Ringo Starr Celebrates 86 Years With a Peace and Love Message

Ringo Starr doesn't just blow out candles on his birthday. He invites the entire world to pause and think about peace.

The Beatles drummer celebrated his 86th birthday on July 7 by continuing a tradition he started in 2008. At noon, he asks everyone, everywhere, to post, say, or simply think "peace and love" at the same moment.

"We can't beat you up for peace, you know what I mean?" Starr explained with a smile, flashing his signature double peace sign. His words capture the heart of his movement: peace can't be forced. It can only be shared.

This year, Starr gathered friends and family at Beverly Hills Garden Park for the celebration. The event featured members of his All Starr Band, including Toto's Steve Lukather and Men at Work's Colin Hay. A children's choir performed alongside The Texans, fronted by bluegrass musician Molly Tuttle, who appears on Starr's latest album.

The celebration ended with a performance of The Beatles' "Birthday," a peace blessing from Starr, and a massive cake showing him flashing a peace sign. But the real gift was the message he shared with everyone watching.

When asked who he admires as a peace practitioner, Starr turned it around. "Anybody who does this, I admire," he said, holding up his peace sign. "And I thank them. Because that's all we can do."

The Ripple Effect

Starr's annual tradition might seem simple, but he sees it as powerful. "For that second, two people have thought 'peace and love,'" he told The Daily Beast. "So it sort of goes out like the pebble in the ocean, you know? The ripples go out and out and out."

The message connects directly to The Beatles' legacy. John Lennon wrote "Give Peace a Chance." George Harrison topped charts with "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)." Paul McCartney wrote: "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Fifty-six years after The Beatles broke up, Starr keeps that spirit alive. He still tours with his band and brings the same energy that captivated millions during Beatlemania. But he wants his legacy to reach beyond music.

"I truly believe it, and I wish the whole world was living in peace and love," Starr said. "But, as we all know, it isn't. But, you know, my part in it is I just go, 'peace and love.'"

Starr's movement isn't about convincing world leaders or changing politics. It's about inspiring ordinary people to carry peace in their hearts, one moment at a time.

At 86, he proves that making the world better can start with something as simple as a peace sign at noon.