by Shannonn Kelly
03:26AM EST, June 16, 2012
I don’t think when the concert was slated for Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band that the booking agent knew his client would be the opening act for tightrope walker Nik Wallenda in Niagara Falls last night. But seeing both was a night to remember…

In February I got tickets for my significant other, a rabid Beatles fan to see Ringo Starr at the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. But back in that cold month, I also had no idea that I’d also be on hand to witness history in the making – seventh-generation Nik Wallenda walking a high wire across Niagara Falls from USA to Canada.
But for me, Ringo made a little history himself. In our house, Ringo is known as “the most sincere and authentic half of the surviving Beatles“.
I came into listening to the Beatles very late. I discovered a John Lennon album at a flea market. It was called “Rock ‘n’ Roll” and was made in 1975 and featured late 1950’s, early 1960’s songs covered by Lennon. The cover struck me immediately because John Lennon was standing in a doorway dressed in 50’s wardrobe with a 50’s ‘duck tail. I didn’t even have a record player (this was early CD era) but I liked the cover and bought it anyway, because John’s pose reminded me of Gene Vincent. Sure enough Be-Bop-A-Lula was one of the songs Lennon covered on the album as well as one of his idols songs, “Sweet Little Sixteen” by Chuck Berry.
After I discovered this album I started to go backwards into Beatle history learning about them and listening to their music, Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) and Abbey Road (1969) being my favorites. Individual songs such as “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” from Rubber Soul, (later covered by P.M. Dawn 1988), “Eleanor Rigby” , “Taxman“, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!“, “She’s Leaving Home“, “Come Together“, “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” and the adorable, peaceful “Octopus’s Garden” by Richard Starkey / Ringo Starr. Continue reading “Ringo Starr – The Most Sincere and Authentic Half of The Surviving Beatles”