In a heartfelt episode of The Repair Shop on BBC, restorer Will Kirk was stunned by an extraordinary story behind a guest’s guitar — one that had a direct link to Beatles legend Ringo Starr.
Gary Miles from North Wales brought in his cherished first electric guitar for restoration. He shared with Will Kirk and Julyan Wallis the sentimental value it held, explaining it was a gift from his father when he was just 14 years old.
Gary’s father, Eddie Miles, was a musician from Liverpool who played in the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group back in the late 1950s. Remarkably, the band’s drummer was none other than Ringo Starr before he famously joined The Beatles.
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“Ringo went off and joined a little band called The Beatles, who did rather well for themselves!” Gary recalled with a smile. He described how the name of his father’s skiffle band is proudly displayed on the famous Cavern Club wall on Mathew Street, alongside other iconic bands like The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton.
The guitar itself had seen better days, with faulty electrics and a missing piece of wood on the top. Gary hoped to restore the instrument’s original glory, intending to pass it down to his son as a precious family heirloom.
Will Kirk and Julyan worked meticulously to bring the guitar back to life. The moment Gary saw the fully restored guitar left him visibly emotional — moved to tears by how beautifully it had been returned to its former self.
“Wow, that’s just how I imagined it. It looks brilliant, thank you,” he exclaimed, strumming it eagerly as he prepared to pass this piece of musical history to the next generation.
This touching story beautifully showcases The Repair Shop’s magic: recovering more than just items, but the memories and legacies they carry.