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Ringo was always considered the accidental Beatle, the classic example of being in the right place at the right time, and few expected his solo career to amount to much. But in fact he cranked out Top 10 singles for the next half-decade after the Beatles' demise, writing some catchy sing along tunes like "It Don't Come Easy," and getting assistance from big-name friends, including but not limited to the rest of the Fab Four. He ran out of steam amid a morass of personal problems in the late 70's, and dropped off the scene for almost a decade, before resurfacing as a superstar oldies act.
Two other notes. First, I don't think Ringo's success was an accident; he may well have been the best rock drummer in England when the Beatles decided to replace Pete Best in 1962, and he's my personal favorite of all rock drummers. Famous for committing only one true drum solo to any of the Beatles' 200-odd songs, he's the master of understatement, aiming to complement the music instead of pounding his drums to death or showing off his technical expertise at every opportunity. His creativity, common sense, and class are rarely matched.
Second, almost nobody listens to a rock record for the drumming, and I have to admit that Ringo's solo work is the least substantial of any of the Beatles'. However, he contributed to a variety of other artist's records throughout the 70's, sometimes credited only by a pseudonym.
