The Beatles sign a recording contract with EMI. During the summer, Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey, Jr.) replaces Pete Best as the drummer.

     The Beatles rehearse six songs but record only two, How Do You Do It and Love Me Do. George Martin and Ron Richards are the producers. How Do You Do It is never released.

     The Beatles record P.S. I Love You and redo Love Me Do with a session drummer under the direction of Ron Richards due to George Martin's absence. Ringo plays a tambourine in Love Me Do and a maraca on P.S. I Love You. While the Beatles are recording Please, Please Me, George Martin arrives and doesn't approve of the slow version, which is then re-recorded in November. Out-takes and session tapes were never kept once completed songs had been mastered, therefore there is no copy of the original version of Please, Please Me.

     The first single featuring P.S. I Love You and Love Me Do was released on October 5th. The 1962 release features Ringo drumming on Love Me Do, which was recorded on September 4th, however the 1963 versions feature Andy White, the session drummer, recorded on September 11th. The record company decided future releases of Love Me Do would feature only Andy White, and therefore all tapes with Ringo were destroyed.

     The Beatles record Please, Please Me and Ask Me Why. Ringo Starr was back as the drummer and there was never any mention of using a session drummer any more. The songs were released on January 11, 1963.

Ringo with Rory Storm - 1960

The Beatles with Pete Best - 1961