The Beatles fans are just discovering the reason behind Ringo Starr’s signature dark glasses. The highly-talented drummer is rarely seen without his shades – but the reasoning behind this fashion choice is not widely known. While many fans assume it’s simply part of his image, a Quora user named Charlie Brown has a theory.
Responding to the question about the band, who recently are seeing an unhinged biopic made about their troubled journey on the road: “Why is Ringo Starr always wearing sunglasses?” Charlie explained: “According to numerous sources over the decades that have addressed this popular fan question about the celebrated drummer of The Beatles. Sir Ringo is usually seen in dark glasses (or ‘sunglasses’) because his eyes have an acute sensitivity to light – and he has occasionally cited that reason himself when asked about it.
“I’ve never heard an official reason for that to have developed as Ringo has aged (he’s now 81), but given the serious illnesses he lived through as a child – the light sensitivity his eyes developed as he matured might be related to his childhood health challenges.”
Born Sir Richard Starkey on July 7, 1940, in Liverpool, England, Starr spent a year in the hospital at age six due to complications from a burst appendix, according to Britannica.
This childhood health issue may be connected to his light sensitivity, which has led to his signature dark glasses becoming an integral part of his image. The iconic drummer later fell ill with tuberculosis and spent two years recovering in a sanatorium, where his passion for drums ignited thanks to a health worker who provided musical instruments to entertain the children.
Dark shades have become a token of Starr’s public image – sparking curiosity about whether they’re a style choice or born out of necessity. Charlie shared on Quora: “Nothing about Ringo’s personality nor history of being a public figure and celebrity suggests that the reason is vanity. Ringo is about as humble and self-effacing as any superstar could be.”
Ringo’s iconic look sparked discussions on Reddit after someone uploaded a couple of rare photos captioned: “Are these the only two pics of Recent Ringo without sunglasses?” In response, one user playfully commented: “Ringo’s sunglasses aren’t permanently glued to his face?!? (Yeah I haven’t seen any other pics of him recently without the sunglasses, good find OP!).”
The thread prompted further speculation, with one fan asking: “What’s the deal with him always wearing sunglasses? Ok if you like how you look and he does look good but why always? Maybe they put him in ‘work mode’?”.