'A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll': Nancy Lee Andrews, 'My life with Ringo and the Beatles'

Half a decade spent in the company of The Beatles and virtually every other important figure in rock and roll from that time: "I would describe it as an essay-scrapbook of the ’70s. I guess, an homage to the musicians and the people that pretty much touched my life and Ringo’s during that time."  (Sources: 'A Dose of Rock'n'Roll' - Goldminemag - Beatleslinknet- Main photo Photo Courtesy of Nancy Lee Andrews)

And, when Carl and I broke up, I said, “I’m going to go to L.A.” And, when I got there, John said, “Well, we’ll look after you,” because he happened to be out there at the time with May Pang. So, I started hanging out with John, and he introduced me to Ringo ’cause, at the time, Ringo was estranged from his wife (Maureen)."

"The first time I met him (at a birthday party for Mal Evans), there was a party at the beach house (where John and May Pang were living), and there was a sunroom where the guys were playing poker, and someone said, 'Hey, Nan, come in here. We need another hand.' And the only chair open was right next to Ringo, and that’s when I first met him, really.

 That Monday afternoon I met Ringo (May 27, 1974), John had rented actor Peter Lawford's infamous Santa Monica beach home where he and May Pang hosted many get-togethers. Girlfriends and wives were cooking in the kitchen and kids were swimming in the pool. It was a family get-together, rock 'n' roll style.

Two months later, I got a call from May, who announced she and John were back in town. They shuttled back and forth between New York and Los Angeles so I kept their funky '68 Barracuda in my garage. She asked me to bring the car to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and we would hang out and have some dinner. I knocked on the door to the suite expecting to see John or May, but Ringo answered instead. It took me by surprise and I said, "Oh, hello." Ringo smiled and said, "I remember you... you're my poker partner!"

After we exchanged flirtatious pleasantries, we headed down to Sunset Sound Studios where Ringo was working on Goodnight Vienna. John, May and I spent hours encouraging Ringo as he laid down vocals. When he finished we ventured to The Fiddler, a favorite Sunset Strip hangout that stayed open late and served delicious fried fish and chips. It had an old Wurlitzer jukebox. The two boys drank, dropped quarters in the jukebox, singing and discussing women, wives and life while May and I chatted, watching them.

Ringo turned more melancholy as we approached two in the morning, holding my hand, touching my face, and looking at me with those big blue watery eyes. He weaved his way to the jukebox and punched in Charlie Rich's "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" over and over again. At one point he was on his knees, resting his head against the speaker, which was at the bottom of the Wurlitzer.

"That poor guy," I said to John and May. "He's still in love with his wife. Look at him, his heart is broken." John said softly, "Nancy, he's a good lad... give him a chance... you two will be good together." At that moment I didn't realize just how prophetic John's statement would be.

John, (Lennon) he was high energy. He loved a good conversation. He liked facts about a subject. And he was simple when it came to his needs, music, food and friends. He was a night owl and liked to go to the movies after midnight. One night we went downtown to a funky theater with Bob Dylan to see a Bruce Lee marathon. Those were the days when a Beatle could make a run in the middle of the night to Pinks for a pig out on hot dogs. He would get so excited in the recording studio and start sort of dancing when he was hearing what he wanted. He just loved to get groups of us at the microphone for backup vocals.We had a lot of fun.

Again, George (Harrison) loved music and it was all about the music. His wife at the time, Pattie Boyd, was great to hang out with. She's a creative woman and a wonderful person. A few years later Ringo and I went to visit him and Olivia at Friar Park in 1979.

They were so happy. Olivia cooked a delicious dinner, he played the guitar and we wandered around that huge mansion while he told us its history. He opened a door, I think it was in the kitchen and handed us candles and told us to follow him.

I thought, Oh, we're going to the spooky cellar but the stairs kept going down and down and finally we landed on a flat surface. I looked, and couldn't believe what I saw... it was a cave complete with stylolites. Walkways through a cavern. There was even a stream running through it! I had my camera with me and we had a hilarious time shooting with and without the flash. I have so many incredible pictures of us in that cave.

After that we settled in his study/music room and he handed me a bowl of rubies... big ones, small ones that were all cabachons. It was days before my birthday and he said to pick what ever I want and have something made. While he and Ringo talked and played the guitar I settled in front of the fireplace and designed a necklace with lots of hanging rubies. One of those nights I'll never forget.