Ringo Starr’s latest solo effort, “Y Not,” will have Ringo in a new hands-on role besides wielding drumsticks. It will mark a first for the former Beatle – he will produce the album himself. How did he decide to produce his own album for the first time? “Well, I looked in the mirror,” Ringo says with a smile. “And I was looking real groovy that day.”

There are a lot of other friends onboard, as well. The list includes his recent brother-in-law Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart and longtime Roundheads member Steve Dudas on guitar, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on keyboards, Don Was and Mike Bradford on bass and Bruce Sugar, Starr’s engineer and co-producer, on keyboards. Other guests include Joss Stone, Ben Harper and Richard Marx on vocals, Ann Marie Calhoun on violin and Tina Sugandh on tabla.

In addition, Starr’s composing collaborators for the songs on “Y Not” include more familiar names:  In addition to Walsh, Parks, Stewart, and Stone, there’s also Glen Ballard, Richard Marx, Gary Nicholson, Gary Wright and former Roundhead band member, Gary Burr.

Paul McCartney also contributes his talent to his former bandmates new album, adding a characteristically brilliant bass part to the inspiring “Peace Dream” — Starr’s latest heartfelt plea for peace and love — and even more notably providing his unmistakably fabulous vocals to “Walk With You,” an exquisite new composition by Starr and Van Dyke Parks.

Officially announced last week, Ringo Starr’’s new “Y Not” album will be released Jan. 12 on Hip-O Records.