When people think of The Beatles, the iconic foursome of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr likely comes to mind.
However, many may not realize that five drummers played with the group throughout the band’s career. Each drummer contributed to The Beatles’ unique sound and played an essential role in the band’s evolution. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at who these five drummers were and their impact on one of the most beloved bands in music history.
Pre Beatles – Colin Hanton
Before the Beatles came to fruition, there were the Quarrymen.
The Quarrymen were a skiffle group formed in Liverpool, England, in 1956 and are often considered the earliest iteration of what would eventually become The Beatles.
The band was initially formed by John Lennon and included several other members from his school, including Eric Griffiths, Pete Shotton, Len Garry, Rod Davis, and Colin Hanton. They mainly played covers of famous rock ‘n’ roll and skiffle songs but also wrote some original material.
Colin Hanton played drums with The Quarrymen after meeting John Lennon in the late 1950s. He played with the band for several years and was a part of some of their earliest recordings, including the famous 1958 demo of “That’ll Be the Day” and “In Spite of All the Danger,” which is considered to be the first song ever recorded by The Beatles.
Although Hanton left The Quarrymen in 1959, he has remained an essential figure in the band’s history and has occasionally performed with other musicians in tribute to the early days of The Beatles.
Pete Best
Before Ringo Starr joined the group, The Beatles had Pete Best as their drummer.
He officially joined the band in 1960, just before their first trip to Hamburg, Germany, where they performed at the Indra Club.
Best was a vital part of The Beatles’ early sound and was known for his intense, driving drumming that matched the raw energy of their live performances.
During his two-year run with the group, Best played countless gigs and helped shape the early stage presence of The Beatles.
He was immensely popular with fans—often regarded as the best-looking member of the band—and was an integral part of their rise through the Liverpool and Hamburg club scenes.
However, in 1962, just before the band rocketed to international fame, Best was abruptly let go and replaced by Ringo Starr. The dismissal shocked him. In a 1982 appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, Best said he had no idea it was coming:
“When the incident happened, it happened completely out the blue. There was no forewarning. I was called into Brian’s office and he turned around and I could tell that he was agitated, simply by the fact that he was pacing up and down and biting his fingernails.”
“After about three or four minutes he turned around and said, ‘Pete, I’ve got bad news for you.’ He said in a nutshell, the boys want you out and they want Ringo Starr in. I was completely shell-shocked by this, Dave,” Best continued. “I couldn’t get my mind together or into perspective.”
The split caused years of personal and professional hardship. Best didn’t speak to the other Beatles again, even when they shared the bill later with his new band, Lee Curtis and the All-Stars. “Nothing was ever mentioned,” he recalled. “There was no acknowledgment. Stony silence.”
Despite the sudden and painful exit, Best never let bitterness define him.
In a 2020 interview, he reflected, “They made a decision as young men which was safeguarding their future. OK, it could have been handled better. I was the fall guy for it, I suffered, but I’m not holding them to task over it,”
He added, “If I’d have been in the same situation and I was another member of the band, maybe I’d have been one of the bad guys.”
On April 8, 2025, Pete Best officially announced his retirement at the age of 83. His brother Roag shared the news, citing “personal circumstances.” Best reposted the announcement with a simple message: “I had a blast. Thank you.”
Johnny Hutchinson
Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr in 1962, but the band continued to use a few other drummers throughout the years, including Johnny Hutchinson.
Along with Adrian Barber and Brian Griffiths, Hutchinson formed the rock & roll trio The Big Three, which gained popularity in the 1960s. The band swiftly rose to prominence on the Liverpool music scene and developed a reputation for giving exciting live performances.
They were among the first bands to perform in the Cavern Club, where they attracted The Beatles’ attention.
The Big Three later toured with The Beatles in the early 1960s, during which time Hutchinson grew close to John Lennon. He was also renowned for his showmanship as a drummer and his flashy stage persona. He filled in for a few shows during the time between Pete Best’s departure and Ringo Starr’s acceptance as a permanent member of the group.
Hutchinson carried on as a drummer and musician after The Big Three split up in 1966, performing with a number of other bands throughout the years in Liverpool’s music scene.
Andy White
In 1962, Starr was already solidified as a member of the Beatles. However, in 1962, as the band prepared to record their first single, “Love Me Do,” their producer, George Martin, was concerned about Ringo’s drumming on the original recording.
He hired Andy White to play drums on the track since he thought his drumming style wasn’t quite appropriate for the song.
On the studio version of “Love Me Do,” the B-side “P.S. I Love You,” as well as a few other early Beatles recordings like “Please Please Me” and “Twist and Shout,” you can hear his drumming.
White made very insignificant but important contributions to The Beatles’ early recordings, which helped shape the group’s distinctive sound despite their tiny size.
White played with numerous other musicians after his stint with The Beatles, and he eventually passed away in 2015.
Jimmy Nicol
In June 1964, Ringo Starr became ill with tonsillitis on the eve of The Beatles’ world tour, which was set to begin in Denmark. With no time to find a permanent replacement, The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, hired Jimmy Nicol to fill in for Starr on tour.
Over the course of 13 days, Nicol performed with The Beatles in Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the Netherlands. He was well-known for both his dynamic drumming technique and, naturally, his aptitude for picking up The Beatles’ songs rapidly.
After the tour, Nicol went back to living a quiet life in London as a studio musician. As there isn’t much information known about Nicol’s life and work outside of his time with The Beatles, he has remained a mystery over the years.
He is still well-liked by the band’s followers, and he is frequently referred to as the “fifth Beatle.”
Ringo Starr
The Beatles had been playing together with Pete Best as their drummer for some years until Ringo Starr joined them in August 1962. Ringo had been the drummer for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, a well-known Liverpool band, and had earned a reputation as a capable and dependable drummer.
But, The Beatles were in need of a new drummer when Brian Epstein, the band’s manager, fired Pete Best due to a disagreement over the group’s future course. George Martin, The Beatles’ producer, who had previously worked with Ringo on a few prior recording sessions, gave Ringo his recommendation to the band.
It was once said that Ringo was hesitant to join The Beatles because he felt secure in his role with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. But after a few conversations with John Lennon and Paul McCartney, he decided to join the group, and on August 18, 1962, at Birkenhead, England’s Hulme Hall, he gave his debut performance with them.
The moment Ringo joined The Beatles was noteworthy since he contributed significantly to the group’s sound and popularity. His unusual drumming technique, which placed a significant emphasis on the backbeat, contributed to defining The Beatles’ sound and helped them become one of the most popular and influential bands of all time.
Did Paul McCartney Play Drums for the Beatles?
Paul McCartney had a gift for playing the drums, yet he was best recognized as the band’s bassist and one of their key songwriters. Several Beatles songs, including “Martha My Dear” and “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” featured McCartney on the drums.
Did Bernard Purdie Play with the Beatles?
American drummer Bernard Purdie has contributed to several well-known albums, including those of Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Steely Dan, and Miles Davis.
One of Purdie’s most well-known claims to fame is his alleged involvement with The Beatles’ first three albums, where he is said to have overdubbed 21 songs after receiving payment from Brian Epstein, the band’s manager. This assertion has been challenged, though, and Beatles fans continue to disagree on the precises of Purdie’s contribution to the song.
What Kind of Drums Does Ringo Starr Use?
During his time with The Beatles Ringo Starr used six different drum kits.
- Premier Mahogany Duroplastic
- Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl “Downbeat” (2)
- Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl “Super Classic” (2)
- Ludwig Maple “Hollywood”
Jack
This is a drum related website and you’re saying Ringo played a 5 inch snare? Ha! No one refers to snare drums by their depth.
Nick Cesarz
Thank you for bringing that to my attention. The author missed the mark.