In November of 1959 Ritchie officially joined the band, now calling themselves Rory Storm And the Hurricanes and fronted by the charismatic Alan Caldwell. The Hurricanes and their intrepid leader were known as much for their outlandish dress and exuberant stage performance as for their music and by 1960, they were the top ranked band in Liverpool. 1960 not only brought the band an offer of a thirteen week summer engagement at Butlins in Pwllheli, Wales, but also a big dilemma for Richard Starkey. In order to accompany the band to Pwllheli, Ritchie would have to give up his apprenticeship at Hunt and Son. His parents desperately tried to persuade him to stay with the program as did his fiancee, a lass named Geraldine. However, the lure of twenty pounds a week proved to be too much.