the band’s accommodation for a California gig in April and learned some new fiddle tunes in the evening. Attending the Grammys hasn’t changed my life, but when you’re sitting there watching Tom Hanks, Ringo Starr and Alecia Keys, it certainly feels that way. But it has given me a sense that lofty ambitions ARE attainable; the only thing standing between myself and the chance of being nominated again is a load of hard work. We’ve just started talking about making a new record, and though I’m not pressuring myself to gain another nomination, I am aware now that it CAN happen - the bar has been raised.

Time to start writing some new songs methinks…