December 5, 1964 – Lorne Greene Hits #1 with “Ringo” On this day in music history, Lorne Greene — best known as the steady, dignified patriarch Ben Cartwright on NBC’s hit western Bonanza — rode straight to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with a most unlikely chart-topper. His spoken-word narrative “Ringo” became the number one song in America, making Greene only the second Canadian solo artist (after Paul Anka) to reach the top of the U.S. pop charts. The song told the moody, dramatic tale of

Lorne Green 1964 - Ringo | 60s Around Sounds Music

On this Day in Music History - Dec 5, 1964 **"Ringo"** by **Lorne Greene** is a Western-themed spoken-word ballad released in 1964. Written by **Don Robertson** and **Hal Blair**, the song tells the story of a gunslinger named Ringo, weaving a tale of his notoriety, loneliness, and ultimate demise in the lawless Old West. Lorne Greene, best known as Ben Cartwright on the TV series *Bonanza*, narrates the song with his commanding, deep voice, giving it a dramatic and cinematic feel. The music fea