Everyone knows the rule. To get into Ringo Starr’s band, you have to have had a hit. Not just a "popular on college radio" hit. We’re talking a genuine, chart-topping, everybody-knows-the-chorus anthem.
Honestly, it's a brilliant bit of business. Since 1989, the concept of Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band members has basically been the ultimate rock and roll summer camp. Ringo gets to be in a band—which is all he’s ever really wanted—and the fans get a three-hour jukebox of legendary songs. It’s a rotating door of icons, but the current 2026 lineup is arguably the tightest the group has been in decades.
Who is in the All Starr Band right now?
If you’re heading out to see the 2026 tour, which kicks off this May in Temecula, you’re seeing what Ringo calls his "stable" lineup. He’s stopped swapping people out every year because he found a group that actually clicks.
Steve Lukather is the anchor. The Toto guitarist has been with Ringo since 2012. Think about that. That's longer than the Beatles were together. Lukather brings that session-player precision, and let’s be real, hearing him rip the solo on "Rosanna" right after Ringo finishes "Yellow Submarine" is a weirdly perfect kind of whiplash.
Then you’ve got Colin Hay. You know him from Men at Work. He’s the guy who gave us "Down Under" and "Who Can It Be Now?" His voice hasn't aged a day. It’s still that haunting, slightly nasal tenor that defined the 80s.
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The rest of the 2026 crew includes:
- Hamish Stuart: The soul of the Average White Band. He handles the bass and brings that "Pick Up the Pieces" funk.
- Gregg Bissonette: The drummer’s drummer. He’s the one actually doing the heavy lifting on the kit while Ringo fronts the stage, though they still do the double-drummer attack on the big numbers.
- Warren Ham: A multi-instrumentalist who plays everything from sax to harmonica. He’s the secret weapon.
- Buck Johnson: The newest addition on keyboards, coming over from the Aerosmith touring world.
The "All Starr" Requirements are Brutal
You can't just be a good player. You have to have the "Receipts."
The core philosophy of Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band members is that everyone takes a turn. Ringo sings a few, then he sits behind the kit and becomes the world’s most famous sideman while Steve Lukather sings "Africa" or Colin Hay plays "Overkill."
It’s a total lack of ego that you rarely see in rock. Ringo is a billionaire. He’s a Knight. He doesn't need to play drums for the guy from Men at Work, but he loves it. He’s always said he feels most at home when he’s just "the drummer."
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Why the Lineup Stopped Changing
For years, the band was a total revolving door. We saw Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, Dr. John, and even Sheila E. pass through. But around 2012, Ringo found a groove. He realized that constantly teaching a new set of guys 24 songs was a pain. The current 2026 group has such an intuitive shorthand that they can jam on "I Wanna Be Your Man" and make it sound like it was recorded yesterday.
The Surprising Work Ethic
Don't let the "Peace and Love" two-finger salute fool you. Ringo is a stickler for the show.
There’s a famous set of "rules" for the All Starrs. You show up on time. You know your parts. You stay healthy. Ringo is 85 years old now, and the man is a vegetarian who spends more time in the gym than most people half his age. He expects the band to keep up.
If you look at the 2026 tour schedule, they’re hitting 12 cities in about three weeks. That’s a grueling pace for any musician, let alone a legend in his mid-80s. They’re hitting the Greek Theatre in LA on June 14th to wrap it up—a venue Ringo has treated like a second home for years.
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The Evolution of the Setlist
People always ask if it's just a Beatles tribute show. Sorta, but not really.
The 2026 setlist is a fascinating beast. You get the big Beatles hits—"With a Little Help From My Friends" is the inevitable closer—but you also get the solo stuff like "Photograph" and "It Don’t Come Easy."
But the real magic of the Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band members is the "Guest" songs. Because Ringo is currently back in the studio with T Bone Burnett (following the success of his 2025 country album Look Up), there’s a rumor that the 2026 shows might feature a few more "country-fried" moments.
How to Get the Best Experience
If you're planning on catching the tour, here’s the reality: tickets go fast. Not because of "Beatlemania" in the 1964 sense, but because these shows are actually fun.
- Check the secondary markets early: Since the 2026 dates were just announced (Temecula, San Diego, Tucson, etc.), the initial rush is heavy.
- Watch the lineup: While the core 2026 band is set with Lukather and Hay, Ringo often has "surprise" guests in cities like LA or Nashville.
- Listen to "Look Up" first: Ringo's recent pivot back to his country roots (his first since 1970's Beaucoups of Blues) is influencing his current stage energy.
The All Starr Band isn't just a nostalgia act. It's a masterclass in how to age gracefully in a profession that usually chews people up and spits them out. Ringo has turned the "former Beatle" burden into a celebration of everyone else's music, too. That’s why the band works. That's why people keep coming back.
Your next move: If you're looking for tickets, check the official venue sites for the June 2026 West Coast swing. Many of these smaller theaters, like the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson, offer a much more intimate vibe than the massive stadiums Paul McCartney plays, and you'll actually be able to see Ringo's rings from the tenth row.