Beatles legend Ringo Starr proves age is just a number as he prepares for milestone birthday

Proving age is just a number, Ringo Starr admits he still sees a young man when he looks in the mirror.

While many musicians his age like to rest on their success, Ringo continues to record music and admits his love affair with the art form is what keeps him young.

Just this January, the Beatles legend released his 21st studio album, a country number titled Look Up, and lived in Nashville while recording the work.

But the legendary drummer, who’s about to turn 85, told the New York Times he doesn’t feel a day older than 24 and is amazed at how well he is doing.

“It blows me away,” he said, as per the newspaper.

“I look in the mirror and I’m 24. I never got older than 24.”

The Liverpool-born drummer continues to keep a tour schedule that would exhaust musicians half his age and will take his live act, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band, on tour through the United States later this year.

Starr, who was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2002, then explained how he maintained the endurance to keep touring.

“I love what I’m doing,” he said.

It’s something his mother first noticed when Starr started playing in rock bands in Liverpool during the early 1960s.

“When I first started… my mother would come to the gigs,” he explained.

“She would always say, ‘You know, son, I always feel you’re at your happiest when you’re playing your drums.’ So she noticed. And I do.

“I love to hit those buggers.”

Starr added he is grateful for the life he has and shared what keeps him engaged in the music scene.

“I live in the now,” he said.

“I didn’t plan any of it.

“I love that life I’m allowed to live.”

His enthusiasm extends to other people’s projects, especially when it comes to work about his former bandmates.

Previously, Starr shared his excitement for a new Beatles movie in the works that will be directed by fellow Brit, Sam Mendes.

In a recent announcement, Mendes revealed he is set to make four separate films that will focus on each member of the group and tell the story of the band from their own perspective.

The Yellow Submarine star is particularly curious to see how Mendes will approach the project, saying it was “madness” to make four movies at the same time.

“My life as a lad, John’s life, Paul’s life, George’s life, I mean, it must interact in some way,” he said via People magazine.

“There’ll be Beatles in mine around when I joined, and there’ll be Beatles in Paul’s. We’ll all be there. So I’m excited to see what he does with it.”

Ringo Starr was not an original member of the band and was hired to replace previous drummer Pete Best in 1962 following the band’s first recording session. His dynamic drumming style, which emphasised feel over virtuosity, influenced many drummers still to today.